An Inspector Calls

• Act 1


  The Birling family are celebrating Sheila and Gerald's engagement. Mr Birling talks about his capitalist ideas. An inspector arrives and reveals the suicide of Eva Smith. He questions Mr Birling (who sacked Eva Smith from his factory) and Sheila Birling (who got her fired from her next job, at a department store.) It ends on the cliff-hanger that Gerald knew Eva by the name Daisy Renton.
• Act 2


  The inspector questions Gerald Croft (who had an affair with Eva, who had changed her name to Daisy Renton.) Eric, becomes distressed and leaves.
• Act 3


  The Inspector questions Mrs Birling (who refused to give Eva help when she came to Mrs Birling's charity.) It becomes clear that Eva was pregnant. We realise at the end of the scene that Eric was the father of the child as he walks into the room.
• The Greek Unities


  Time (no more than 24 hours, set it real-time); Place (only one setting); Action (only one story-line, no complicated sub-plots). All used to make the play seem more realistic.
• A Morality Play


  The characters all represents one (or more) of the seven deadly sins. The Inspector is there to teach the characters to steer away from the path of evil and adopt a more moral and Godly life.
• Plot


  The Birling family are celebrating Sheila and Gerald's engagement. Mr Birling talks about his capitalist ideas. An inspector arrives and reveals the suicide of Eva Smith. He questions Mr Birling (who sacked Eva Smith from his factory) and Sheila Birling (who got her fired from her next job, at a department store.) It ends on the cliff-hanger that Gerald knew Eva by the name Daisy Renton.
• Arthur Birling


  • A symbol of the Capitalist wealthy business owner. A social climber.
• Sybil Birling


  • A symbol of the arrogance and pride of the upper classes. Cares about her reputation - pretences.
• Sheila Birling


  • Starts off naïve and unaware but becomes socially and politically empowered representing the changing roles of women in society.
• Eric Birling


  • The typical rich and irresponsible son of wealthy parents. An outcast from his father; disagrees with his father's viewpoints but finds it hard to find his place. Inspector empowers him to change and speak up to his Father.
• Gerald Croft


  • Upper class, son of a rival business owner. Shows those who have the potential to change but ultimately values money and status.
• Inspector Goole


  • A symbol of socialism and Priestley's mouthpiece. Aims to teach the family a moral lesson about how to behave as a responsible citizen.
• Eva Smith/Daisy Renton


  • Represents the working class female. Someone who initially was quite strong and determined but was worn down by the unjust treatment of her by Capitalist society.
• Edna


  • The Birlings' maid. Has very few lines and represents the voiceless working classes - like Eva Smith.
• Mr Birling: ''Community and all that nonsense.''
• Mr Birling: ''Crofts and Birlings are working together for lower costs and higher prices''
• Mr Birling: ''Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.''
• Sheila: ''pleased with life and rather excited''
• Sheila: ''Mummy' and 'Daddy''
• Sheila: ''I'm to blame and I'm desperately sorry.''
• Sheila: ''but these girls aren't cheap labour - they're people''
• Gerald: ''We're respectable citizens and not criminals.''
• Gerald: ''So I insisted on Daisy moving into those rooms and I made her take some money.''
• Mrs Birling: ''disgusting affair''
• Mrs Birling: ''As if a girl of that sort would ever refuse money.''
• Mrs Birling: ''I did nothing I'm ashamed of.''
• Eric: ''I was in that state where a chap easily turns nasty.''
• Inspector Goole: ''Taught it in fire and blood and anguish.''
• Inspector Goole: ''We are members of one body.''
• An Inspector Calls was first performed in the UK just after the end of World War Two, in 1946. It was a time of great change in Britain and many writers were concerned with the welfare of the poor. At that time there was no assistance for people who could not afford to look after themselves. Priestley wanted to address this issue. He also felt that if people were more considerate of one another, it would improve quality of life for all. This is why social responsibility is a key theme of the play. Priestley wanted his audience to be responsible for their own behaviour and responsible for the welfare of others.
• J.B. Priestley


  (1894-1984). Priestley was a well-known socialist. He fought in WW1 and his radio broadcast supported the Labour party.
• Edwardian Society


  A strong class system with a huge divide between the rich and poor. No welfare state. Conservative society but lots of social unrest.
• 1912


  Play is set
• 1945


  Play was written
• Social Class


  The division of society based on their social and economic status. Generally, those with titles e.g. Lord/ Sir would be considered Upper Class; those who owned businesses or were educated in a profession would be considered middle class and those who worked for others would be seen as working class.
• Women's Rights


  The suffragettes fought for women to have the right to vote which was granted in 1918 following women's role in WW1. However, this was only for women over the age of 30 or who owned their own house (or their husband did). All women did not gain the right to vote until 1928.
• post world wars

  The World Wars (WW1 1914-1918; WW2 1939-1945) bought about much social change. The class system was less divided, society had become more socialist, the Labour party had won the vote by a landslide victory and women had the right to vote.
• Dramatic Irony


  When the audience know something the characters don't - for example the sinking of the Titanic or the World Wars.
• Proleptic Irony


  When the character gives a warning or hint about what's going to happen in the future-for example in the Inspector's final speech he alludes to the war.
• Climatic Curtain


  Each act ends on a high point of tension (see the act summaries).