Compare and contrast Inspector Goole and Authur birling

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Compare and contrast Inspector Goole and Authur birling

Introduction

In this essay I will be talking about an Inspector calls. A well-written play by J.B priestly in 1945. I will compare and contrast Inspector Goole and Authur Birling, to do this I will talk about the characters in the play, the use of dramatic irony which priestly uses within the play to maintain the audience's interests, how priestly builds up suspense where the play is set, and how the play effects the audience. I will also be talking about the historical context.

John Boyton Priestly wrote the play in 1945, but the actual story is set in 1912, two years before the world war. The reason for this is to show the events which has already happened that the audience already have knowledge of, such as the sinking of the titanic, the outbreak of the war, this is dramatic irony.

The play 'An Inspector Calls' took two weeks for Priestly to compose, as Priestly originally had an idea about a mysterious Inspector visiting a family. In 1944 he rediscovered his ideas for the characters of the Birling family in his notebook, then in winter of 1944-5 he finished writing his play. There was no London theatre available because of the 1st war performed so priestly sent the script to Moscow where it was produced simultaneously in two theatres in 1945. It was then produced in London the following year.

John Boyton priestly was born in Bradford in 1894 and died in 1984. He was a socialist who believed capitalism was foolish as he represents Mr Birling to show his hatred of the upper-class people. At them days Britain was divided into class systems, the lower-class being the poor who worked in factorys, cleaners,etc. and had a very little to earn in life with no way of going up a class. The middle class being the business owners and making profit and the upper-class being the richest.

The Birling family is the middle class but MR Birling like to think of them as upper-class as Sheila gets engaged to Gerald. Sheila is the daughter of Authur Birling and Sybill Birling, Sheila is young and attractive, in her early twenties and is quite impressionable. She is a sympathetic and caring who expresses her feelings throughout the play. I think priestly uses Sheila to keep reminding the readers of Eva's horrible death. She is one of the very few "open" characters, and is able to do well as she expresses her feelings, such as when she says, "it's the only time I've ever done anything like that, and I'll never do it again to anyone".

Priestly uses Sheila, to some degree, to show sensitivity towards a girl of the lower-class. Throughout the play she is there to remind the audience of how her family treated and spoilt the life of a young girl, simply because she was of a lower-class. Sheila is used as a voice throughout the play, which is obviously what priestly intended.

Gerald Croft who is an attractive chap, about thirty, he is an upper-class who's reputation is important to him he is also uncaring about other people in society.

Eric is Sheila's brother who is half shy and "squiffy" which Sheila uses to describe him. He is in his early twenties, and likes to drink a lot. "Could I have a drink first?" (Act three page 51) Like Sheila he shows sympathy for Eva Smith throughout the play. "cant blame her"
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Sybill Birling is about fifty she is a bit like her husband and thinks she has a high status in society, this is shown when she says, "advising my committee not to allow claim for assistance."

She is uncaring and refuses to change altogether after she finds out that the Inspector is a hoax.

At the beginning of the play Sheila is selfish and excited and eric being the same both of them are uncaring about other people while Mr, MRs Birling and Gerald are also uncaring about lower-class people. No one knows how they are ...

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