By: Fran Barrera Piar

J.B Prietly

John Boynton Priestley (Bradford, 1894 - Stratford-Upon-Avon, 1984) is one

of the most prolific and committed British writers. he once described as
"radical politically and socially and culturally conservative." Son of a
socialist Yorkshire teacher who retained throughout his life liberal ideas, he
continued to criticize, but always with humor, the modern world, the press,
radio and marriage. Priestley began his career publishing articles in the
school newspaper. He studied at Cambridge and began to gain notoriety
following the successful stage adaptation of his novel Buenos comrades
(1929).

He was a correspondent during World War II and became a radio

announcer. One critic said Priestley transmissions Sunday afternoon, during
the time of war, were among "the best literature of that period: sharp,
precise and evocative without being sentimental." His voice became the
second most popular in the UK, after Winston Churchill during the war

Characters

Arthur Birling: Husband of Sybil, father of Sheila and Eric. He is the owner of Birling
and Company, He is a Magistrate and, two years ago, was Lord Mayor of Brumley.
He thus is a man of some standing in the town.
Sybil Birling: Married to Arthur. Mother of Sheila and Eric. She has got fifty years,
Sybil is, like her husband, a woman of some public influence, sitting on charity
organizations and having been married two years ago to the Lord Mayor. She is an
icily impressive woman.
Sheila Birling: Engaged to be married to Gerald. Daughter of Arthur Birling and
Sybil Birling, and sister of Eric. She is a pretty girl with early twenties, very pleased
with life and rather excited.
Eric Birling: Son of Arthur and Sybil Birling. Brother of Sheila Birling. Eric has got
20 years, not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive and has a drinking problem. He
has been drinking steadily for almost two years.
Engaged to be married to Sheila. His parents, Sir George and Lady Croft, are above
the Birlings socially, and his mother disapproves of his engagement to Sheila. He
is, an attractive chap about thirty. He works for his father's company.
Inspector Goole: The Inspector not be a big man, but he creates at once an
impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness." He is fifty years, and he
is dressed in a plain dark suit. he as speaking carefully, weightily .
Eva Smith: A girl who the Inspector claims worked for Birling and was fired, before
working for Milwards and then being dismissed. She subsequently had
relationships with Gerald Croft and then Eric Birling. Finally she turned to Mrs.
Birling's charitable committee for help, but she dont help she. Eva suicide two
hours before the time of the beginning of the play; she drank strong disinfectant.

Historical background

Themes

Class: Taking the play from a socialist perspective inevitably focuses on

issues of social class.

Responsibility: is a central theme of the play, the last act of the play
provides a fascinating portrait of the way that people can let themselves
off the hook. If one message of the play is that we must all care more
thoroughly about the general welfare, it is clear that the message is not
shared by all.

Time: is a central theme of the play, as are all the time talking about past
events.

Social duty: that we have a duty to help other people, regardless of

social status, wealth, class, or anything else. is important that people be

Languaged used

The way each character speaks tells us a lot about

what they are like, for example the Inspector speaks
confidently and Eric sounds nervous.
The play is structured in three acts, with a clear
opening, each of which
unfolds the plots mystery.
Each phrase in the plot provides a clear focus upon one
of the characters
and their responsibility.
There are many words with irony and colloquial
language

The Plot
A PoliceInspectorarrives, and reports that he is investigating the suicide of ayoung woman who recently
swallowed disinfectant and died in the Infirmary. When he mentions that her name wasEva Smith, Mr. Birling
identifies that she used to work at his factory, before he forced her to leave when she became the ring- leader
of a strike for higher wages.
Sheila returns to the room, and is very upset to hear about the girls tragic suicide. The Inspector goes on to tell
the family that Eva Smith, after Birling put her out, was hired at a shopMilwardsbut was fired on the basis
of a customers complaint. When the Inspector shows Sheila a picture of the girl, she begins to sob and runs out
of the room. Upon re-entering, Sheila explains that, out of jealousy and in a bad temper, she had told the
manager of Milwards to fire the girl after seeing her smile at a salesgirl whenSheilatried on something
unflattering.
The Inspector then recounts that, after Milwards, the girl changed her name to Daisy Renton. Gerald appears
startled by this. When they are left alone for a moment, Sheila discovers that Gerald had been having an affair
with Daisy Renton all of the previous summer. When the Inspector returns, Gerald confesses to his acquaintance
with Daisy Renton he met her at the Palace Music Hall, and ended up inviting her to live in a set of rooms that
belonged to a friend of his who was temporarily away. Gerald excuses himself to take a walk, and Sheila returns
his engagement ring.
The Inspector now shows Mrs. Birling the girls photograph. The front door slams, and Mr. Birling discovers that
his son,Eric, has stormed out of the house. Though she resists, Mrs. Birling finally admits that she had used her
influence some weeks previous to deny the pictured girl aid from the Womens Charity Organization, as she was
prejudiced against the girls case. The Inspector contributes the additional fact that the girl was pregnant when
she committed suicide, and that it was due to her pregnancy that she was asking the Charity Organization for
help. Mrs. Birling confirms that the childs father had given the girl money but that the girl refused it because
she found out it was stolen. Mrs. Birling claims that the only people responsible for the girls downfall and
suicide are the girl herself and the man that got her pregnant.
The Inspector leaves the Birlings brooding and guilty. Gerald returns to the room and announces that as he was
walking he met a policeman and discovered that the supposed Inspector wasnt really an inspector after all, and
proposes his further hypotheses that there was no single girl that all of the Birlings offended, and no suicide
that the Birlings precipitated. He and Mr. Birling prove these hypotheses to be correct after calls to the Police
Department and to the Infirmary. The Birling parents celebrate these discoveries, as they feel they have
escaped both scandal and guilt, but Sheila and Eric remain affected by the proceedings and cannot forget
whats been revealed.