Mr. Birling is a factory owner with many employees. He is strong and always wants to be the focal point. Eva Smith used to work at Birlings factory. She and other workers protested to be allowed more pay. Because of this protesting, he then sacked her and the others. When the Inspector tells him about Eva Smith, he denies all responsibility for her death. He says in Act 1…
“… well don’t tell me that’s because I discharged her from my employment nearly two years ago”
This is why Mr. Birling disapproves the Inspectors opinion. As a director, I would make sure that Mr. Birling’s character appears strong. I would play deep music to create a sense of power and importance. As a director I would make him appear strong by making him use hand movements and sturdy gestures. I would make Mr. Birling point at the Inspector when he denies about having anything to do with Eva Smiths death.
Sheila is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Birling. Sheila seems quite sensitive and longs to know what is going on. Sheila was shopping one day at Milward’s and Eva Smith who was working there at the time, was apparently mocking her. Sheila then threatened the shop owners to dismiss Eva or she would discontinue her shop account at Milward’s. Sheila feels very responsible for Eva’s death, unlike her father, and runs out the room once she’s partly responsible for her death. As a director I would make this event quite prominent. I perhaps would create some crashing music just as she runs out the room to create a sense of significance. Sheila is also very shock at the way that Eva killed herself so horrendously.
“… so I'm really responsible?”, Sheila says sorrowfully.
With Sheila’s actions I would, as a director, make her very uneasy. Maybe look at the ground when she’s talking, giving the impression that she’s sorry for herself.
Sir Gerald Croft is the so of a business tycoon, and is currently engaged to Sheila. Gerald has a short love affair with Eva Smith who he met at the Palace Music Hall in Brumley. He was quite attracted to her from the beginning and they left the music hall together, and then made their way to a hotel. She talked a lot about herself and Gerald gave a set of rooms for her to stay in. when Gerald broke off the affair she seemed unwounded by this. When Gerald is describing how beautiful she was, he gets enormously upset in realising that she’s dead.
“… sorry …I …well, I’ve suddenly realised… taken it in properly… that she’s dead…”
This shows us, the audience, that he’s totally astonished by her passing away. As a director I would make Gerald’s actions extremely uneasy, tripping up on a few words and stuttering his speech now and then.
Mrs. Birling is quite an intruding and presumptuous character and always wants to be part of the action. When Eva Smith goes to Mrs. Birling for help at the Women’s Charity Organization she refuses to help her. Like Mr. Birling, Mrs. Birling denies all responsibility on her part, she says…
“… before you start accusing me of anything… that it wasn’t me who had turned her out of her employment…”
As a director I would make her not face the Inspector when he is speaking to her, showing the audience that she is intimidated by him and is also trying to ignore and disregard him.
Eric is the youngest child of the Birling family and it’s revealed that he is a heavy drinker. Eric had an affair with Eva Smith and subsequently made her pregnant. Eva was worried about her pregnancy and Eric stole money from his father (showing us that the Birling family may not as close as they first appear) to give to her, but she refused as she assumed that the money was stolen. After this she wouldn’t see Eric again, Eric never spoke to her after this. Eric almost certainly felt guilty since in his eyes he had deserted her, but blames his mother for her suicide.
“…and you killed her …and the child she’d have had too …my child …damn you …damn you”, Eric yelled.
As a director I would make Eric look as if he is a key character and appear as strong, maybe by situating him in the centre of the stage and he would perform there.
The message of the play first becomes obvious in the end of Act 3 when the Inspector tells the family about “suffering and the chance of happiness”. This shows that he’s saying to think about others and not just yourself all the time. When the Inspector asks his questions, they’re not all intimidating. This shows that the Inspector is an extremely enigmatic character by leading us all in all directions. The Inspector subtly gives out minute facts surrounding Eva Smith’s death, triggering a memory for each of the Birling family, which they then announce to everyone about their involvement with Eva Smith.
When the first audiences would have watched the play, they would have been quite shocked at the graphic content. The fact that Eric had mixed with other classes and was having pre-marital relations with a lower class girl would have been outraged and stunned the audience who were watching. The audience at the time would have also been shocked at the fact of how rude the Inspector carried out his duties. He was very rude and discourteous to the Birlings and interrupted them while they were speaking. An Inspector at the time would have respected the Birlings opinion and would listen to what each of them would have to say without interrupting them in the first place.
At the end of the play the Inspector leaves the house, leaving the Birling family alone and dumbfounded. In 1945, the audience would have been very offended at the way the Inspector operated. They would have been very amazed and taken aback at the way the Inspector was concentric and confrontational in and within the Birling family. The Birlings would probably feel incredibly furious at the way the Inspector intruded on their evening and would want him to be out of the house as soon as possible. After the Inspector leaves not all the Birlings change. Mr. and Mrs. Birling are still as naïve as they where before the Inspector arrived. The children and Gerald are deep in thought and are wondering who was the Inspector? I believe that the Birlings and Gerald wanted the Inspector to be phony because they are worried about the truth and if the truth would get out into the open and into the sight of the public. This adds to the message of the play because now the Inspector has gone, they are all now worrying about themselves and forgetting that a young girl has just died. The twist at the end of the play opens up many questions. Who was the Inspector?, Why was he there?, What did he want?, Why did he come to the house in the first place?
In conclusion I believe that Priestley conveys his message effectively because the impact that comes with the play is transferred to the audience making them think about it. This then leaves them wondering and therefore thinking about the message. I believe that this is a successful play because it holds the audiences attention throughout. Even though the whole play is set in the Birling residence, the impact comes when each member of the Birling family and Gerald confess their secrets to the rest of the family. Once one member of the family confess their atrocities your attention is automatically transferred to another character who is about to confess their secret which lead to the suicide of Eva Smith. The twist at the end of the play completely steers the audience off-track and are now left wondering what on earth has happened. When the audience leaves they are left thinking about what has taken place in the play and are also left speculating the message of the play.