Arthur Birling Arthur Birling is "a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties." He represents the ruling capitalist class, repeatedly describing himself with pride as a "hard-headed businessman," and is arguably the main subject of Priestley's social critique. Dominant, arrogant, self-centred, and morally blind, he shows his stubbornness by refusing to take any responsibility for Eva's death. He remains unaffected by the suicide, and his concerns appear to be the avoidance of public scandal, the recovery of the money Eric stole from the company, and the resumption of Sheila and Gerald's engagement, which promises to effect a Croft-Birling merger (which looks likely to bring about a monopoly). Arthur Birling is used by Priestley as a dramatic vehicle to criticise capitalism, the arrogance of the wealthy middle class, and the ignorance of the older generation.
Arthur Birling Arthur Birling is "a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties." He represents the ruling capitalist class repeatedly describing himself with pride as a "hard-headed businessman," and is arguably the main subject of Priestley's social critique. Dominant, arrogant, self-centred, and morally blind, he shows his stubbornness by refusing to take any responsibility for Eva's death. He remains unaffected by the suicide, and his concerns appear to be the avoidance of public scandal, the recovery of the money Eric stole from the company, and the resumption of Sheila and Gerald's engagement, which promises to effect a Croft-Birling merger (which looks likely to bring about a monopoly). Arthur Birling is used by Priestley as a dramatic vehicle to criticise capitalism, the arrogance of the wealthy middle class, and the ignorance of the older generation.