Mr Birling

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Mr Birling Introduction

Mr Birling is an immoral, arrogant and injudicious character used by Priestley as a dramatic vehicle to criticise capitalism, the arrogance of the upper classes and the ignorance of the elder generation. Priestley deliberately presents him as a detestable and morally inferior character in order to encourage the audience to dislike his capitalist values. Through his negative portrayal of Mr Birling, Priestley intends for us as the audience to reflect on our own behaviours in the hope that this will create a more caring and equal society in which everyone acknowledges that "we are members of one body".

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