"An Inspector Calls" - looking into the Inspector's character, the author and the setting of the play

An Essay on the Play “An Inspector Calls”

This is an essay about “An Inspector calls” by John Boynton Priestly. I shall be particularly looking into the Inspector’s character but I shall also talk about the author and the setting of the play.

John Boynton Priestly was born in Bradford in 1894. He served in the infantry in the Great War where he suffered many close escapes. After the war John attended the University of Cambridge. He worked as a newspaper critic and wrote about a number of subjects including his dislike of materialism and mechanisation in society. Priestly also had strong socialist views and thought all people in all lines of work should be paid the same, equal wage. He wrote a number of plays including “Dangerous Corner” (1932), and “Dragon’s Mouth” (1952). His well known play, “An Inspector Calls” was written in 1946. His wife was an English archaeologist and writer. He declined the offer of a knighthood and was awarded the Order of Merit from Elizabeth II in 1977. He died in 1984 aged 90 years old.

The main characters in “An Inspector Calls” are the Birling family who are comfortably in the higher social classes and live in a smart Sub-urban house on the outskirts of Brumley. There is also Gerald Croft is from a more successful family and higher up the social ladder.

Arthur Birling likes to fit in with higher social classes but obviously tries too hard to impress people. He and his son Eric run his company, Birling and Co. Throughout the play, which is set during one evening, Mr Birling is trying to impress Gerald. He does this because Gerald’s parents (owners of Crofts Limited) are high up in society and he believes he could find himself a place on the next honours list for knighthood.

Sybil Birling is Arthur Birling’s wife. She is obviously more advanced in her social status and often looks down her nose at people. Mrs Birling is full of her own importance and thinks nothing of lower people’s lives and how her decisions affect them. She is a prominent member of a Brumley women’s society and is always happy to use her influence to get her own way.

Sheila Birling is the Birling’s daughter. She is in her early twenties and is very happy with life. She plans to marry Gerald Croft and the couple are engaged. Gerald looks apon Sheila as an equal to him even though she comes from a lower social family. Sheila always speaks her mind and has very strong beliefs for a young girl.

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Eric Birling is Sheila’s brother. He is quite a tearaway compared to the rest of the family as he drinks heavily and is quite immature. In his early twenties, Eric often says things which he has not thought through and rarely considers the consequences of his actions, so often lands himself and others in trouble.

Gerald is popular with the Birlings and especially with Arthur because of his higher social background. He presents Sheila with her engagement ring during the play. Gerald is not a shy character and has a strong personality. He is not a very opinionated person so seems to be a very popular person. You can tell from the dialogue that he has a great influence over Sheila,

“Shelia: Is it the one you wanted me to have?”

This however, doesn’t mean he is dominant over her because Sheila is very self assured and confident.

The Inspector has a very intimidating character and this becomes very apparent when he is questioning the Birling family. He introduces himself as a police Inspector only recently transferred to the Brumley force. Mr Birling takes this opportunity, as he usually does, to inform the Inspector how powerful he is in Brumley. He says he knows the senior ranking officer, Colonel Roberts of the Brumley police. This is meant to intimidate the inspector but he takes it in his stride. From an early stage in the play the inspector’s character reflects J.B Priestly’s socialist views,

“Inspector: She hadn’t been able to save much of what Birling and Co. had paid her.”

The Inspector also gives the impression that he knows more about the Birling family than he lets on. For example, he knows that Gerald has had an affair with Eva Smith but shows no knowledge of this. He arrives at the Birling’s house in search of the person or persons responsible for the death of Eva Smith.

The Inspector behaves as if he already knows who is the main offender in the death of Eva Smith. He has an almost supernatural feel and demands respect when he enters a room. He creates an atmosphere of power and command. The Inspector is a very smart character and obviously makes the other characters, except Mrs Birling, very uncomfortable. He believes everyone is responsible for everyone else and this is reflected in his dialogue.

“Inspector: She was still Eva Smith when Mr Birling sacked her for wanting twenty five shillings a week instead of twenty two and six.”

The Inspector particularly blames Mr Birling for her suicide and is always referring to her being sacked from his works.

“Inspector: Because what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards and what happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide”

“Inspector: …Yes, Why did you refuse

“Inspector: Why should you do any protesting!? It was you who turned the girl out in the first place!”

I don’t believe the Inspector was exceedingly successful in finding who was responsible because in a certain way, all of the Birlings and Gerald were responsible. Although the older members of the family took it all as a joke when they find out the first inspector didn’t exist, the Inspector changed Eric and Sheila. Sheila was most different because of Eric’s affair with Daisy Renton.

I think the Inspector has a different effect on each character. Mr Birling seems to find the Inspector intruding and rude. He doesn’t think he plays any part in the death of Eva Smith even though the Inspector is most insistent on questioning him.

Mrs Birling is the only member of the family who doesn’t buckle under the Inspector’s character. Even to the Inspector she is keen to remind him that she has a much higher social level than he does. She tries to intimidate the inspector by telling him as Mr Birling has that her husband was Lord Mayor two years ago and is still a magistrate. Mrs Birling becomes very agitated and speaks rationally,

“Mrs Birling: I beg your pardon!”

“Mrs Birling: I realise that you may have to conduct some sort of inquiry, but I must say that so far you seem to be conducting it in a rather peculiar and offensive manner. You know of course that my husband was Lord Mayor here only two years ago and that he’s still a magistrate.”

The Inspector reduces Sheila to tears and seems to make quite a dent in her otherwise hearty personality.

“Mrs Birling: You seem to have made a great impression on this child inspector”

“Shelia: Mother don’t! Please don’t, for you own sake as well as ours-you mustn’t.” Sheila

Sheila appears quite disturbed by the girl’s death and this shows in her dialogue. This is especially apparent towards the end of the play,

“Shelia: It frightens me the way you talk”

Sheila and Eric both learned a great deal from the Inspector and are obviously shaken by him.

Eric has a strong connection with the girl and is therefore more upset when he learns of her death. Eva died after being turned away from Mrs Birling’s charity while she was trying to protect Eric. Eric blames his mother for her death, probably because the Inspector has driven him and all of the family to make wild accusations,

“Eric: Then-you killed her! She came to you to protect me and you turned her away –yes, and you killed her, and the child she’d had too, my child! Your own grandchild!”

Eric appears to have been deeply moved by the Inspector and is not the same man after the evening as he was when the play begins. Like Sheila, he learns a great deal from this experience.

Gerald is the character who suffered the most because of Eva Smith’s death. When they had a relationship they loved each other and the Inspector respects this. He comments:

“Inspector: …that young man Croft, though at least he had affection for her and made her happy for a time.”

Gerald becomes very upset and leaves for a short time. He had the affair with Eva Smith when she was going under the name Daisy Renton. When the Inspector mentions this name he is shocked and stunned. He immediately gives away that he knew a girl by the name of Daisy Renton. The Inspector (who already knows of Gerald’s involvement) and Sheila notice this. Gerald is obviously upset by the Inspector and becomes quite distressed. The Inspector has a certain respect for Gerald because he took Eva in out of kindness and not lust, like Eric.

The main factors for a dramatic performance of “An Inspector Calls” should be the lighting and music. The lighting before the Inspectors unexpected arrival should be soft and warm. Colours such as pinks and reds should be used to create a “cosy” atmosphere. When the inspector arrives the lighting should be hard and bright. White light should always surround the Inspector giving an idea of superiority. Any music before the Inspector enters the scene should be quiet and flowing. When he arrives it should be sharp and loud. The music must sound unfriendly and echo the Inspectors voice to give the idea that the Inspector is supernatural and strange. The actors should try to look as if they do not want to be close to him and linger together in pairs except Mr Birling who should look confident and full of himself.

Tom Baggley

10H1