Mr. Birling In J. B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

The character Mr Birling in ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J.B Priestley is a greedy, arrogant and selfish ‘hardheaded businessman’, father of two, Sheila Birling and Eric Birling. Through Mr Birling Priestley shows what upper middle-class men were like in 1912. I believe Priestley set the play in 1912 and first performed it in 1946 because this date represented an era where everything was different. In 1912 there was a strict class system and gender roles, Priestley took the chance the end of the war had given them to create a different, more equal society.

they have to lay down the laws and the women stay at home and care for

In the play “The inspector calls” written by Presley, the story is set in 1912, and describes a family in the middle class. Eric, the son of Mr. Birling is one of the key characters in the play

The Inspector is not afraid to question Mr Birling, despite being in his house and knowing he is a contender for a knighthood, about the way in which he runs his business. This isn’t normal police protocol and Priestley makes him do so to contradict Mr Birling’s earlier speeches. The Inspector also interrupts people with force, “you heard what I said before Mr Croft” is an example in which the Inspector stamps his authority on Gerald, using intimidation that one wouldn’t expect from a police officer. There is a dramatic example of this interruption which is the Inspector ringing the doorbell and making a noise which cuts Mr Birling off mid-speech.

Mr Birling and Inspector Goole are two opposite characters. Both characters have a similar age and are both male, but have a very different presence on stage. Mr Birling is described at the start as "heavy-looking, rather portentous

The play ‘An Inspector Calls’ is set in the North Midlands, the industrial city of Brumley in 1912. The play revolves around the death of a young girl named Eva Smith and the wealthy, middle class Birling family. The Birling family consists of four main members. In addition, there is Gerald Croft who is engaged to the daughter of the family, Sheila Birling, and the maid Edna who plays a small role in the play.

“An Inspector Calls” is a play written by J.B. Priestley in 1945. The play, which is set in 1912, illustrates the vast status difference in society at the time. Gerald Croft is a typical upper-class man, who already has his future carved out for him. He is the son of a wealthy businessman, who, in time will eventually hand the business over to him. However, being brought up in the upper class has made Gerald oblivious to the strife of the lower classes. He is content with his life and so does not care for anyone else.

In his play, An Inspector Calls, JB Priestley explores numerous ideas of responsibility. Priestley utilizes the setting of the play (1912) when socio-economic disparity between the upper and working class was high, and juxtaposes it with the social context of when the play was performed (1945), when aspects of socialism were growing rapidly in Britain. This creates dramatic irony and reflects the view of audiences first attending the play. He achieves this by using the mysterious nature of Inspector Goole, who pressures the upper-class Birling family to admit responsibility for the death of Eva Smith (a working class woman), to embody socialist Britain; exploiting the affluent and pompous Mr Birling to represent the unwillingness of Capitalism

In the opening scene of ‘An Inspector Calls’ Gerald Croft is described as “an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred man-about-town.” This suggests Gerald is a sophisticated, respectable, well-mannered, attractive young man and has came from an aristocratic background, this is also demonstrated by his parents Lord and Lady Croft choosing to not attend the celebration of his and Sheila’s engagement- reflecting that they do not approve of him marrying into a lower social class. Nevertheless Gerald does not appear fazed by this and attempts to do and say what he feels will impress Mr and Mrs Birling. Gerald is almost portrayed as the ‘perfect son’ for Mr and Mrs Birling as opposed to their own son Eric, who is characterised as less sophisticated, confident and educated. Gerald is practically running his fathers business and is very articulate whilst talking with the Birlings’, as opposed to Eric who is merely working for Mr Birling and is more socially impaired. Gerald has recently engaged to Sheila Birling and is persistent on being a part of the family, as shown when he says “ I insist on being one of the family now. I’ve been trying long enough haven't I? (As she does not reply, with more insistence.) Haven't I? You know I have”. The repetition of "haven't I?" further enhances his longing to be part of the Birling family, although as Sheila is hesitant and questions his claims as he was barely seen all summer so this may actually suggest the engagement is less about him being with Sheila and more about his partnership with the Birling’s business.Moreover, this would represent he is narcissistic and has a superficial mentality, just like Mr and Mrs Birling.

This is evident in “We are responsible for each other.” The inspector implies that everyone is responsible for one another, utterly contradicting Mr. Birling’s speech before he came in. The inspector is the most conflicting character in the entire play as he stands cool and hard before the Birlings and the audience and unveils the consequences of their actions on those below them. The dramatic irony reinforces that the inspector is in fact voicing Priestley’s message out, therefore emphasizing the effect. Furthermore, the inspector is presented as the figure of authority in the play. This is reinforced in "massively taking charge as dispute erupts between them." He is the only character that calms down the household when an argument breaks. He also expresses no interest towards Mr. birling’s authoritative friends and disregards his threats. The stage directions reinforce that when capitalism destroys everything, socialism is the only answer. Both contemporary and modern audience is left in a conflicting situation as he creates conflict in the play between other

J B Priestley's Main Ideas in An Inspector Calls In the play "The Inspector Calls" by J B Priestley many views are put forward for the audience to contemplate. Priestly uses the characters to portray the views and changes that were happening and going to in the time when the play was set 1912. Mr Birling & Mrs Birling are a classic example of the typical upper-class citizens.

Tension is frequently current between the Inspector and Mr Birling due to their contrasting ideas. They are both extremely powerful figures clashing for dominance and status in the household. A major point hidden by Priestley is their political views, Birling represents a capitalists view point whereas the Inspector is a shadow figure of Priestley's ideas and represents a socialist. They are symbols of the global struggle between Capitalism and Socialism in the 40s. The Inspector is prominent to show his power when Birling attemps to interrogate him by warning him that the 'Chief Constable, Colonel Roberts' is 'an old friend of mine' and that they 'play golf together sometimes up at the West Brumley'. In response to this, the Inspector 'dryly'

'An Inspector Calls' is a morality play - a form of play developed in the late middle ages in which a Christian moral lesson was brought out through the struggle between the forces of good and evil - set in 1912, and revolves around the questioning of a family by Inspector Goole about the suicide of a young woman (Eva Smith) that the family knew.The author, J.B. Priestley is trying to show us what some people's arrogance and selfishness can cause without them even noticing. Priestley was a socialist, therefore

However, Mr Birling's 'foil', the Inspector - who adopts the socialist ideology - firmly sets Mr Birling in place when Mr Birling tries to intimidate him with his status because 'public men ... have responsibilities as well as privileges'. Here, Priestley accuses Mr Birling of not only acting wrongfully but also failing to see his public position entails a duty of responsibility to the rest of society. Using the stage direction 'massively' to describe the Inspector interrupting

Priestley presents Inspector Goole as an outsider, whose presence creates an air of uncertainty in the Birling household. This is evident in Sheila’s quote, “I have an idea – and I had it all along vaguely – that there was something curious about him.” Sheila becomes suspicious of the Inspector, since she feels that he appears to know an extraordinary amount of details about themselves and Eva Smith. Priestley designs the Inspector, as a supernatural being, sent to teach the Birling’s a lesson and to make them understand their individual actions all lead to Eva Smith’s death. Priestley uses a homophone for the Inspector’s name, to subliminally tell the audience that Inspector Goole is in fact a ghoul. It’s not until the end of the play when