The Inspector has omniscience, he is very powerful and all-knowing, particularly in Act 3; this affects both the characters and the audience in many ways, e.g. ‘(taking charge masterfully) ‘stop!’ They are suddenly quiet.’ The inspector interrupts an argument between the Birlings; he has massive presence so the Birlings are shocked and put to silence, showing he has charge over the Birlings. His achons makes the audience want to know what’s going to happen next. He tells the characters what to do and when to do it. Another stage direction like that is when the Inspector looks at the characters closely ‘He looks from one to the other of them carefully’ (directly at the characters). This is one of the Inspectors habits, looking at the characters carefully, he wants their attention. The room is very tense even to the audience, making them feel as if the Inspector is looking at them, there is also suspense in the audience, they are wondering what’s going to happen next.
The Inspector splits up the family when he is gone. There is an argument with Mr and Mrs. Birling against Sheila and Eric. Mr Birling is shouting and threatening Sheila and Eric, Mrs. Birling is shouting sharply (speaking sharply to them), Eric is bursting out (shouting, interrupting) and also speaking bitterly to his parents. The old generation against the new generation leads to a huge argument, which means that on stage there is so much tension that you could cut it with a knife. ’(SHOUTING) ‘And I say the girls dead and we all helped to kill her . . . . . . . . . . . . . and it doesn’t alter the fact that we all helped to kill her.’
The stage direction, ‘Rather Savagely to Mr Birling’, shows that the Inspectors mood and tone of voice changes from speaking calmly to Sheila to speaking ‘savagely’ to Mr Birling. I think that this shows that the Inspector has more sympathy for Sheila and less for Mr Birling (he dislikes Mr Birling). The tone of voice would of created suspicion on the characters, I think that questions would have been going through their heads, such as why did the inspector suddenly speaking harshly to Mr Birling? or Why does the Inspector dislike Mr Birling?
The Inspectors exit is very shocking and abrupt. This had maintained suspense and tension to the characters and the audience throughout Act 3. The first stage direction, ‘(he makes a move as if concluding the session, possibly shutting up notebook.’ This shows that the Inspector is in control, he is in power ‘shutting up notebook’ He stares at the characters again but this time ‘sardonically’ (sarcastically). He is the one who is ending the session. The second stage direction ‘But just remember this one Eva Smith has gone – but there are millions and millions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . be taught in fire, blood and anguish. Good Night.’ This is a major speech which the Inspector builds up to (‘blood and anguish’) throughout the whole speech the Inspector was getting more aggressive then suddenly the Inspector just stops (says ‘Good Night’) leaving the Birlings to deal with their reactions.
In the play stage directions help to create a lot of tension between the characters and the audience, as well as suspicion. Stage directions have been used a lot in this last act for example when the Inspector gives his ‘great’ speech, walking out leaving the family alone to deal with their reactions. ‘He walks straight out, leaving them staring, subdued and wondering, Sheila is still quietly crying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . who is active, is Mr Birling and he goes and pours himself a drink..’ this makes the audience very tense and fell what each of the characters is going through.
The building of tension is very high, what anything anyone says triggers another person of. ‘Eric laughs rather hysterically, pointing at him laughing ‘oh-for gods sake!’ Eric has a lot of anger and frustration on his father, he also blame his father for the death of the girl. Mr Birling wants to put the blame on some one else even though the Inspector and Eric blame him.’(Angrily to Eric) ‘you’re the one I blame for this.’
The doorbell is also a dramatic device, Mr Birling is interrupted by the doorbell and every one is in shock. ‘’Yes - well. We’ll have to do something - and get to work quickly ‘As he hesitates there is a ring at the front door they look at each other in alarm.’ This technique develops tension, shock and suspense to the characters as well as the audience, it keep the audience at the edge of their seats. The Birlings think that the Inspector has returned, they ‘look at each other in alarm.’
The plot has lots of twists and turns, for example Sheila remanis ‘’it’s queer – very queer …’ she looks at them reflectively.’ Sheila is using hyphens. She is making the audience ponder the true identity of the Inspector; she introduces the next part of the play.
The stage direction ‘well I must say his manners was quiet extraordinary, so – so rude – and assertive –‘ this was said by Mrs. Birling, there were a few pauses to show she is thinking, which causes suspense. It shows that Mrs. Birling has also started to doubt the Inspector, if he is a real Inspector.
When the doorbell rings the Birlings were all shook wondering who it was ‘as he hesitates there is a ring at the front door. They look at each other in alarm’ This stage direction creates a lot of shock and mystery to the characters and audience. The door bell interrupts Mr Birling in the middle of a sentence again. Another interruption is the telephone at the end of the play when Mr Birling is making his speech about the children not knowing how to take a joke ‘Now look at the pair of them – the famous younger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dumbfounded the curtains fall.’ The ending creates shock and tension throughout the last sentences in many ways. This is also the final twist Mr Birling is very confident at the phone but then the ending is left a cliffhanger, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats.
