20th Century Drama Coursework: “An Inspector Calls” by J B Priestley
20th Century Drama Coursework: "An Inspector Calls" by J B Priestley
An Inspector Calls was written in 1945 but is set in 1912. The gap in time between when it was written and when it is set gives Priestley the ability to pose questions such as why the terrible events that occurred between the events did so.
The play itself is a highly scaled down version of 1912 society with the older Birlings representing the upper classes and Eva Smith the lower classes. Shelia, Eric and the Inspector all act as links between the two in varying ways. The inspector is a direct link as he argues for the lower class; he has the courage to stand up to those who are above him. Shelia and Eric are the possibility of a link, they symbolise the hope that in time we may live in an equal society.
The play is about an upper class family whose world is turned upside down when an inspector knocks on their door. He tells them that they have each contributed towards the suicide of a young, lower class woman. Priestley shows the audience how each character reacts, and it is the attitude of the elders that the audience will know has caused the great tragedies of two world wars, but Priestley leaves the audience with the idea that the new generation hold a new hope.
In 1912 the lower classes were greatly oppressed and treated very badly, they were not educated and they had the lowest paid jobs. They lived in squalid conditions and many of their lives hinged on the members of the upper classes. This is the message that Priestley was trying to deliver in his play, that every action has a reaction, that all of our lives are intertwined and that we can alter others lives with what we do. He promotes the dream where we realise this and live in a world where everyone treats everyone else with kindness and respect, where equality will reign.
The play isn't only about political ideas though, it is an entertaining brilliantly written piece of English and we must remember not to overlook this fact through over interpretation. For this piece of work I am going to take certain scenes from the play and give directions to how I would want the actors to speak and act. My decisions will be based upon the messages I want to deliver to the audience, how I think the characters should be portrayed. I have chosen to look at the characters of Shelia and Mr Birling as I think they are contrasting characters with interestingly different views and ideas.
The first character that I am going to look at in detail is Shelia. Shelia is young and innocent before the inspector arrives. She has had a reasonably easy life and this further adds to her guilt when she hears Eva Smith's story. Due to her background she has been sheltered from many of the harsh realities that haunted Britain in that period of history. This comfortable untroubled life is shattered when the inspector arrives. As the play continues she grows in maturity and strength, and she symbolises the hope that the younger generation may hold the key to solving some of the world's problems. Priestley uses the character of Shelia for many different reasons. She is not only a symbol of hope but also a symbolic message of how we should learn from our mistakes. She realises that she has done something wrong and shows remorse and understanding, the kind of attitude that Priestley was trying to show would prevent another world war. She is the hope and the future and the promise that one day society may consist of individuals who care for one another and think of how their actions may affect others.
I want the audience to see Shelia as a genuine, kind person who, if anything, is too innocent. At the start of the play I want Shelia to be slightly arrogant and immature so as to show to the audience just how oblivious she is to the world's problems. Her slight sense of rebellion may be highlighted by wearing bright, fashionable and slightly outrageous clothes. She should move graciously and speak Standard English to remind the audience of her position in society throughout and to make it clear that she is classed as higher than Eva Smith. This will allow the audience to sympathise with Eva. Towards the end of the play she should come across as sincere and remorseful so as to emphasise to the audience that she has learnt from her mistakes and that she is truly sorry. It is important that she comes over as a likeable person so that the audience are willing to see the change in her at the end. It is very important that the audience like Shelia and can sympathise with her if the plot and structure of the play are to work. Therefore she must come across as caring and good hearted in nearly every scene.
First Piece of Text To Direct Sheila
The audience can tell a great deal about Shelia's personality from the part of the play where she is questioned by the inspector. As it is a key moment in the play for her as a character I have decided to choose it as one of the two scenes that I am going to direct.
This piece of text opens with Shelia telling the inspector what she felt about the Milwards' affair. I want Shelia to put emphasis on the word rotten as it is a very childish word to use in reflection to how she feels about the situation and it highlights her immaturity to the audience. She then says, "and now I feel a lot worse." She should say this in a way which makes it clear to the audience that her sincerity is not completely genuine. This will show that at this point of the play she doesn't realise the ...
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This piece of text opens with Shelia telling the inspector what she felt about the Milwards' affair. I want Shelia to put emphasis on the word rotten as it is a very childish word to use in reflection to how she feels about the situation and it highlights her immaturity to the audience. She then says, "and now I feel a lot worse." She should say this in a way which makes it clear to the audience that her sincerity is not completely genuine. This will show that at this point of the play she doesn't realise the implications of what she did. This again should be shown in the next thing she says, "Did it make much difference to her." She should be fidgety and fiddle with her hair to show her insecurity and her fear that she may have done something wrong, again signs of childishness. Her tone should be one of concern and fear to emphasise to the audience that she is showing signs of caring for Eva Smith.
The next line, "So I'm really responsible," emphasises her insecurity. She should say it like she really thinks that she is to blame and her facial expressions should also reflect this. This line is also important because it shows to the audience that Shelia is a nicer person than her parents. Whereas the others are quick to shift the blame she takes full responsibility and this acceptance should be shown by her tone of voice, one of remorse.
Although for the plot to work and for Priestley's message to be delivered at this point of the play Shelia must still appear to be slightly selfish and cruel. The inspector asks her why she got the girl fired and she replies, "Because I was in a furious temper." She should say this in a demeanour which makes it clear to the audience that she believes she had the right to affect this girls life as the girl had upset her. Her confident body language should make it clear to the audience that at this point Shelia still believes that her class makes her better than others and so gives her the right to be treated differently.
The inspector then asks Shelia if it was the girls fault and Shelia says: "No, not really. It was my own fault." She hurriedly replies with the word "no" to show to the audience that she wishes no one to think that she is blaming Eva for what happened. Her acceptance of the blame should not be complete though. She says it is her fault but she should emphasise the word "really" to show to the audience that she knows it's her fault but that she still believes Eva is slightly to blame. At this point she still believes that her class and social standing means that she was not entirely to blame.
She then hits the rest of the Birlings with the line, "At least I'm trying to tell the truth." She should say this accusingly towards the other dinner guests to show that she is now on the side of Eva. She now wants the truth from everyone so that the story can be explained.
Later on in the piece Shelia is telling the group the story of how the sacking of Eva came about. Whilst telling them she explains that she wanted to try on a dress but everyone else advised that she should not. She says, "But I insisted." She should say this with deep regret to show the audience that she is now realising how wrong she was. Her tone should be one of intense thinking to show the audience that she is starting to realise how this one event, this one decision that she made, could ruin someone else's life - this is the general message of the play.
She is continuing to tell the story when we hear that a girl tried on the dress - Eva Smith. Sheila says, "And it just suited her. She was the right type for it, just as I was the wrong type. She was a very pretty girl too." This should be said with envy so as to remind the audience that although she is maturing she is still quite childish. Even though Eva is dead she is still jealous of her looks and so still can't feel sorry for her.
She continues with the story until she eventually reaches the point where she says, "I went to the manager and told him that this girl had been very impertinent - and - and.." At this point she breaks down. Her change of emotion should be sudden and she should start shaking and crying to show the audience that the severity of her actions has just hit her. At this point she has realised how her actions helped to kill another human and it is the point in the play when she realises that class does not matter, it is the people we are that matters.
When she regains control of herself the fact that she has suddenly been forced to mature is reflected by what she next says, "How could I know what would happen afterwards." Despite the fact that she has matured she should say this in a manner which makes it clear to the audience that she is trying to take off some of the blame that she has put upon herself. Her body language should be confident to show that she has got a hold of herself but now wishes to not be deemed as the reason for Eva's death.
She goes on to say, "And if I could help her now, I would." This should be said in a remorseful tone. Her body language should be one of insecurity and nervousness to show the audience that she realises she can no longer help Eva, that she can't take back the harm she has caused.
This piece of the play ends with Shelia saying, "It's the only time I've ever done anything like that, and I'll never, never do it again to anybody." She says the first bit in a tone which makes it clear that she is still not ready to take complete responsibility for what she has done to show the audience that she has not yet completely learnt. She should emphasise the word anybody to show the audience that she now regards society as one group and does not separate them by class or occupation. She now realises that everyone is equal and so she does not have the right to treat others any differently than how she would like to be treated.
The second scene that I have chosen for Shelia is towards the end of the play. I have decided to choose a part nearer the end to show how she has learnt from the experience.
In her first speech in this piece of text she says, "The point is, you don't seem to have learnt anything." She says this accusingly and probingly so as to tell the audience of her new found confidence. She should also emphasise the word you, and point at Mr Birling, to show that she knows she has learnt something and she thinks he should have too. She should say it in a tone of voice which shows that she is baffled at how this event cannot have altered his views.
Birling then insists that it matters whether or not the inspector was real or not, to which Shelia replies, "Well it doesn't to me. And it oughtn't to you, either." The tone should be one of defiance and one which is intended to make Birling feel guilty. It should show to the audience that she has now learnt something, and it is exactly what the inspector wanted them all to learn. She is now completely sorry for what she did and feels a great deal of guilt, so she cannot understand why her father does not.
It is towards this part of the play that she begins to express herself. She says, "I'm not being (childish). If you want to know, its you two who are being childish - trying not to face the facts." She says this angrily and furiously to show the audience that she no longer has respect for her parents after their showing of complete arrogance and selfishness. She should say it as though she is trying to force them into understanding to show the audience that she feels much better within herself for learning from her mistakes and she wishes the same for her parents.
It is her father's complete disregard for her argument that fires her into a very important speech. The speech starts, "But don't you see" and ends "is a police inspector or not." The whole speech should be said very emotively and sincerely to show the audience that she realises that this event has changed her life dramatically and she will no longer be held back from her views. She goes to each character accusing them and looking them straight in the eye to show that despite age she now has the right to see herself as the most mature member of the group and so she can challenge her parents. She emphasises the words 'that's what's important' to show that she is trying to make the others realise that whether they are discovered or not doesn't matter, what they have done is still wrong. She yearns for the others to accept the blame as she has herself.
Second Piece of Text To Direct Sheila
Her next speech is delivered in a much calmer manner. She says, "But if it's any comfort to you and it wasn't to me." She says this in a tone which is designed to make the others feel guilty for their feelings of relief and to make it clear to the others that it is wrong to feel how they do.
She ends this passage with, "But it doesn't make any real difference, y'know." She says this in a tone of impatience to show the audience that she is growing tired of her family's' stubbornness towards the issue. She is now almost trying to force them to learn and to grow from the experience. The words y'know should be said almost disappointingly but questioning to show that she still has some hope that they might see what she means but it is only a faint, rapidly reducing hope.
I believe these two passages show how Shelia grows from a childish, immature girl into a responsible, considerate woman. It is a change which was forced upon her but it shows how some good can come out of even the worst situations - this is something that Priestley hoped would occur after the war.
The second character that I am focusing on is Arthur Birling. Mr Birling symbolises all that is wrong and immoral in the society of 1912. He is arrogant and careless, driven by power and greed, and is a typical upper class male of the times. He shows little regard for others' feelings and takes great pleasure in talking about himself. He is very conscious of what others think of him but he has no respect for those who are lower than him in society - people such as Eva Smith. Even after being told that he had helped to kill a young girl he showed few signs of remorse or grief and seemed to blame the girl for her own circumstances. His attitude is one that caused the great war only a few years later and Priestley is trying to emulate that it happened because people like Birling were running the country.
I want Birling to come across as an arrogant, unemotional man who is very self-centered. His hard, slightly oppressive demeanour should be constant throughout to show the audience that he does not learn from his mistakes or show any feelings for them. His costume should be a stiff, bland suit to symbolise his rigidness and it should be black to reflect his apparent lack of a conscience which makes the audience perceive him as slightly evil.
The first piece of text I am going to look at for Birling is at the very start of the play and it is an excellent example of his personality. It should be performed in a way which will immediately tell the audience what Birling is like and so they should dislike him from the outset.
Just before this passage of text Birling says, "And I say there isn't a chance of war." This should be said very confidently so as to make the piece dramatically ironic. The audience will know that Birling's predictions are wildly inaccurate and so they can see him as not knowing very much about the world - which is why he does not feel remorse for his actions because he does not know anything about society.
He then talks about the Titanic and he ends his very encouraging speech with the words, "unsinkable. Absolutely unsinkable." This should again be said confidently and arrogantly to show that he does not know what he is talking about. It should also be said in a tone which makes it clear to the audience that he is very excited about how the ship represents such bright new hope for our society. This is ironic as the Titanic sank just as society crumbled a couple of years after the play was set. Just before this passage of text Birling says, "And I say there isn't a chance of war." This should be said very confidently so as to make the piece dramatically ironic. The audience will know that Birling's predictions are wildly inaccurate and so they can see him as not knowing very much about the world - which is why he does not feel remorse for his actions because he does not know anything about society.
He then talks about the Titanic and he ends his very encouraging speech with the words, "unsinkable. Absolutely unsinkable." This should again be said confidently and arrogantly to show that he does not know what he is talking about. It should also be said in a tone which makes it clear to the audience that he is very excited about how the ship represents such bright new hope for our society. This is ironic as the Titanic sank just as society crumbled a couple of years after the play was set.
First Piece of Text To Direct Birling
He then says: "that's what you've got to keep your eye on...." Ending at the point where he says "a few scaremongers making a fuss about nothing." This should be said slowly and as if Birling is trying to impress them with his knowledge of the world. It should be said almost arrogantly as this will give the audience a perception of Birling's sense of what he thinks is important. He believes that progress and not the threat of war is what's important, of course this was completely wrong, just as his sense of importance when it comes to the Eva Smith affair is completely wrong.
He then says: "Just listen to this - and remember what I'm telling you now." He should say this in a tone which expresses that he genuinely believes what he is saying is very important. This will tell the audience of Birling's obsession with his own self-importance, one of the factors which disenables him to feel remorse for Eva Smith.
He then tells the younger generation what he thinks life will be like in 1940 - a time which is just before when the play was written. He says that they will be living in a world that has forgotten about all these "silly little war scares." This is dramatically ironic. He should say the piece enthusiastically and encouragingly and this will show to the audience that he genuinely is excited about the future but is not willing to have this excitement dampened by listening to ideas of war. He'd rather forget about it and this kind of thinking led to the war which he perceived as so silly becoming a terrible reality.
He goes on to say, "there'll be peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere - except of course in Russia, which will always be behind naturally." He should say this in a manner which shows the audience that although he sees himself as a man of world knowledge he in fact knows nothing about the world's problems or future. He should say the joke about Russia in a patronising and demeaning tone so as to show to the audience that he has prejudices against those who own less than him and are not as advanced. If he can be prejudiced against an entire nation for being less well off than him the audience will know that he will also feel that he is above the entire lower class - of which Eva Smith is a member.
He ends this passage with one of the most ironic lines in the play, "And we don't guess - we've had experience - and we know." He should say this very confidently and self assuredly. He should look at the youngsters and act in a manner which shows that he is very self obsessed. This will show the audience that his views so far are wildly wrong and that those who think they know most actually know very little. This pattern of completely wrong views and opinions is continued later with his feelings towards what he has done to Eva Smith.
The second piece of text which I have chosen for Birling is at the very end of the play. I have chosen it because it shows that even after going through everything that they have he has still learnt nothing.
This piece starts with Birling on the telephone. The audience can only hear his side of the call which goes, "Yes?.....You're certain of that......I see. Well, thank you very much." He should say this very excitedly to symbolise his utter relief. His tone should be one of excited arrogance though so as to add irony to the scene. Most people would be happy because no one had died but Birling's happiness is purely due to the fact that his status is not under threat; another example of his selfishness.
He then says how the inspector had had them on the run and he says, "But I'd a special reason for not wanting any public scandal just now." He should say this very smugly and he should be smirking with pleasure, this will be a symbol to the audience of just how self-centred Birling is. He has only minutes earlier discovered that Eva is not dead and he has already forgotten about her and wants the attention to be back with him again.
He then says, "come on Sheila, don't look like that, it's all over now." He should say this in a tone which shows the audience that he really has learnt nothing from what he has experienced. He should speak in a tone which suggests that he really can't see why Shelia's upset, which will show the audience that he does not feel any remorse for his actions.
He then says to Shelia, "But the whole thing's different now. Come, come, you can see that can't you?" This should be said joyfully so as to show the audience that Birling really thinks that as long as no one knows when you've done wrong then everything is all right. He should say it as though, despite Shelia's best efforts to convince him, he still is baffled as to why Sheila is upset. He is so cold himself that he cannot see how anyone could be remorseful over the situation.
Second Piece of Text To Direct Birling
He then says, "come on Sheila, don't look like that, it's all over now." He should say this in a tone which shows the audience that he really has learnt nothing from what he has experienced. He should speak in a tone which suggests that he really can't see why Shelia's upset, which will show the audience that he does not feel any remorse for his actions.
He then says to Shelia, "But the whole thing's different now. Come, come, you can see that can't you?" This should be said joyfully so as to show the audience that Birling really thinks that as long as no one knows when you've done wrong then everything is all right. He should say it as though, despite Shelia's best efforts to convince him, he still is baffled as to why Sheila is upset. He is so cold himself that he cannot see how anyone could be remorseful over the situation.
Shortly after this piece he says to Shelia, "You'll have a good laugh over it when you look back, you'd better ask Gerald for that ring you gave back to him, hadn't you?" This should be said normally and even in a way that slightly mocks Sheila for feeling remorse. It is right near the end of the play and so his tone should be a testament to just how little he has learnt. His mind is already back on gaining social status by Sheila marrying Gerald and this shows the audience just how shockingly immoral he is. It is one of his last lines in the play and his body language should be one of humour and rejoice so as to show the audience that he feels no remorse or sorrow for what he has done.
I feel that the two pieces of text that I have compared for Birling are good for completely different reasons to that of Shelia. Whereas with Sheila I was trying to highlight how much she had learnt, with Birling I wanted to show the complete opposite. I feel that I have done this as the two pieces I have chosen show that his attitude and feelings are exactly the same before and after the event and so he has learnt nothing.
