Responsibility and Politics “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable” “nobody unsinkable” “nobody wants war” Dramatic irony is employed to make Birling, the embodiment of Capitalism, look a complete fool. The Titanic is also a metaphor for his dated ideals; just as the titanic sank, so does his ideology in the arrival of the Inspector. “It’s better to ask for for the the earth than to take it” This it” This could be viewed as a socialist threat to the upper classes, something which would have had a profound effect on older people in a contemporary audience due to the Russian Revolution near the end of the First World War. “I can’t accept any responsibility” Birling responsibility” Birling refuses to acknowledge the fact that his actions have consequences – consequences – perhaps Priestley is stating that Capitalism, which Birling represents, is fundamentally selfish and dated? “Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges” This privileges” This is a criticism of the way upper class people saw their position as a way to bolster themselves rather than help others, and it sends the message that those in power have an obligation to use that power constructively rather than to feed their own greed. This, along with many ideas about responsibility, still resonates with an audience today. “So I’m really responsible?” – – Sheila quickly is fully willing to accept responsibility, even beyond the point of how responsible she is, at complete odds to Birling. This is to juxtapose the old generation against the new, suggesting that we should allow the new generation - who are more honest, selfless and emotionally mature – mature – to lead the way, just as we should allow Socialist ideals – ideals – which Sheila and Eric come to believe in - to lead the way rather than Capitalist ideas. “It’s about time you learnt to face a few responsibilities” responsibilities” –ironic; –ironic; shows that the Inspector - along with the younger generation - and Birling have very different ideas about what responsibility is. Birling views everybody as responsible for themselves, with responsibility at most extending to family, family, refusing to accept his effect on others but damning Eric for his lack of “loyalty” to him. Thus Priestley presents us with two senses of responsibility – responsibility for simply one’s self and one’s family, and responsibility for everybody around you: the latter of course is the one he wants to be realised. “stare guiltily and dumbfounded” – this last stage direction implies that the adults have finally realised that their guilt, since all characters are staring guiltily. However, it can be inferred that the children-the ones who have learned their lesson-have nothing to fear, but we can be optimistic that the parents and Gerald will now be “taught it” as it” as the Inspector says. This could allude to a Christian point of view; those who have not learnt their lesson will be punished in “fire, blood and anguish” which could be a metaphor for Hell. This also ties in to Age. “I’d give thousands – yes, – yes, thousands” “you’re offering the money at the wrong time” Birling time” Birling can only see things in terms of money – he thinks that with material wealth he can solve any issue, and even at the end of all the interrog i nterrogations, ations, after everything the Inspector has said, he doesn’t comprehend that, at least to the Inspector, morality overrules the law and it overrules money. At the start of the play Birling, a Capitalist, seems to to be fairly in control of the situation with the Inspector Inspector – – “I don’t
see why you should come here to see me.” However, me.” However, as time goes on, Birling’s power grows g rows ever more diminished, until he is reduced to being told “don’t stammer and yammer at me, old man” man” by the Inspector and pleading to be freed from from the possibility of a scandal. This massive massive power shift could be a metaphor employed by Priestley – Priestley – in the beginning of the play, Capitalism is in charge, represented by Birling’s sense of authority. However, at the end of the play, Socialism is in charge, represented by the Inspector’s sense of authority, which massively overrules that of Birling. Priestley is clearly championing Socialism here, and suggesting that it will one day overthrow Capitalist ideals.
Sex “for lower costs and higher prices” prices” - Birling views the marriage as a business opportunity for him. The marriage is made to seem almost like an arranged marriage-this highlights the lack of power women had at the time. “you’ll just have to get used to it” “I don’t believe I will” – this could be a metaphor for women gaining more equality by 1946; Mrs Birling the embodiment of traditionalists and Sheila the embodiment of those who stood against traditional values, such as Suffragettes. Priestley may have done this to highlight to an audience the fact that change is entirely possible, as it had been seen in the advancement of equality for woman, who received voting equality in 1928. “token of their self respect” Birling respect” Birling on the importance of clothes to women; this also ties in to Class. As upper-middle upper-middle class women led sheltered lifestyles; they didn’t need to work as those like Eva did and their only real role was to look good to get a desirable husband. This aims to criticise the class system, as far less pressure was put on middle class women. “she looked as if she could take care of herself” – due to a lifestyle centred on appearance, Sheila can only think in terms of how things look and not at a deeper level, and due to this gets Eva kicked out of her job – job – Priestley is heavily criticising tradition regarding sex here. Perhaps he is saying that, through relying on tradition – tradition – and through basing things on appearance rather than looking beyond face value (which is a large part of the play – play – the Birlings seem “perfectly wellwell-behaved” but the Inspector tears down this notion) - on an individual level, and indeed as a society, we can do great damage, and in order to better ourselves we must seek to look deeper into things. This is also exemplified by Sheila not thinking too much of Gerald having “hardly came near” her near” her in the Summer until the Inspector opens her eyes - since the Inspector embodies Socialist ideals, perhaps P riestley is implying that we must embrace Socialism in order to understand things at beyond a superficial level and thus function better as a society?
Class “You think young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things?” things?” - This reminds us of the difference in class c lass between Sheila and Eva; because Sheila i s upper class she can be protected and cocooned, whereas Eva is not. Priestley does this to criticise the double standards of the class system. “treated me – as – as if I were a kid” This kid” This reminds us of how different life was for the classes; Eva had to
grow up quickly while Eric was cocooned. Also exemplified by Sheila’s love of material goods goods – – “isn’t it a beauty?” beauty?” - and her use of the words “mummy” and “mummy” and “daddy” “simply absurd for a girl in her position” – shows the way that the upper classes viewed the lower classes. - claim superiority based on class when Eva’s character is actually implied im plied as superior to that of all the Birlings and Gerald – she “didn’t mean to” let to” let slip that she was hungry, showing she doesn’t want to burden burden others with her problems - she bases the decision of not marrying Eric off of love – love – “didn’t love her” ; her physical appearance is better than that of the Birlings’ Birling s’ - “very pretty” , pretty” , she is poor but nothing like the “women of the town” , described as being “out of place down there” - Eva Smith, whether she is one girl or not, is the embodime nt of the working class in Priestley’s play. Priestley paints the lower class as lacking in a sense of self-worth – self-worth – hence the suicide and the wish not to burden people - but all around good people, people, while the upper class - or at least, least, the older members of it-are the exact opposite: all “pleased with themselves” as themselves” as we see at the beginning, but underneath the “silly pretences”, they are selfish, greedy and lacking in responsibility. -they’re people” “as if she were an animal, a thing not a person” “these girls aren’t cheap labour
This is one of the most damning statements Priestley makes against the upper c lasses; by describing the treatment of the working class as acts of dehumanisation , he brings to light the full extent of the -importance. Obviously a lot of play-goers at the time would be of upper classes’ selfishness and self -importance. the upper-middle upper-middle class, as although the class divide wasn’t quite as large, there were still many poor people who wouldn’t have had the free time or affluence to go and see a play. Thus with these statements Priestley almost directly targets and admonishes his audience – audience –a a controversial move, perhaps, but a powerful one nevertheless.
Age/Older and Younger Generation “You’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble” trouble” - criticises the lack of any sense of family at the time, and perhaps suggests that there was distance within upper class families. This may also criticise Capitalist ideals – ideals – as Birling represents Capitalism, this could be viewed as Priestley saying that those in need cannot fall back on harsh Capitalist ideals. Also ties in to Politics. “The famous younger generation-they know it all!” – – Birling scorns the children in a highly ironic way at their outlook, and patronises them, it is actually him who believes he – while he is “amused” “amused” at knows it all, and it is him, and the rest of the older generation, who will suffer as a result of this ignorance. “they’re more impressionable” – – This highlights one of the key ideas in the play – play – that the younger generation can be taught and learn new ideas, while the older generation is set in their ways. This once again reminds us of the idea that the younger generation must be allowed to lead the way in the future, for they are the only people who can truly create change, for they are the only people who can truly change. Sheila highlights this idea of change – change – in many ways she could be said to be an example of what Priestley wants for soc iety. Sheila starts of naive and selfish, but becomes the most
understanding of all the characters – characters – other than the Inspector of course. She goes from a wish for ignorance and comfort “I wish you hadn’t told me” when me” when she learns of Eva’s death, to fully understanding her responsibility, and that of others, and wanting to learn more. “But I want to stay!” “look after himself, and his own” – – This is Birling’s political ideology in a nutshell, and it is of great significance that the Inspector rings the bell straight after. One key metaphor Priestley may be using is that the first Inspector represents World War 1; he could subtly be blaming the greed of the ruling classes and the older generation for the onset of war. As soon as the Inspector is gone, those with the most power – power – the older generation – generation – are very quick to keep going on abusing this power and ignoring their responsibilities. responsibilities. As Sheila says, they “began to learn something” but something” but were “ready to go on in the same old way” . As a result of this, a second second Inspector calls – calls – symbolising the arrival of World War 2. The older generation do not learn anything. Just as many people expected the war to be the “war to end all wars” and said nothing like l ike that could ever happen again, the Birling parents and Gerald free themselves of responsibility and act like they are now safe. “All over now” “you’re the one I blame for this” t his” – This is the first thing anyone says following the Inspector’s departure. This highlights the lack of understanding of the older generation; immediately after the Inspector talks about collective responsibility, Birling
still shunts
his blame onto Eric. Also ties in to
Responsibility. “I didn’t understand” “you never even tried” This tried” This highlights the instability of the Birlings’ family relationships, also tying in to Class, as Priestley wishes to point out that being of a higher social standing doesn’t mean mean that you have a stable or loving family environment; perhaps he means to imply quite the contrary, that upper class values create distant and bitter relationships. Mrs Birling repeatedly uses the word “understand”, highlighting her lack of understanding – understanding – “I don’t understand you” to you” to the Inspector is met by “you mean you don’t choose to” . Perhaps Priestley is saying that the older generation does actually have the c apacity to learn new things and understand, but due to their stubbornness they can never allow themselves to?
