Mr Birling is concerned only with getting his knighthood, making his company bigger and making as much profits as he can. He congratulates Sheila and Eric on their engagement and says that he’s “delighted”. But he seems more delighted about the fact that there’s a chance his company might merge with Gerald’s father’s bigger one rather than the prospect that his daughter has found happiness. He wants a knighthood so that he can be more respected by Gerald’s family and others whoa re higher class than him. He really doesn’t want the indignity of what happened to leak out and ruin his chances “Look, Inspector – I’d give thousands – yes, thousands-” He’d rather try and pay off the scandal than deal with the situation. Honours are supposed to be given to celebrate a person’s great achievements that have also befitted the country, but it seems that Mr Birling hasn’t done much to deserve a knighthood. Perhaps he has tried to pay his way into the honours system.
There is a hint of irony when Mr Birling says that there will not be a war; that it’s all “silly little war scares”. Audiences watching the play have just been through World War Two and some have also lived through World War One. They know that what he says is nonsense and they might even be a bit vexed that he belittles something of such importance and that has had a major impact on their lives. The same applies for when he talks about the Titanic. He seems to think it’s indestructible but it sinks a couple of years later, as the audience knows.
Edna never talks unless she’s talked to first or required to talk. She is just a lowly servant who does everything the Birlings ask her to and is constantly at their beck and call. She has some significance as she is the character who introduces the Inspector. “Please, sir, an Inspector’s called.” She establishes the presence of the most important characters in the play. This might have been Priestley’s way of showing the importance of the little people, who might not seem of any worth.
A method that Priestley uses to involve the audience is the door slam, the door bell ringing or the door opening. It helps to enforce the entrance or exit of the character. When the Inspector first arrives we hear ‘the sharp ring of a front door bell’ which Mr Birling stops to listen to. This shows the audience that the Inspector is of major importance. Another example of the use of the door is when Mr Birling says “That was the door again”. “Gerald must have come back.” Mrs Birling replies. “Unless your son has just gone out.” The Inspector adds. The fact that the characters actually address the door slamming gives the audience a clue that it is a vital exit or entrance.
Eva Smith represents the working class. As the audience never sees her they are able to imagine her as the poor victim, which they might not have done if her face was fixed. The audience feels a lot of sympathy for her; she goes through a lot that she can’t do anything about and she doesn’t deserve to. After losing another job her options are very slim and she is on the verge of prostitution until she’s picked up by Gerald.
There were very few options for working class women, who were the last paid and appreciated. Most of them worked in domestic service, sweatshops and factories. In the worst cases some went into prostitution. The jobs were usually long hours with very little pay and since there was no other way of making a living they had to endure it.
At the beginning of the play the audience sees Sheila as childish and vain. She got Eva sacked from her job because she thought that Eva mocked her and made her feel ugly. The audience feels that her temper and jealousy are not nearly valid enough to vindicate what she has done. Although immature at first, she seems to grow up and become very sorry for what she has done. “It’s the only time I’ve ever done anything like that, and I’ll never, never do it again to anybody.” This causes the majority of the audience to feel that she is genuine. Others can’t seem to forgive her; did a girl have to die before she could realise her wrongs? Would she have changed if the Inspector didn’t come?
Priestley uses her to represent the ‘new woman’. She won’t do exactly as she’s told to and will think for herself. When Mrs Birling asks her to leave she says “I couldn’t possibly go. I’m staying here until I know why that girl killed herself.” She even contradicts her mother, which is something that wouldn’t have been done. Priestley uses Sheila to show what was happening with the Suffragette movement. Many women wanted to be equals with men (get the vote) and went through great lengths to get attention. Emmeline Pankhurst, the founder was arrested many times, went on hunger strikes and led many violent protests. Emily Davison, another Suffragette went as far as to throw herself in front of the King’s horse and she died.
Gerald is Sheila Birling’s fiancé and is a very laid back and posh chap. He wants to be at ease with the Birlings but when the Inspector shows up he says “perhaps I shouldn’t be here”. This shows us that he’s the type of man who will not stick around to help anyone in their troubles but will run away as quickly as possible.
Priestley gives the audience clues about the fact that his and Sheila’s relationship is not going so well. Gerald says “I insist upon being one of the family now. I’ve been trying long enough, haven’t I?” As Sheila does not reply, with more insistence “Haven’t I? You know I have.” Sheila does not say anything at first then she states “Yes – except for all last summer, when you never came near me, and I wondered what had happened to you.” The audience wonder what he was doing throughout that time, and it’s a big clue about his involvement with Eva Smith or at least someone else.
Mrs Birling is very snobbish and haughty. Eva Smith came pregnant and helpless to her charity organisation as ‘Mrs Birling’ claiming that her husband had deserted her. Mrs Birling found this very impudent and was prejudiced against her (which she had no problem admitting). Eva finally admitted the truth; that the father of her child was a drunken youngster who had stolen money to help her, and she didn’t want stolen money anymore.
Mrs Birling, in her arrogant manner says “As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money.” She makes assumption about Eva based only her class. It’s as if she thinks that people from a lower class than her don’t have morals and virtues. She says that Sheila “was giving herself ridiculous airs. She was claiming fine-feelings and scruples that were simply absurd in a girl in her position.” She believes that this is why she has no reason to feel shame for having refused Eva any help. She is a very cold and unfeeling person, she is the only character who seems to feel absolutely no guilt or remorse for what she’s done. She says that Sheila “had only herself to blame” for what happened.
Some members of the upper classes set up ‘charity organisations’ to help those less fortunate than themselves. These organisations weren’t much help and they acted more as a way for the rich to ease their consciences a little bit by thinking that they were helping the community. If the topics of increased wages or better working conditions were mentioned, they didn’t want anything to do with it.
Eric always speaks his mind and is quite mischievous and cheeky. He’s wiser than his father, because when Mr Birling gives his speech about war he tries to interrupt and tell his own opinion “Yes, I know – but still –” but he’s silenced by his father. He’s detached from the rest of the family as he doesn’t feature in the play as much as other characters. Eric is a very compassionate character; he’s the first to react when they are told about Eva’s death by exclaiming “My God!” He defends Eva and sees things from her point of view when Mr Birling tells the Inspector about why he sacked her.
Priestley gives the audience clues about Eric’s involvement with Eva but they can’t really be sure about their predictions until his part is revealed. For example, when Mr Birling says that clothes give women a sort of self respect Eric eagerly says “Yes, I remember-” but when asked to elaborate he refuses to. This shows that he has had some connection with women before. Also, when Sheila reveals her suspicions that he has a drinking problem the audience doubt his innocence and the audience wonder what his drinking had caused him to do. When he is found out he has a drink and ‘his manner of handling the decanter shows his familiarity with quick heavy drinking.’ This shows the audience that their speculations were right.
The audience is fond of Eric even though his association could be said to have caused the most trouble because he learns his lesson and is extremely sorry about what he has done. He’s the only one who offered to help Eva and did so even at his own expense until she told him not to.
He really cares that Sheila is dead and feels awful that he and his family acted so awfully. He would have tried to marry Sheila if it hadn’t been so shocking and disgraceful for upper and working class to get married.
Priestley changes the lighting to signify the mood and atmosphere of the play. Before the Inspector arrives the lighting is pink and friendly. This shows that the characters are happy and that the mood is rosy. The lighting becomes ‘brighter and harder’ after the Inspector arrives, and especially during the parts of intense questioning and tension. This shows that the mood is not particularly pleasant.
Priestley uses dramatic irony to create tension, especially at the end of Act 2. Although Mrs Birling says she has nothing to feel guilty about, she becomes flustered by the Inspector’s questions and searches for a new victim for him. She decides that the father of Eva Smith’s child is more to blame than she is for Eva’s death. She tells Mr Birling that “he ought to b dealt with very severely.” The audience realise that the culprit is Eric when they are told that the father is “a youngster – silly and wild and drinking too much” but Mrs Birling doesn’t and keeps on insisting that the father should be dealt with in a very harsh manner. She wants the Inspector to “make sure that he’s compelled to confess in public his responsibility.” The audience squirms while she slowly digs her own grave. And then she realises what she has done.
During this section the pace is getting quicker and quicker, the tension increases and it feels like we are building up to something. The Inspector fires questions at Mrs Birling and won’t be refused his answers. “What did she reply to that?” he asks Mrs Birling, to which she replies “Oh – a lot of silly nonsense!” in order to avoid telling the truth. “What was it?” he repeats and once more she tries to put him off. Then he starts to get angry “I’m losing all patience with you people. What did she say?” Mrs Birling can’t cover up the truth anymore and has to answer him.
Priestley’s use of interruption helps to establish the audience’s theories about who the father is. Sheila tries to get a word in and stop her mother from going too far “Mother – stop – stop!” but she is silenced by her father. She ‘begins to cry quietly’ and tries again “Now Mother – don’t you see?” Sheila’s interruptions increase the pace of the section and make the audience feel impatient, as she gets quite hysterical.
The moment that Priestley is building up to comes when Eric enters the room just after Mr and Mrs Birling realise that he was the father of Eva Smith’s child. ‘We hear the front door. They wait, looking towards the door. Eric enters.’ The audience almost hold their breath at this moment. The suspense level is at its peak. And then the curtain falls. Perfect. The audience is left with a great cliff-hanger, and they can’t wait for the next scene to begin.
The family blame each other for what happened to Eva and family tensions develop. Mrs Birling says that Mr Birling is to blame “Please remember…that it wasn’t I who had her turned out of her employment – which probably began it all.” Mr Birling says that it’s all Eric fault “You’re the one I blame for this.” Sheila blames everyone, especially Mrs Birling. Eric doesn’t blame anyone but is ashamed of all of them, including himself.
The tensions show the cracks in the Birling family. They fall apart and don’t stick together in times of crisis. Mr and Mrs Birling didn’t know their son well enough to know that he was an alcoholic. Mr Birling is furious that Eric stole money because it might affect his knighthood; he’s not even willing to hear Eric’s side of the story. “You don’t seem to care about anything. But I care. I was almost certain for a knighthood in the next Honours List.” This is very selfish; all he cares about is himself. Eric tells Mr Birling that he’s “not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble.”
The Inspector’s soliloquy at the end is a sort of foretelling. We are all members of one body. People need to learn to look after and care for each other. “And I tell you that the time will soon come when, if men and women will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.” And with that, he leaves. It is immensely dramatic. The audience ponder about what the Inspector implies. Could the fire and blood and anguish have been the wars they have experienced? Is Priestley saying that the wars happened because of their inability to care for one another?
Gerald returns bringing the news that the Inspector was a fake letting the audience and most of the characters to breathe a sigh of relief. The tension slips away from them, and they start to relax. But before they can properly celebrate the phone rings informing them that a girl had just been permitted into the infirmary who had committed suicide by drinking disinfectant and that an Inspector would be arriving shortly to question them. This is the last thing the audience are expecting and the fact that the curtains go down as the end of the play leaves them baffled. Who was the Inspector? Was the experience the Birling had even real? Was he some sort of angel, or a dream? There are many loose ends in as he audience leave and this is what Priestley was aiming for. He wanted the audience to think about things, and not have everything clearly stated.
Priestley wrote the play because he wanted to make certain that life after the war was better for everybody than before and he hoped that through his writing he could influence people and change society. He believed that we should all help each other as we are all part of the same community. He wanted his audience to feel the need to sympathise and care for each other and take responsibility for their actions. He used the Inspector to indicate the conscience of the nation and through him challenges each of the characters that represent a part of society. The Inspector says "We often seem to make the greatest impression on the young ones.” He shows that change is more likely to come through the young (Sheila and Eric) rather than through the older generation (Mr and Mrs Birling) or the upper classes (Gerald). The play is still widely watched and appreciated because everyone can still understand the message he was trying to get across and this is why the play is still very effective.
