Summaries

• Act 1 Summary


  - Sheila and Gerald's engagement party

  - Inspector Goole questions about Eva Smiths death

  - Arthur sacked her from factory

  - Shelia gets her fired from department store

  - Name changes to Daisy Renton, Eric and Gerald are shocked
• Act 2 Summary


  - Gerald spent the summer with Daisy

  - Shelia gives back the ring

  - Sybil reject Eva/Daisy charity case as she blames father of the child, claims her last name is Birling
• Act 3 Summary


  - Eric is the father of Daisy's child and brings shame to family

  - Drunkenly forces Eva to have sex

  - Steals money from Arthur to support her

  - Eric claims Sybil responsible for the death of Eva Smith

  - Inspector says they're all responsible
• Mr Birling's Character Act 1

  Mr Birling is a capitalist who values business and profit above all else. He makes his views clear in the early speeches in Act 1, and these do not change. Priestley uses Mr Birling as a symbol to represent the selfishness and arrogance of capitalists in Edwardian society.
• Mrs Birling's Character Act 1


  The audience's first impression of Mrs Birling is as a powerful but unsympathetic character. Priestly presents her as 'a cold woman' as an unlikeable character through her speech, views and interactions with other characters. Mrs Birling's power allows her to act in a patronising manner to everyone around her.
• Sheila's Character Act 1

  At the beginning of the play Sheila is presented as a narrow-minded "pretty girl" whose appearances seems to define her worth. Priestley does this to show how in 1912 women were seen to be inferior to men as it was a patriarchal society.
• Eric's Character Act 1


  Eric is presented as an uncommendable, slightly drunk and uncomfortable character and this is shown when at the start of the play he suddenly laughs for no apparent reason
• Gerald's Character Act 1


  Priestley portrays Gerald as a physically attractive, privileged but likable man. He describes Gerald in the stage directions as "rather too manly to be dandy", suggesting that he is very much content and confident in his own masculinity.
• The Inspector Act 1


  The Inspector takes on the role of an ​omniscient​(all-knowing), moral force for good. Priestley presents his character as a spiritual ​avenging angel​. Socialist​values and ideology are channelled through the Inspector. Priestley utilises the Inspector as a ​vehicle to catalyse​change in perceptions of responsibility.
• Mr Birling Act 2

  He is presented as a selfish, capitalist business man. Priestley interrupts him to show he's wrong. Because he expects to be respected, Birling is regularly angered by the way the Inspector interrupts or ignores him. He reminds the inspector of his status by saying that he used to be on the "bench".
• Mr Birling Act 3

  He is presented as a selfish, capitalist business man. Priestley interrupts him to show he's wrong. Because he expects to be respected, Birling is regularly angered by the way the Inspector interrupts or ignores him. He reminds the inspector of his status by saying that he used to be on the "bench".
• Mrs Birling Act 2


  Mrs Birling is being very arrogant, it is clear that she thinks that she is right "Secondly, I blame the young man" shows that she also has a very ignorant point of view.
• Mrs Birling Act 3


  She is an ignorant character, who doesn't think there are any problems in her family and struggles to believe that Eric drinks heavily or that he was the father of Eva's child. Priestley uses Mrs Birling as a symbol to represent the wealthier, privileged classes and their selfish attitudes.
• Sheila Act 2


  Sheila has shifted from her initial child-like behaviour to telling off her mother and openly disagreeing with her.
• Sheila Act 3


  She has a very moral point of view and has taken the Inspector's role now he has left, reminding each character of their crimes. Sheila now is much WISER about life. She can now judge her parents and Gerald from a new perspective. However the greatest change has been in herself.
• Eric Act 2


  He stumbles back into the home at the end of Act Two, hoping perhaps to go to bed.
• Eric Act 3


  he becomes confident and fluent in his language as opposed to his previous polite and euphemistic statements.
• Gerald Act 2


  Gerald is described as 'an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town'. Mr Birling is very pleased that Gerald is getting engaged to Sheila because his family are upper-class business owners, Mr Birling hopes they can join forces in business.
• Gerald Act 3


  Gerald Croft is manipulative and calculating, he was having an affair whilst with Sheila. He has little respect for women, he gives them promise then disposes of them when he's finished with them. He is almost a young version of Mr Birling - He is the son that Mr Birling had always wished for.
• Inspector Act 2


  The Inspector continues to question Mrs Birling and it turns out that Daisy was pregnant. Mrs Birling claims that the man who got her pregnant should be made an example of. Sheila knows what has happened by this point and begs her mother to stop talking, Eric enters the scene and Act II ends.
• Inspector Act 3


  Priestley uses Inspector Goole as an imposing omnipotent being who is used to highlight the issues of society. Priestley wants the middle and upper classes to stop being selfish and exploiting the poor for their own financial gain, but instead be more generous and empathetic towards other members of the working class.