ENGLISH LITERATURE - COMPONENT 2: SECTION A – INSPECTOR CALLS
PRIESTLY (Post 1914 Drama)
Written by J.B. Priestley in 1945, ‘An Inspector Calls’ is set over one evening in an English
manufacturing town called Brumley in 1912. It has 3 acts and is in real time which means there is no
change in time or location between acts. The upper-middle class Birling family are visited by a
mysterious inspector, who is investigating the death of a young woman by suicide. The all-knowing
detective gradually reveals how each of them are involved with, and partially responsible for, her
death. Priestley examines how each member of the family reacts to these revelations.
IT IS BOTH A CYCLIC AND DIDACTIC PLAY..
CHARACTERS:
Arthur Birling: the head of Birling and Company, a manufacturing company situated in Brumley, and
head of the Birling family. He represents the Capitalist businessman.
Sybil Birling: the wife and social superior of Arthur Birling. She represents the upper-class, socially
prominent wife.
Sheila Birling: the Birlings’ daughter. She represents the impressionable, socially-aware younger
generation and the feminist movement.
Eric Birling: the Birlings’ son. He represents the impressionable, socially-aware younger generation
and the consequences of toxic masculine culture.
Gerald Croft: the son of Sir and Lady Croft, of Crofts Limited, and socially superior to the Birlings. He
represents privilege, and the dominance of the upper classes and patriarchy.
Inspector Goole: a police inspector. He represents the ideals of Socialism and social responsibility, and
the ideal justice system.
Eva Smith: a lower-class, young girl who is mistreated by the Birlings. She represents the neglected
lower-classes.
THEMES:
➢ Capitalism vs Socialism
➢ Exploitation
➢ Gender
➢ Generations Young vs Old
➢ Social Class
➢ Social Responsibility
➢ Wealth and Materialism
ACTS:
Act 1
1. Arthur, Sybil, Eric, and Sheila Birling, along with Gerald Croft, are having a dinner to celebrate the
engagement of Sheila to Gerald. Mr Arthur Birling, the patriarch (the male head of the family), leads
the family in a toast, celebrating the progress made by society.
, ENGLISH LITERATURE - COMPONENT 2: SECTION A – INSPECTOR CALLS
PRIESTLY (Post 1914 Drama)
2. A police inspector, Inspector Goole, calls and asks to speak to Mr Birling. A young woman, Eva
Smith, has died at the Infirmary after drinking disinfectant.
3. Two years ago, Mr Birling fired Eva after she led a strike at his factory. She was asking for higher
wages. He believes he was fully justified.
4. Eva Smith then managed to get a job at Milward’s, an upmarket store, however she was fired again
after Sheila complained about her. Sheila felt Eva had been mocking her, and was jealous of her.
Though she felt bad about it at the time, she hadn’t thought it would have any serious consequences,
and swears she won’t act like that again.
5. The Inspector reveals that Eva was unable to get another job, so changed her name to Daisy
Renton. Gerald gives himself away by showing that he recognises the name.
6. While the Inspector is out of the room, Sheila accuses Gerald of having an affair with Daisy
Renton. He initially denies it but eventually confesses, asking Sheila to keep it a secret.
Act 2
7. The Inspector returns along with Mr and Mrs Birling. Gerald is forced to admit to his affair. He
rescued Daisy from a bar and put her up in some rooms he was looking after, but broke it off when
he needed to leave on business. He swears that his concern and pity for her were authentic, and
that he hadn’t helped her in order to sleep with her. Sheila gives him back their engagement ring.
Gerald leaves, feeling emotional, to go on a walk.
8. The Inspector questions Mrs Birling about a case she presided over at the ‘Brumle Women’s Charity
Organisation’. Mrs Birling ensured that a young, pregnant woman who introduced herself as ‘Mrs
Birling’ was refused help.
9. The woman told the committee that she wasn’t married to the father, who was a youngster
and heavy drinker meaning marriage was out of the question. He had been supporting her with stolen
money, and she didn’t want to take anymore. Mrs Birling blames the father entirely, saying he was
responsible and should be made an example of.
10. The family realise that the father in question is Eric.
Act 3
11. Eric returns. He admits to drinking heavily and acting aggressively towards Eva to get her to
sleep with him. He used money from his father’s company’s accounts to support her. She learnt it
was stolen, so refused his help. Sheila tells him that she went to Mrs Birling for help, but was denied
it. Eric is furious. Mrs Birling is upset that her son could act in such a way.
12. The Inspector loses his patience with the Birlings. He tells them that they should never forget
what they did. Eva Smith is dead, so they can’t harm her anymore, but they can’t help her either. He
declares if people don’t accept the responsibility everyone in society has for each other, “fire and
blood and anguish” will follow. He leaves.
13. The family argue amongst themselves. Gerald returns. They slowly figure out that the Inspector
wasn’t a ‘real’ police investigator after all, and that no girl died from drinking disinfectant tonight.
Gerald, Mr Birling, and Mrs Birling are relieved there will be no public scandal, and dismiss any guilt
or remorse they had. Sheila and Eric, on the other hand, believe that all the misdeeds they
committed still happened, and they should all learn from the Inspector’s visit.
14. The phone rings. A girl has just died on the way to the Infirmary, and an inspector is on his
way to question the Birlings.
, ENGLISH LITERATURE - COMPONENT 2: SECTION A – INSPECTOR CALLS
PRIESTLY (Post 1914 Drama)
CHARACTER KEY QUOTES:
Arthur Birling
Mr. Birling in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley is presented as a symbol of capitalist values, social
arrogance, and generational ignorance. He is used by Priestley to criticise the selfishness of the upper
class and their lack of responsibility for others in society.
The play is set just before the outbreak of World War One and within the extravagant Birling
household. Mr Birling’s dominant position within a static society (poor stay poor and rich stay rich) is
portrayed through:
● His patriarchal (male dominated society) role as owner of Birling and Co. which only employs young
women at extortionately low wages.
● His marriage to Mrs Birling (Sybil), who accepts her own domination by Mr Birling. This is a reflection
of Mr Birling’s control over his household; she is often ordered to sit in the “drawing room”, while
men talk.
● His indifference to his daughter’s (Shelia) concerns regarding Gerald’s alleged affair as this could
compromise the economic relationship between the Croft business and his own.
- ‘heavy looking’. ‘portentous’ - Priestley exhibits Mr Birling as the living embodiment of the
capitalist ideology (everything revolves around profit at all costs). His physical appearance is a
reflection of capitalism; he wears formal clothes; he is “heavy looking” (symbolises greed) and
frequently displays his “portentous” attitude (he tries really hard to impress people). - self-indulged
temperament
Birling’s clearly pompous perspective (self-absorbed) is evidenced through his immediate
reclamation of the spotlight after Sheila and Gerald’s engagement is announced. It is “one of the
happiest nights of my life” and toasts to “lower costs and higher prices” rather than to his
daughter’s health.
Mr Birling values Sheila on her capacity to further the family company and thereby objectifies
her as a bargaining chip; “she’ll make you (Gerald) happy”, yet more significantly Mr Birling will have
direct connections with an “older and bigger” business. Here it’s clear that Mr Birling values the
prospect of increased profit over his daughter’s joy in engagement.
His business is of greater importance than his own family – this foreshadows Mr Birling’s
indifference to Eva Smith’s suicide, which is initiated through his refusal to grant her a pay rise
Moreover, he attempts to bribe the Inspector “(unhappily) Look, Inspector - I'd give thousands
- yes, thousands -”, to prevent losing wealth and social status through a criminal record. This
epitomises the individualistic nature of capitalism.
- STAGE DIRECTIONS - ‘provincial in speech’- Despite Mr Birling’s success in the world of business, his
humble beginnings are evident from the stage directions as his tendency to be “provincial in speech”
(he speaks with a noticeable accent) reveals his lower-class origins. This insecurity causes Mr Birling to
constantly remind people of his status in society, through bringing up former roles as “Lord Mayor” and
suggesting “there's a very good chance of a knighthood” to convince Gerald of his great social status.
This “provincial” speech indicates a lack of sophistication.
“There’s a fair chance that I may find myself into the next honours list.” Mr Birling’s
insecurity is revealed by his feeling of inadequacy due to his lower social status, compared to the
Crofts. Therefore, he feels the need to compensate with boasts of a potential knighthood.
Priestley uses the character of Mr Birling, not only as a method to critique capitalism, but to reveal
the cycle of oppression caused by social divisions and classism. Mr Birling attains validation of his
PRIESTLY (Post 1914 Drama)
Written by J.B. Priestley in 1945, ‘An Inspector Calls’ is set over one evening in an English
manufacturing town called Brumley in 1912. It has 3 acts and is in real time which means there is no
change in time or location between acts. The upper-middle class Birling family are visited by a
mysterious inspector, who is investigating the death of a young woman by suicide. The all-knowing
detective gradually reveals how each of them are involved with, and partially responsible for, her
death. Priestley examines how each member of the family reacts to these revelations.
IT IS BOTH A CYCLIC AND DIDACTIC PLAY..
CHARACTERS:
Arthur Birling: the head of Birling and Company, a manufacturing company situated in Brumley, and
head of the Birling family. He represents the Capitalist businessman.
Sybil Birling: the wife and social superior of Arthur Birling. She represents the upper-class, socially
prominent wife.
Sheila Birling: the Birlings’ daughter. She represents the impressionable, socially-aware younger
generation and the feminist movement.
Eric Birling: the Birlings’ son. He represents the impressionable, socially-aware younger generation
and the consequences of toxic masculine culture.
Gerald Croft: the son of Sir and Lady Croft, of Crofts Limited, and socially superior to the Birlings. He
represents privilege, and the dominance of the upper classes and patriarchy.
Inspector Goole: a police inspector. He represents the ideals of Socialism and social responsibility, and
the ideal justice system.
Eva Smith: a lower-class, young girl who is mistreated by the Birlings. She represents the neglected
lower-classes.
THEMES:
➢ Capitalism vs Socialism
➢ Exploitation
➢ Gender
➢ Generations Young vs Old
➢ Social Class
➢ Social Responsibility
➢ Wealth and Materialism
ACTS:
Act 1
1. Arthur, Sybil, Eric, and Sheila Birling, along with Gerald Croft, are having a dinner to celebrate the
engagement of Sheila to Gerald. Mr Arthur Birling, the patriarch (the male head of the family), leads
the family in a toast, celebrating the progress made by society.
, ENGLISH LITERATURE - COMPONENT 2: SECTION A – INSPECTOR CALLS
PRIESTLY (Post 1914 Drama)
2. A police inspector, Inspector Goole, calls and asks to speak to Mr Birling. A young woman, Eva
Smith, has died at the Infirmary after drinking disinfectant.
3. Two years ago, Mr Birling fired Eva after she led a strike at his factory. She was asking for higher
wages. He believes he was fully justified.
4. Eva Smith then managed to get a job at Milward’s, an upmarket store, however she was fired again
after Sheila complained about her. Sheila felt Eva had been mocking her, and was jealous of her.
Though she felt bad about it at the time, she hadn’t thought it would have any serious consequences,
and swears she won’t act like that again.
5. The Inspector reveals that Eva was unable to get another job, so changed her name to Daisy
Renton. Gerald gives himself away by showing that he recognises the name.
6. While the Inspector is out of the room, Sheila accuses Gerald of having an affair with Daisy
Renton. He initially denies it but eventually confesses, asking Sheila to keep it a secret.
Act 2
7. The Inspector returns along with Mr and Mrs Birling. Gerald is forced to admit to his affair. He
rescued Daisy from a bar and put her up in some rooms he was looking after, but broke it off when
he needed to leave on business. He swears that his concern and pity for her were authentic, and
that he hadn’t helped her in order to sleep with her. Sheila gives him back their engagement ring.
Gerald leaves, feeling emotional, to go on a walk.
8. The Inspector questions Mrs Birling about a case she presided over at the ‘Brumle Women’s Charity
Organisation’. Mrs Birling ensured that a young, pregnant woman who introduced herself as ‘Mrs
Birling’ was refused help.
9. The woman told the committee that she wasn’t married to the father, who was a youngster
and heavy drinker meaning marriage was out of the question. He had been supporting her with stolen
money, and she didn’t want to take anymore. Mrs Birling blames the father entirely, saying he was
responsible and should be made an example of.
10. The family realise that the father in question is Eric.
Act 3
11. Eric returns. He admits to drinking heavily and acting aggressively towards Eva to get her to
sleep with him. He used money from his father’s company’s accounts to support her. She learnt it
was stolen, so refused his help. Sheila tells him that she went to Mrs Birling for help, but was denied
it. Eric is furious. Mrs Birling is upset that her son could act in such a way.
12. The Inspector loses his patience with the Birlings. He tells them that they should never forget
what they did. Eva Smith is dead, so they can’t harm her anymore, but they can’t help her either. He
declares if people don’t accept the responsibility everyone in society has for each other, “fire and
blood and anguish” will follow. He leaves.
13. The family argue amongst themselves. Gerald returns. They slowly figure out that the Inspector
wasn’t a ‘real’ police investigator after all, and that no girl died from drinking disinfectant tonight.
Gerald, Mr Birling, and Mrs Birling are relieved there will be no public scandal, and dismiss any guilt
or remorse they had. Sheila and Eric, on the other hand, believe that all the misdeeds they
committed still happened, and they should all learn from the Inspector’s visit.
14. The phone rings. A girl has just died on the way to the Infirmary, and an inspector is on his
way to question the Birlings.
, ENGLISH LITERATURE - COMPONENT 2: SECTION A – INSPECTOR CALLS
PRIESTLY (Post 1914 Drama)
CHARACTER KEY QUOTES:
Arthur Birling
Mr. Birling in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley is presented as a symbol of capitalist values, social
arrogance, and generational ignorance. He is used by Priestley to criticise the selfishness of the upper
class and their lack of responsibility for others in society.
The play is set just before the outbreak of World War One and within the extravagant Birling
household. Mr Birling’s dominant position within a static society (poor stay poor and rich stay rich) is
portrayed through:
● His patriarchal (male dominated society) role as owner of Birling and Co. which only employs young
women at extortionately low wages.
● His marriage to Mrs Birling (Sybil), who accepts her own domination by Mr Birling. This is a reflection
of Mr Birling’s control over his household; she is often ordered to sit in the “drawing room”, while
men talk.
● His indifference to his daughter’s (Shelia) concerns regarding Gerald’s alleged affair as this could
compromise the economic relationship between the Croft business and his own.
- ‘heavy looking’. ‘portentous’ - Priestley exhibits Mr Birling as the living embodiment of the
capitalist ideology (everything revolves around profit at all costs). His physical appearance is a
reflection of capitalism; he wears formal clothes; he is “heavy looking” (symbolises greed) and
frequently displays his “portentous” attitude (he tries really hard to impress people). - self-indulged
temperament
Birling’s clearly pompous perspective (self-absorbed) is evidenced through his immediate
reclamation of the spotlight after Sheila and Gerald’s engagement is announced. It is “one of the
happiest nights of my life” and toasts to “lower costs and higher prices” rather than to his
daughter’s health.
Mr Birling values Sheila on her capacity to further the family company and thereby objectifies
her as a bargaining chip; “she’ll make you (Gerald) happy”, yet more significantly Mr Birling will have
direct connections with an “older and bigger” business. Here it’s clear that Mr Birling values the
prospect of increased profit over his daughter’s joy in engagement.
His business is of greater importance than his own family – this foreshadows Mr Birling’s
indifference to Eva Smith’s suicide, which is initiated through his refusal to grant her a pay rise
Moreover, he attempts to bribe the Inspector “(unhappily) Look, Inspector - I'd give thousands
- yes, thousands -”, to prevent losing wealth and social status through a criminal record. This
epitomises the individualistic nature of capitalism.
- STAGE DIRECTIONS - ‘provincial in speech’- Despite Mr Birling’s success in the world of business, his
humble beginnings are evident from the stage directions as his tendency to be “provincial in speech”
(he speaks with a noticeable accent) reveals his lower-class origins. This insecurity causes Mr Birling to
constantly remind people of his status in society, through bringing up former roles as “Lord Mayor” and
suggesting “there's a very good chance of a knighthood” to convince Gerald of his great social status.
This “provincial” speech indicates a lack of sophistication.
“There’s a fair chance that I may find myself into the next honours list.” Mr Birling’s
insecurity is revealed by his feeling of inadequacy due to his lower social status, compared to the
Crofts. Therefore, he feels the need to compensate with boasts of a potential knighthood.
Priestley uses the character of Mr Birling, not only as a method to critique capitalism, but to reveal
the cycle of oppression caused by social divisions and classism. Mr Birling attains validation of his
