An Inspector Calls
From Infocentral
An Inspector Calls is a play written in one week of 1945 by the British dramatist; J. B. Priestley. It shows the inter-connectedness of people in the drama of human existence. It reflects Priestley's socialist views whilst outlining the problems he saw with capitalism.
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Dramatic presentation
- The play is set in 1912. Many events which happen after the play are contradicted by Arthur Birling (such as the Titanic being unsinkable, war with Germany would never happen and Russia always being the backwards country).
- The play takes place in one set (Dining room of the Birlings' house), in real time. This is a dramatic device that keeps the audience's attention on the dialogue as well as the timing of the entrances and exits.
Characters
Mr. Arthur Birling
Mr. Birling is the head of the Birling household. He is described in the play as "heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle fifties but rather provincial in his speech." He is dedicated to his business, which is involved in producing furniture, and it is implied that he enjoys the engagement of his daughter and Gerald Croft (an heir of Crofts Limited) because it is good for his business. However, he is also concerned with class and acknowledges that he is not as high a rank as the Crofts, but nevertheless he also boasts about the possibility of getting a knighthood to Gerald Croft.
He is a selfish capitalist who cares more about his knighthood and money than his own family, as even after finding out about Gerald's affair with Eva he still encourages Sheila to stay with him because Gerald's family business is merging with the Birling business.
He tries to worm his way out of any blame as soon as it is suggested that Inspector Goole may not be a real Inspector, despite still being under the impression that a girl has died as a consequence of his actions.
Mrs. Sybil Birling
Sybil Birling is described in the play as "about fifty, a rather cold woman and her husband's social superior." She is the mother of Sheila and Eric Birling and although they are both into their twenties, she describes and sees them as children and can be quite patronising at times. Like her husband, she is concerned primarily about class and her family's social standing. This explains her extremely snobbish behaviour. She dismisses Eva as "girls of that class."
As the plot moves on she tries to deny things she does not want to believe. This includes the affair Gerald has with Eva, Eric's drinking and Eva refusing money she thought Eric had stolen. She also tells the Inspector lies in order to cover up any blame or connection with Eva and herself, although she admits to being prejudiced against Eva when she applied for charity; this was a result of Eva's lies.
Like her husband, and Gerald, she accepts no responsibility for Eva's death, while Sheila and Eric have learnt their lessons. <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramainspectorcalls/2drama_inspector_charrev3.shtml</ref>
Gerald Croft
From a higher social class than the Birlings, he is the 'young man about town, rather too manly to be a dandy'. He is Sheila's fiancé. He took pity on Eva when she was cast out and homeless, giving her board and money, eventually having an affair with her. He was the love of her life, but she was not the love of his.
It is he who realises that the Inspector is not real, and proves it to the others. The elder generation are relieved: the younger generation believe that their actions were still wrong, even though they haven't directly killed anyone.
Sheila Birling
Sheila is the daughter of Sybil and Arthur Birling, and engaged to Gerald Croft. In the beginning of the play, she is shown as being excitable, playful and possibly a little naive - but before knowing about Gerald's affair with Eva she does mention that she never saw him "last summer, when you [Gerald] never came near me." However, unlike Arthur and Sybil she shows compassion towards what Arthur and Sybil see as their social inferiors even at the beginning of the play, where she mentions that she dislikes the idea that workers are simply "cheap labour."
When she learns of her involvement in Eva's suicide she is genuinely horrified and blames herself for her death (although Inspector Goole at the end tells a sobbing Sheila that Arthur started it) and cannot understand why Arthur and Sybil try and cover up for their part in her death. However, she is not angry with Gerald for his affair and how he deals with it, and mentions that she respects his honesty in the matter. She is thought to have come out a wiser and more mature young woman. <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english_literature/dramainspectorcalls/2drama_inspector_charrev4.shtml</ref>
Eric Birling
Eric is the son of Sybil and Arthur Birling. He is a man in his early twenties and is described as "Half shy, half assertive." He is known to the audience as a notoriously heavy drinker, though it only becomes obvious to Sybil later on in the play.
When he learns that he is partly responsible for the suicide of Eva Smith he confesses to having bought Eva a few drinks and slept with her, accidentally impregnating her until she told him, after which he offered her money he had stolen from Mr Birling's office until she refused, at which point she goes to Mrs Birling's charity to ask for help.
Inspector Goole
Inspector Goole is central to the play. He is extremely commanding and authoritative, in his speech and in his personal presence: “he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness.” The stage directions repeatedly show him “cutting through massively”(p.12), ”cutting in massively”(p.22), “massively taking charge”(p.28), “With authority”(p.34), “taking charge, masterfully”(p.55). He dominates the other characters, even Mr and Mrs Birling, who are used to dominating others and being obeyed: “(As Birling tries to protest, turns on him) Don't stammer and yammer at me again, man. I'm losing all patience with you people. What did she say?” After this outburst, Mrs Birling is “rather cowed”.
A few outbursts aside, Goole remains calm and unruffled, though speaking “coolly”(p.30) and “impeturbably”(p.31). His language is often blunt, sometimes deliberately harsh: “Two hours ago a young woman died in the Infirmary. She'd been taken there this afternoon because she'd swallowed a lot of disinfectant. Burnt her inside out, of course.”(p.11) As Birling points out later, “Just repeating it shakes you a bit. And that's what he had to do. Shake us at once ‑ and then start questioning us until we didn't know where we were.”(p.69). Only after Goole has left can the Birlings and Gerald reassert their own personalities.
Inspector is unintimidated by Mr Birling, who tries to frighten him by telling him that Colonel Roberts is “an old friend of mine.”(p.16). He is very determined, and will not be misled or diverted from his aim: to get each person to admit his pant in Eva's death: “it's the way I like to go to work. One person and one line of enquiry at a time. “(p.12).
He cleverly uses their own keenness to avoid blame against them: “And you think young woman ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things? Gerald: If possible ‑ yes. Goole: Well, we know one young woman who wasn't, don't we? Gerald: I suppose I asked for that. “(pp27‑28). Similarly, with Mrs Birling, he encourages her to condemn the father of Eva's baby, before allowing them to realise that the father is Eric ‑ “If he is, then we know what to do, don't we? Mrs Birling has just told us.”(p.49).
Goole has a keen moral sense ‑ he is disgusted and enraged by what has been done to Eva Smith, and the depth of his contempt for the others emerges in periodic “harsh” outbursts which subdue them ‑ “She died in misery and agony hating life”(p.28). He defies Birling's attempts to rebuke him, and warns, “Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges”(p.41). In his concluding address, he summarises what each person did to Eva (p.55). His final speech is moralistic: “We don't live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”(p.56), His closing words, “Fire and blood and anguish” have a prophetic, apocalyptic (i.e. with overtones of doom and destruction) tone.
Other Information
Sheila is self-centred because she got Eva Smith sacked, but she shows morality and accepts her responsibility for Eva's death
An Inspector Calls is studied by GCSE English Literature students in the UK.
The play was made into a 1954 film featuring Alistair Sim as the inspector.
References
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