| “ | If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody...it would all be very awkward wouldn't it? | „ |
| ~ Mr. Birling to Inspector Goole |
Arthur Birling, referred to mostly throughout the play as just Mr. Birling, is the main antagonist of J.B. Priestley's 1945 play An Inspector Calls.
Arthur, like all of the Birlings and Gerald Croft, are responsible for the death of Eva Smith/Daisy Renton, made clear by Inspector Goole. He is the allegorical representation of Capitalism.
In the 1948 TV play, he was portrayed by Julien Mitchell. In the 1954 film, he was portrayed by Arthur Young. In the 1961 TV film, he was portrayed by Edward Chapman, who portrayed Captain Jack Boyle in Juno & The Paycock. In the 1982 TV film, he was portrayed by Nigel Davenport. In the 2015 TV film, he was portrayed by Ken Stott, who also portrayed Ian Garrett in The Missing.
Personality[]
Mr. Birling is an arrogant, snobbish man. He spends much time trying to appease Gerald, who is of a higher social status. He is very opinionated and not afraid to express these, such as individualism. He is unsympathetic to people in difficult situations and is a snob. He is reluctant to take responsibility for his actions, and refuses to believe he should consider what the consequences of his actions can mean for other people. He is also considered to be very selfish and highly concerned with elevating his own social status.
Biography[]
Background[]
Mr. Birling is the patriarch of the Birling family - the father of Eric and Sheila and the wife of Sybil Birling. He owns a factory business, Birling & Co., which employed Eva Smith/Daisy Renton. One day, Eva/Daisy led a strike with other female employees in demand for equal pay. To set an example for the rest of his employees, he fired her from the company, leaving her unemployed with no stable income.
An Inspector Calls[]
The Birlings come together for a dinner in 1912 to celebrate the engagement of Sheila Birling and Gerald Croft. Mr. Birling controls most of the conversation, discussing the "absolutely unsinkable" Titanic (which duly sank in April of that year). During this dinner, Mr. Birling delivers a speech about the prosperity of his company, and wrongly assures Gerald of sustainable peace in Europe.
After dinner, Arthur and Gerald speak alone, later joined by Eric, where they begin to derogatorily discuss women. This is interrupted by the Birling's maid, Edna, who announces the arrival of Inspector Goole.
Inspector Goole announces to the family that a girl has been found dead. Shocked but not distressed, the Birlings offer half-hearted sympathies, and begin to question Goole's presence. Goole reveals the girl was previously employed by Mr. Birling. Initially, Mr. Birling fails to remember the girl, but is reminded when Goole produces a photograph and shows Mr. Birling.
He reveals that Eva/Daisy led a protest at Birling & Co., and sacked her for demanding equal pay. Whilst Birling does admit this, he denies any responsibility and involvement in Eva's death.
After Eric becomes drunker and more insecure with the presence of Inspector Goole, Mr. Birling patronises his son and tells him to go to bed. When Eric returns and is questioned, he reveals he once stole £50 to pay for Eva/Daisy's living costs. This causes an argument between Eric and Arthur which is then interrupted by Inspector Goole.
Before Inspector Goole leaves the Birling's, he informs them that unless they accept their responsibility to Eva/Daisy, and to society, they will learn in in "fire, and blood, and anguish."
Once Goole leaves, Mr. Birling expresses his concern over the scandal, rather than about Eva/Daisy - having learned nothing from Goole. He fears that he will never receive a knighthood which he believed he was sure to get. Eric objects to Mr. Birling's selfishness. Mr. and Mrs. Birling then convince each other that Inspector Goole was not a real police officer, which, to them, absolves them of any wrongdoing or responsibility.
Having visited the police station, Gerald returns and discovers that Inspector Goole is not a police officer. Mr. Birling then checks with the infirmary if there have been any reported suicides in the local area. Mr. Birling tells the family that the infirmary has confirmed no recent suicides.
In relief, Gerald and Mr. and Mrs. Birling seek to put the evening behind them, whilst Eric and Sheila remain haunted by their actions. Briefly after, the infirmary calls the Birling's back. Mr. Birling goes silent, and then tells the family that there has just been a suicide who died in the same manner described by Inspector Goole earlier, and that the police will be over to question them.