Arthur (Paul Anderson), the eldest brother. A gangster who is hooked to drink and narcotics and is not scared to shoot or kill blood. But why is this character so well-liked by the audience? Let’s find out the hidden things behind Arthur Shelby – Peaky Blinders’ wildest card.

1. Peaky Blinders Arthur
Peaky Blinders premiered in 2013 and has already been broadcast for six
seasons. However, the allure of this story has not faded.
Arthur Shelby
A fast-paced thriller with numerous twists and turns revolving around political
intrigues and horrific bloodshed made the Peaky Blinders gang of the Shelbys
in Birmingham famous.
Each member of the Shelby family stands out for their own personality and
color. The film’s soul is the chilly, silent, but extremely astute billionaire
Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy). But what truly distinguishes the Peaky
Blinders empire is the family members’ cohesion and mutual trust, establishing
an emotional thread throughout that allows the spectator to enjoy seeing
every step of the mafia clan.
It would be rude not to include Thomas’s right-hand man, Arthur (Paul
Anderson), the eldest brother. A gangster who is hooked to drink and
narcotics and is not scared to shoot or kill blood. But why is this character so

2. well-liked by the audience? Let’s find out the hidden things behind Arthur
Shelby – Peaky Blinders’ wildest card.
Peaky Blinders Arthur
Light and dark patches in Peaky Blinders Arthur Shelby
Peaky Blinders Arthur can be considered the most complicated piece in the
Shelby family, Peaky Blinders brother, where everyone has psychological
trauma. In each of Peaky Blinders’ missions, Arthur and his youngest brother
John are always the ones to execute Tommy’s orders to lead bloody killing
scenes.
Arthur’s violence and anger seem to have no end, causing the unjust death of
a teenager on the boxing floor. Or the permanent injuries on his wife’s friend’s
face after uncontrolled jealousy. So his aunt Polly (Helen McCrory) called
Arthur the “mad dog” of the Peaky Blinders.

3. Arthur attacks Linda’s friend
The director always puts Arthur in difficult situations like when Tommy sent his
brother to meet a group of Russians in season 3. Here, Arthur with a wedding
ring in his hand faced the temptation of a group orgy. And the scene where
Arthur surrenders to the temptation to scream “By fucking Birmingham” when
there is no cloth left on his body is considered one of the best segments of
season 3.
The struggle between good and evil in Arthur is the most unique feature of
the whole TV series. There are many segments that make viewers realize that
this man is not simply a bloodthirsty mafia.

4. After the death of Grace – Tommy’s great love, Tom sent Arthur and John to
kill the Changretta wife to take revenge. But this innocent woman was the
childhood teacher of all 3 brothers, in the end, Arthur Shelby refused to cross
the line of not touching women and children, and closed Tommy’s rage with a
saying “We’re not that gonna be”.
Or like at the end of season 3, when Tommy caught Vicente Changretta
(Kenneth Colley), instead of torturing the assassin as slowly as Tommy
wanted, Arthur pulled the trigger decisively to bring a quick death, least pain
for his family’s enemies. This marked a mature step in Arthur’s psyche.
It can be seen that, behind the crimes, the times when immersed in alcohol
and drugs are the pain and sadness that is difficult to name, always
tormenting Peaky Blinders Arthur. So what makes this gangster guy always
consider killing and hurting others as the only way out for himself?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): The Ugly Scar from World War I
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder that occurs after a person is
exposed to a traumatic event, with strong psychological effects such as war or
other life-threatening events. Arthur, Tommy, and John – Peaky Blinders
brother were all sent to the Western Front of France during World War I,
where they were subjected to the most horrifying and devastating scenes.
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The battle never really ended for all three of the Shelbys even as they returned
to life in Birmingham. Peaky Blinders did an excellent job of portraying the
psychological aftermath of the war in a very subtle way.
Depression is like a ghost moving quietly, slowly, creeping into every corner,
every behavior of men who once held guns to protect the interests of the
country. The ugly scars from the war make Tommy an apathetic man,
separating himself from family and friends and alone suffering from

5. nightmares every night. It also makes Peaky Blinders Arthur and John forever
stand on the brink of rage and it seems that the only relief is the scuffles,
bloody attacks.
Arthur Shelby
Panic and disorientation, bouts of depression, uncontrollable anger, and
phobias are the consequences of war. World War I sucked the emotions of the
soldiers.
Soldiers instead of seeking help from others turn to alcohol and drugs as
consolation. Pride, fear of discrimination, and rejection are like invisible walls
separating these soldiers from peacetime life, family, and friends. Bombs have
dissolved the line between good and evil in them.
Arthur is not haunted by nightmares like Tommy. But clearly, the post-war
trauma left him powerless to resist his own anger and violence. Sadly, his time
in the war in France was not the only cause of the hurt and sadness that this
character brought with him throughout the six seasons.

6. The Most Vulnerable Piece of Shelby Family
It is not surprising that almost every member of the Peaky Blinders family is
addicted to alcohol, and tobacco and has a tendency to depression. Growing
up with such family circumstances, along with incomplete childhood has
created cold-blooded gangsters.
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Birmingham
Perhaps of the Peaky Blinders brother, Arthur was the saddest. In season 2,
when the heartless father after many years of abandoning his wife and
children returns to Birmingham, Arthur is the only one who opens the door to
welcome him. The father’s promises after many years of separation make the
person dubbed “mad dog” like back to be a gentle puppy, an innocent child
who craves affection from the person who gave birth to him.
All three Shelby brothers grew up in the absence of an adult male to lead. An
emotional child, somewhat inferior to his younger brother like Peaky Blinders
Arthur, must always expect recognition and approval from his father.
The scene of the father and son of the Shelby family in the boxing ring is a
moment worth pondering. Arthur never wanted to hit his father, and when his
father raised his arm, calling him a champion made Arthur happy because he
felt the recognition he had been looking for for so long.

7. Arthur Shelby and his father
But the comfort and promise of a bright future in America hurt Arthur deeply
when his father once again leaves after having tricked Arthur for money and
trust. This event really caused Arthur to collapse to the point of suicide but
failed.
Arthur and Tommy are two siblings but with very different personalities.
Arthur is more vulnerable in many ways. Although Tommy is not the eldest, he
is the one who truly holds all the power of the Peaky Blinders. This is the cause
of insecurity, guilt, and inferiority that always torment Arthur.
Besides violence and out-of-control anger, Arthur is always family-oriented,
loyal to his brother, and loves Tommy very much. At the racecourse of Darby
Sabini (Noah Taylor), Arthur brutally killed one of his two brother’s two
unsuccessful assassins. And that’s not the only time, in season 3 Arthur killed
two assassins sent to assassinate Tommy.
The relationship between Arthur and Tommy is something worth mentioning.
In season 1, Tommy bought the Garrison pub, putting Arthur in charge as a

8. sign of trust between the two brothers. Tommy and Grace’s wedding scene is
also a rare bright moment between the two Shelby brothers.
But in the missions of Peaky Blinders, Tommy always uses Arthur as a wild
weapon, an effective killing card. Every time Arthur showed signs of
psychological breakdown, Tommy instead of listening, accepting his brother’s
feelings persuaded Arthur to bottle his anger and pull him back into bloody
clashes.
The relationship between the two brothers also raises questions for viewers
when Tommy laughs at Arthur’s failed suicide attempts because Peaky
Blinders Arthur believes he is a failure. Toxic misunderstandings about
masculinity and stereotypes about depression in men from their own family
members make Arthur grapple with the devil in his mind alone.
What is wrong with a man suffering and expressing negative emotions with
tears? The bloody scenes shot on the repentant face of actor Paul Anderson
made the audience feel uneasy. Was it Tommy who took advantage of his
brother’s blind loyalty and dragged Arthur into the mire of crime?
Peaky Blinders Arthur in the position of husband, father
Not only stuck in the relationship with his brother, but Arthur is also always
torn in the role of a husband, a good father, and a loyal right-hand man
Tommy.
Arthur Shelby wife Linda (Kate Phillips) is a devout Christian, but will love
from her family and being a good woman be the answer to the psychological
trauma of war? Linda’s appearance in season 3 gives viewers hope for the
future of “mad dog” Peaky Blinders.

9. Linda

10. – Arthur Shelby’s Wife
Family life causes Arthur to try to control his violence and strive to be a good
man. The fact that John was murdered in season 4 made Arthur boil with the
intention of revenge. But under Linda’s persuasion and faith in God, Arthur
agreed to leave this task to Tommy.
Linda’s voice calms the anger, temporarily pulling Arthur away from alcohol
and drugs. But the awakening Linda brought did not save him. Under the
agitation of Mosley (Sam Claflin) in season 5, Arthur vented his anger on an
acquaintance of Linda as the last straw for the marriage between the two.
Deep inside, Arthur is aware of the chaos in his mind that never ends. Life with
Linda just made him someone he wasn’t. Is the place where Arthur really
belongs in the position next to Tommy even if Arthur might have to pay with
his life?
In season 3, Peaky Blinders Arthur has become a father, will the absence of a
father in his childhood cause him to do the same to his son? The answer still
awaits viewers in season 6. But at the end of season 3, Arthur missed the
opportunity to start over in California with Linda because of a clash with the
Changretta family. And maybe it’s only a matter of time until Arthur loses
himself again.

11. Arthur Shelby
Arthur really won the sympathy of the viewers because of his very real
emotions and the desire to find meaning in his own existence and in
everything around him. Living in a world full of suffering and death, Arthur has
never faltered in the face of the devil in himself. Besides the lingering
insecurities and psychological wounds, Arthur is still a brave Peaky Blinders
warrior, doing everything to protect his gang and family.