An Inspector Calls revision

notes
Type Class lectures

Reviewed

Didactic play with a clear message

Context
Historical:

Set in spring, 1912, pre world war 1, pre sinking of the Titanic, pre miners’
strike, pre welfare state

Written: 1945-post world war 2. Priestley wrote the play using hindsight. It is
didactic, a warning to his 1945 audience not to return to the pre-WW1 that was
so selfish, corrupt, and hierarchal

Social:

Edwardian society: classist, disparity between the wealthy (business owners,

arisotocracy) and the poor (working class).

Patriarchal society: women from upper classes did not work; men had the
power, had a voice; women were associated with the home, looking attractive,
were passive, and had no voice

Political:

Priestley was a socialist: believed in egalitarian society; importance of society

Edwardian society was capitalist society-looking after the individual (rather

than society); making profit

An Inspector Calls revision notes 1

 The play was first performed in Russia - a socialist country - where Priestly
perhaps felt he would have a more sympathetic audience

Literary:

The play inverts the generic conventions of a detective thriller where the
detective finds the person who is guilty. In this play, society as a whole is
guilty of neglecting and abusing the vulnerable and the inspector needs
society to acknowledge this and change.

It is also a morality play which instructs the audience about the condition of
man.

Priestley also inverts the well made play structure by making it cyclical

Cyclical structure
3 acts with:

Exposition (opening to when the Inspector arrives) act 1

Inciting incident (Inspector revealing Eva’s suicide) act 1

Rising action (questioning Mr Birling, Sheila, Gerald, Mrs Birling, Eric) act 1-3

Climactic moments (Eric’s arrival at the beginning of act 3 or the Inspector’s

final speech) act 3

Falling action (after the Inspector leaves and before the final telephone call)
act 3

Resolution: Missing. Rather than a resolution, the play returns to the beginning
again. act 3

The opening: Include opening stage directions and exposition (up to the point of
the Inspector’s arrival. Full of dramatic irony.

The ending: After the inspector departs. The falling action a the lack of a
denouement/resolution. Must talk about the lack of a resolution and how the
structure is cyclical.

An Inspector Calls revision notes 2

 Unity of Time: As we’re watching the play, we’re living in real time - action takes
90 minutes, we’re watching the play for 90 minutes. There are stories of the past
and the end which explores notions of time: past, present, future.

Unity of Place: Constant place: the Birling’s dining room. Characters tell stories
set in different places but we never leave the dining room.

Unity of Action: Based around one single event: the suicide of Eva Smith.
Inspector takes “one line of enquiry at a time.

Themes:
Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to challenge the complacency and
indifference of the upper-class Birling family towards the working class. The play
emphasizes that individuals have a responsibility to consider the consequences of
their actions on others, particularly those who are less fortunate.

Class prejudice: “An Inspector’s Calls” highlights the stark class divisions and
prejudices prevalent in early 20th century British society.

TIme and responsibility: Priestley employs the conce[t of time to underscore the
characters responsibilities. THe inspectors cryptic statement that “we don’t live
alone” suggests that individuals are connected accross time, and their actions
reverberate though generations. THe play urges the audience to recognize the
importance of using time wisely and taking responsibility for one’s actions. The
fact that the play is set in 12 but written in 45 is perhaps symbolic of the
importancee of time, we can learn from the past.

Hypocrisy and decepetion: Exposes h and d prevalent in society.

An Inspector Calls revision notes 3

 All characters are symbolic
Mr Birling: Static throughout the play- Symbolises the older generation “rather
portentous” represents the establishment nouveau riche. He lacks compassion,
represents the capitalist who puts profit before everything else. An individualist
who Priestley mocks mercilessly throughout the exposition so by the time the
Inspector arrives, we do not believe anything he says

Sybil Birling: Symbolises the older generation “a rather cold woman, she is
superior, prejudicial, lacks moral responsibility, lacks warmth. Hypocritical (she
works for a charity but does not help the most vulnerable).

Sheila Birling: Changes dramatically-symbolises the younger generation-initially,

she is a typical dizzy young woman who is taken in by clothes and jewels. THe
engagement ring symbolises this. She is materialistic and vain. As the play
progresses, she learns the Inspector’s lesson and realizes how immoral her family
and she herself have been. She shows remorse and wants to change. Her refusing
to take the engagement ring back is symbolic of her change.

Eric Birling: Changes-symbolises the younger generation - “half shy, half

assertive” is one tween a child and an adult. By te end of the play we feel he has
undergone a huge transformation and is more adult than child. Initially, he is drunk
and behaves with immaturity, but in the end he is mature and does not drink.

Gerald Croft: Comes from aristocratic background -Sir Croft, Lady Croft. Whilst he
has been unfaithful to Sheila, he has been kind to Eva Smith and treats her well. At
the end of the play he is disappointing as he sides with the older generation.

Inspector Goole: Priestleys mouthpiece. He shows compassion to Eva Smith and

his objective is for each member of the family to accept their responsibility, see
the errors of their immorality an change. His final speech is important.

An Inspector Calls revision notes 4

 Working class: They have no voice (maid speaks 2 lines) and never hear Eva’s
voice. Symbolic of how disempowered the working class were. STarts and ends
the play with them.

Setting

“The dining-room of a fairly large suburban house…good solid furniture…heavily

comfortable but not cosy and homelike.” Constantly reminded of their wealth and
lack of warmth. Things for show.

“I called on both landings” when Mr bIriling looking fo Eric. Remind of how large
the house is.

“Eva’s living pace “dingy little back bedroom” A1, 20 Juxtaposes with Birling’s
house. Adjectives are emotive with negative connotations creates pathos.

Lighting: Pink symbolises romantic sene shows how Birlings view the world. White
and harder rpseren Inspector’s interrogation: he is trying to extract the truth from
each of the individuals. Symbolises how the lesson he is aching them is a hard
lesson to learn

Exposition
Prieslty introduces some of the main theme and most of the main characters
and audience is allowed to formulate opinions about them before the inciting
incident and rising action starts
THeme: Class division; inequality

“Giving us the port, Edna?”

Opening addressed to Edna, significance of working class. DOes not respond to

his interrrogative, symbolises her lack of voice and disempowerment. Port
represents wealth of Birlings in contrast to the relative poverty of Edna.

An Inspector Calls revision notes 5

 Dramatic irony
Mr birling represents capitalism ndivudalism, business putting profit before people
This is what Priestley is criticising (it is the antithesis to socialism which Priestley
is advocating). The way Priestley criticizes Mr birling is through dramatic irony
which creates a mocking tone.

Talks about possible labour trable, thinks they’ve passed the worst of it. He is
wrong. THe miners; strike of 1012 was the first nationa strike demanding the
minimum wage and the government eventually passed the Coal Mines Act.

Titanic

No war by Germans

Birling is condemnatory through his derogatory language

Simile: “as if we were all mixed up together like bees in a hive” actually is positive,
bees are hard working and produce honey which is sweet and healthy. Birling
using this simile actually has opposite effect.

Eric and alcohol

“You’re squiffy” Sheila knows her brother, Mrs Birling doesn’t

“I didn’t even remember-that’s the hellish thing!” Priestley criticising the effects of
alcohol

Sheila and ring

Went from materialistic to mature, her refusing the ring symbolic

Gerald trying to give the ring back shows he has not changed

The inspector

Name goole/ghoul - homophone

Huge presence

An Inspector Calls revision notes 6

 Creates suspense “One person and one line of inquiry at a tie” also puts him in
charge ensures each member has a full confession

Doesn’t sugarcoat his words

At the end-simple statements, literal language, clear message

Final speech

“One Eva Smith has gone- but there are millions and millions and millions of Eva
Smiths and John Smiths still left with us.” Syndetic listing to elongate sentence
and accentuate how vast the numbers of vulnerable people there are.

“We are members of one body” metaphorical language here to emphasise how
similar we are-all human so should look after one another.

An Inspector Calls revision notes 7