The Inspector is dressed differently in a “plain darkish suit” while the Birling’s are in “evening dress”. This is to create a visual difference a contrast in class between the Birlings and himself. He is dressed ordinary, which suggests tension, so the Birling’s will believe they are superior to the inspector. The stage directions tell us he “creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness”. This suggests that he is in power as soon as he enters the room. He has stage presence, which means he has made himself the focus of the tension and is confident.
The arrival of the Inspector creates tension for both the family and the audience. Both the family and audience suspect something is wrong. The suspense is created as they both start wondering what will happen next. When the inspector begins to question the Birlings, and Gerald it becomes clear that the apparently highly regarded family may have something to hide and suspense is created in the audiences mind. Mr. Birling is particularly anxious because of the knighthood he may receive and his social status. This knighthood would enable him to move round higher social circles as long as he can “keep out of trouble” it is almost guaranteed.
When the inspector starts to question and uncover the less respectable side of the family this creates tension for the characters and the audience. He challenges their attitudes and completely disregards their social status; this creates tension between himself and the family. The family are anxious and if the humiliating truth of the family’s blunder is released in to the public domain Mr. Birling’s chance of knighthood would be shattered and the family’s social status would be in ruins. He wants them to feel guilty for what they have done to Eva. The way in which he asks his questions create tension for both the family and the audience in making them think the Birlings and Gerald are being accused.
The Inspector uses a very clever technique of letting the characters argue amongst themselves raising the tension. Yet he intervenes so he can carry on with his inquiry.
As the play progresses he keeps reminding them of Eva’s death gradually adding more and more detail in hope the family will feel guilty and become socially responsible. The language he uses is to create a graphic image of the girl’s death. He emphasises on such words and phrases as, “agony” and “She wanted to end her life” to make his point clear. He wants them to realise their social position should not be abused as their position could help others.
The inspector wanted Mr. Birling to pay the average wage to his lower class workers. He wanted Sheila to learn to control her anger and more significantly not to take it out on other people. The inspector wanted Gerald and Eric to become responsible for their relationships both sexually and otherwise with women. He wanted Mrs Birling to have respect for the working class and not to abuse her position on the charity that was intended to help women in distress. The inspector wants them all to change their attitudes but in doing so for the better. They have all abused their high social statuses for the benefit of themselves than others.
Towards the end of the evening the inspector eventually told us that she didn’t just end her own life was but, also Eric’s child. This is a shock revelation; this throws the audience and family back and a lot of tension and is suspense is built up. Although before this is announced Priestley uses the clever use of dramatic irony, he allows Mrs. Birling to implicate her own son. A lot of tension is created between Eric and Mrs. Birling. Another example of tension created between characters is between Eric and Mr. Birling. . It is about Eric stealing money from his father for Eva leaving Mr. Birling very angry. Mr. Birling asks, “How could you have paid it back?” This shows that Mr. Birling cares more about money than he does about the life of Eva Smith. Eric says he wouldn’t have stolen the money if he could go to his Father for help, he tells us this when he says: “you’re not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.” Eric is telling us that Mr. Birling cares more about himself and his social status rather than helping his family.
The Inspector seems to be this unknown supernatural being. His behaviour seems very bizarre and unusual for a policeman. The name ‘Goole’ could be a pun of Ghoul. Mr. Birling decides to phone the local police chief to see if he has an ‘Inspector Goole’ on his team. When the answer is no, this leaves the family wondering who the ‘Inspector’ really is creating tension and suspense.
He is very blunt about Eva’s death the Inspector tells us: “she swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her inside out, of course.” He totally disregards the whole social hierarchy, he shows us this when he states: “it’s better to ask for the earth than to take it.” So he is basically saying that the lower class would ask for the earth unlike the higher classes who would take it. He cuts into conversations. For example when Sheila is talking “ . . . I can’t stop thinking about it-“ he ignores that and starts to talk “Now Miss Birling . . .” He takes control of the house as if it was his own. He shows this when Eric asks if he can have a drink and Mr. Birling “explosively” says, “No.” the Inspector says “yes” because Eric needs the drink and to show the inspector is in power. He stares at the person he is addressing which is very intimidating - it states this in the stage directions. He adopted a moralising tone: “you see, we have to share something. If there’s nothing else, we have to share out guilt”. He is doing this to make them feel guilty and re-emphasise the point of social responsibility.
He speaks sternly and harshly. He asks a lot of questions and uses a lot of imperative verbs – ordering people around: “don’t yammer and stammer at me man!” This surely would frighten Mr. Birling as the inspector is destabilizing his authority in his own home.
He speaks as their conscience. He already knows the facts. Priestley is using the Inspector to illustrate his opinions and his want for people to become socially responsible and a better Britain.
The way he conducts his line of inquiry is very dominant. Priestley uses the photograph as a dramatic device. He shows the photograph to each member of the family separately leaving them wondering. They wonder why he doesn’t let them see the photograph at the same time and the inspector says, “It’s the way I like to go to work.” They do not know if it is the same photograph he shows them each time creating tension.
He inspects the characters even though he already has the answers so they admit they were wrong and to make them feel guilty.
The Inspectors departure creates tension and suspense by leaving them, “subdued and wondering.” In his final speech he creates ironic tension for the audience by telling us that if they don’t change and learn their lesson they will be taught it in “fire and blood and anguish. Goodnight” This is very ironic as it refers to war. Two wars have happened for the audience this causes the ironic tension. Even after the Inspectors departure he creates tension and suspense. He does this by letting them face reality. They start to argue amongst them and blame each other for their supposed involvement in Eva’s death. Mr and Mrs. Birling are still spiteful about it and firmly believe they have done nothing wrong. Gerald accepts some guilt and responsibility but Eric and Sheila are very apologetic and feel responsible and guilty for Eva’s suicide.
When the police station calls the Birlings house and announces that a “girl has just died”, and a police inspector is on his way to ask some “questions”, they all “stare guiltily and dumbfounded”. The tension and suspense builds up all they way until the very end of the play, taking a new twist leaving the family and audience stunned. This amazing ending leaves the audience and presumably the family wondering – who was this ‘Inspector Goole’ and how did he know the information that he did?
A well-written play by Priestly making his points clear, capturing the audience of the time’s imagination and need for change. Priestley was very successful at creating tension and suspense throughout the play. He creates tension by driving the audiences craving to find out whom, was responsible for motivating Eva to her suicide. The constant emphasis on the need for the Birling’s and Gerald to accept social responsibility – also the constant need for change in Britain. A play written at the right time, to get out his urgency for a better Britain. All the time he raises the audience’s suspense by leaving the audience hanging at the end of each act. He uses climaxes throughout the play to leave the audience wanting more and more. A completely twisted ending which leaves myself and the audience stunned. This amazing play all carefully plotted by a superb writer.
