Structure

• 1. Exposition

  The play begins with the Birling family celebrating Sheila Birling's engagement to Gerald Croft. This sets up the setting, characters, and initial mood of the play. The audience gets a glimpse of the family dynamics and their social status.
• 2. Rising Action

  The arrival of Inspector Goole marks the beginning of the rising action. As he begins to question the Birlings about the suicide of Eva Smith, tensions start to build. The inspector’s interrogation reveals each family member's connection to Eva, creating suspense and increasing the emotional stakes.
• 3. Climax


  The climax occurs when the full extent of the family’s involvement in Eva Smith’s life is revealed. This is the point of highest tension in the play. Each revelation brings new shocks and forces the characters to confront their actions.
• 4. Falling Action


  After the inspector leaves, the falling action begins. The family members react to what they have learned and start to process the inspector’s accusations. There is a brief sense of relief when they believe the inspector might have been a fake and the entire incident a hoax.
• 5. Resolution


  The play concludes with a sudden twist when the phone rings, announcing that a real inspector is on his way to question them about a young woman’s death. This unresolved ending leaves the audience with a sense of ongoing tension and questions about the characters' future actions and morality.