An Inspector Calls

An Inspector Calls is a three-act drama, which takes place on a single night in 1912, and focuses on the Birling family, who live in a wealthy but not particulary homely house in Brumley. The story begins when the mysterious Inspector Goole calls unexpectedly on the prosperous Birling family. The idea of the play, and particularly the role of the inspector, is to try to bring the Birling family to understand that they have a moral responsibility for the death of Eva Smith, if not a legal one. In Act Three, the Inspector tells the Birling family: “The girl killed herself and died a horrible death. But each of you helped to kill her. Remember that. Never forget it.” But who was really the

Written in 1947, J.B. Priestley's didactic murder-mystery, An Inspector Calls, accentuates the fraudulent Edwardian era in which the play was set. Britain in 1912 was inordinately different to Britain in 1947, where a country annihilated by war was determined to right the wrongs of a society before them. In 1912 Britain was at the height of Edwardian society, known as the "Golden Age". A quarter of the globe was coloured red, denoting the vast and powerful Empire and all Britons, no matter what class

Mr Birling is shaken by the investigation. He doesn’t learn any lessons during the course of the play. When it seems that the Inspector might have been an imposter he is overjoyed and mocks the others for having been 'tricked' by the investigation. Inspector Goole drives forward the drama, with his questions creating shocking moments and gripping cliff-hangers for the audience. By the

He wanted to communicate the message that our actions, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, always affect others. He uses the downfall of Eva Smith and a chain of events to demonstrate this. This leads to a very convincing and well-devised play, which puts across JB Priestley’s views clearly and precisely. In Edwardian Britain there was a

The events of the play reveal that most people in the upper-middle class (Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald) look down on the lower class with derision (‘girls of that class’) and the only middle class person in the play (the Inspector) seems to detest the upper-middle class because he believes in socialism.

The play is not naturalistic and it defies any semblance of reality. We cannot believe in the characters –because they don't exist. They are simply dramatic constructs Priestley employs to manipulate the audience.All the characters are simplistically drawn caricatures with melodramatic qualities.

Priestley's main aim was perhaps to make an audience aware that no one person can live in a society without being

“An Inspector Calls” is a morality play by the socialist playwright J. B. Priestley written in 1945 but set in 1912. The play is based on the wealthy Birling family, who is questioned by a police inspector regarding a young woman’s death. Using characters of different ages to represent the contrast of political stances and attitudes, Priestley attempts to educate the audience. He believed that Capitalism was the sole reason for the start of world war one and therefor also the cause of the great economic depression and the second world war. Priestley uses the age in the play, to tell the audience that capitalists don’t have any social responsibility, as they do not accept any responsibility for Eva Smith’s death. The behavioural contrast between the Birling parents and their children demonstrate that if you are capitalist, you can still alter your beliefs and become socialist.

In the play 'An Inspector Calls', many contrasts and paradox's are present and at the centre of them all is the character known as Inspector Goole. However, the inspector is not any ordinary inspector. I believe that the inspector is used as a device by Priestley to explore the wider themes of the play and to depict other characters true personalities. This essay will explore some of the techniques Priestley presents the inspector in An Inspector Calls.

Throughout Priestley’s play, ‘An inspector calls’, a main theme runs about responsibility and differentiation between classes. Each character is accountable of doing something that brought about the death of Eva smith. All the characters contribute to her death in one way or the other, and all of them are at fault for the death of

Birling, just like his wife, only fears a blow to his reputation. This is conspicuous in ‘So as long as we behave ourselves don’t get into the police court or start a scandal -eh?’ this delineates that the only thing he cares about is how the public views him and his family. The noun “scandal’’ further evidences that Mr. Birling is afraid of any nasty thing about his family being publicized, therefore creating conflict as he displays no other interest than in money. The hyphen suggests that Mr. Birling is trying to befriend the inspector and possibly trying to bribe him into forgetting everything and dropping charges, which was quite common in the 1945. Where capitalists like Birling would assume that everybody has a price and can be persuaded by money. Additionally, birling proves to fiercely believe that money can solve all issues even bring back Eva Smith. This is further evident in '(unhappily) Look, Inspector - I'd give thousands - yes, thousands – ‘. The same man who wouldn’t pay 3 extra shillings to Eva Smith would now pay thousands and thousands to cover this all up. This further conflicts as he goes against his own word. The dramatic irony presents how a man who one wouldn’t pay a little, now has to pay the price. The repetition of ‘thousands’ emphasises how birling strongly believes money can solve everything. The contemporary audience would be enraged and distressed as birling finally gets what he

command at the end of Act I and the start of Act 2, and the end of Act

soon find out that Eva worked in his factory, and how she was fired by

Throughout the play An Inspector Calls by J B Priestley, it is clear that Priestley strongly believes in the importance of a caring society and the consequences of our actions. He presents these views on inequalities through the presentation of Sheila Birling. This is done in various different ways using numerous techniques.

J.B Priestly employs a various methods to present the inspector as well as showing his importance such as stage directions and from the language he uses. These methods allow us to understand and relate to the moral messages put across in the play.