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JB Priestley context
a socialist
created the play as a protest against capitalism
he served in the army and was exposed to the unfairness and exploitation of the working class for gain of the upper classes
he went to Cambridge & did a degree in modern history and political science
During WW2 he became infamous for radio broadcasts→he was cancelled for promoting his controversial socialist ideology
Context behind the play
a socialist allegory play- hopeful
created in 1945 (when there was an appetite for socialist change), but set 1912 Edwardian period
Conservative (capitalist) VS Labour (socialist)
Capitalism
profit is a priority
life is a competition
survival of the fittest
private businesses control trade & industry
represented in Priestley’s time by conservative party
‘right wing’
the few, exploiting the many- uneven distribution of power. People at the bottom of the hierachy are voiceless, disempowered and victimised by capitalism.
represented by MR BIRLING.
INDIVIDUALISTS
Socialism
production, distribution, and trade should be publicly owned for the good of the community as a whole
everyone has a collective responsibility and should all look after each other
‘left wing'
the rich are responsible for looking after the poor. Priestley believes that no matter where you are born, there shouldn’t be privilege, and everyone should be equal.
represented by THE INSPECTOR
COLLECTIVES
mindset of the rich in edwardian period
they believed that if you were born into money, beauty & good health, it was because you were deserving of it
Eva Smith
representative of all working class women
victim of capitalism (exploitation), the patriarchy & social discrimination
silenced, voiceless and disempowered
faceless → Mrs Birling seeks to ignore her
used as a device to try and change the Birlings
How does Priestley use Eva to portray his message?
he individualises her, therefore humanizing her and all the other women of her status.
working class is seen as a homogenized (all the same) mark, and recognizes/humanizes them all through Eva.
Creates Eva to be pretty, to elicit more sympathy for her, allowing audience to listen to message more clearly. However her prettiness makes her more vulnerable.
Mr Birling
failed figure of authority
prosperous factory owner
self made man
representation of capitalism in the play.
aggressive social climber → welcomes Gerald as a business deal
honest approach to life due to certainty of his position
prideful and lacks empathy throughout play
willfully ignorant and has no trajectory.
doesn’t take accountability for his actions
a patriarch
immoral and egotistical
views his flaws as virtues
how is Mr Birling shown to be capitalist?
he is an individualist
profit is his priority (both socially and economically)
believes in survival of the fittest
Quotes which present the character of Mr Birling
‘Hard headed business man’
‘ a man has to make his own way- has to look after himself’
‘Crofts limited are both older and bigger than Birling and company- and now you’ve bought us together’
‘there isn’t a chance of war’ ‘unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable’
‘you’re not the kind of father a chap can go to when he’s in trouble’
‘I’ve got to cover this up as soon as I can’
How does Priestley use Mr Birling to portray his message?
Mr Birling is an unappealing character
represents everything Priestley hates
a capitalist man - dramatic irony at beginning of the play when Mr Birling is speaking to emphasise Mr Birling’s errors and true ignorance
shows dismissiveness of those higher in status, and how if this isn’t changed, the cycle of suffering in lower classes continue.
Mrs Birling
her husband’s social superior
‘rather cold’
reinforces the patriarchy as it directly benefits her
arrogant with a large superiority complex
a snob- aware of differences in social classes
judgemental and hypocrital- has a charity committee for personal glory
disregards those ‘below’ her
willfully blind
patronizing
dismissive
selfish and denies other
0 trajectory
lack of remorse (none whatsoever)
deflects blame onto both eric and eva ‘the girl herself’, ‘if it hadn’t been for him’
belittles eric and sheila and calls them ‘children’ → ironic
Mrs Birling’s power
illusory
committee was created for her to feel a sense of power.
admits predjudice against Eva- believes its her ‘duty’.
believes she is deserving and allowed to pass judgement and can control others due to her social class
refuses to change as in doing so she loses power.
Quotes to represent character of Mrs Birling
‘a girl of that sort’
‘rather cold’
‘if it hadn’t been for him’
‘whatever it was’
‘all a lot of nonsense’
‘you’re quite wrong to suppose I shall regret what I did’
‘I accept no blame’
Sheila Birling
makes the greatest trajectory
starts off young, naive, privileged and immature → ‘very pleased with life’
gains empathy, aswell as moral and social conscience- more virtuous & important
initially obedient- changes as truth is revealed
loses faith in family aswell as naivity.
her response to the tragedy is one of the few encouraging things in the play
does a petty thing out of ignorance (at the beginning)
learns from her mistakes
proves that change is possible
parallel to eva smith- wants to do good
ashamed of her parents
becomes a rolemodel
perceptive- first to see the truth
How is Sheila’s change seen?
takes role of inspector when he is absent
refuses to take back Gerald ring- mature and proves her lasting change
Key Sheila quotes
‘These girls aren’t cheap labour- they’re people’
‘Look mummy- isn’t it a beauty’
‘ oh why did this have to happen?’
‘you’re pretending everything’s just as it was before’
‘it frightens me the way you talk’
‘it was anything but a joke’
‘ I remember what he said, how he looked, and what it made me feel. Fire and blood and anguish’
Eric Birling
positive trajectory
has tension between him and his family
demonstrates empathy and is a sympathetic character
committed 2 criminal acts - theft and rape
damaged by his secrets
shows guilt & is horrified by his actions
shows some sense of responsibility- offers to marry Eva
gives eva stolen money → redistribution of wealth (socialist move)
portrays some socialist traits
appalled by parents- puts audience on his side
has sexual relations with Eva- acknowledges and humanizes her
unsupported- he is different to his father
Key Eric quotes
‘not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive’ → due to all his hidden secrets- damaging
‘why shouldn’t they try for higher wages?’
‘Oh- my God! -how stupid it all is
‘I’m ashamed of you’
‘this girl’s still dead isn’t she’
‘I was in that state when a chap easily turns nasty’
‘fat old tarts’
‘i wasn’t in love with her or anything- but i did like her- she was pretty and a good sport’ exploitative
Gerald Croft
epitomises privilege
has money, looks, status
about thirty- sits between generations
aristocrat- Son of Lord and Lady- declined engagement invitation
unfaithful to Sheila and dissmissive of her when she asked him about Eva
knew Eva personally, yet still cast her off→ does that make him even worse?
had the potential to change- disappointing at the end
there was a possibility of change, but he doesn’t- change is possible, but can take time
the son Mr Birling never had
hypocritical and dishonest
shallow- constantly repeats how Eva is ‘young and pretty’
How does Priestley present Gerald and his relationships with women?
percieves their deservingness based on their appearance- ‘I hate those hard-eyed dough faced women’, ‘she looked young and fresh and charming’
exploitative- ‘nearly any man would have done’, ‘i became at once the most important person in her life’, ‘I didn’t feel about her as she did about me’
believes his status allows him to treat women however he pleases- ‘what about this ring’
respect those of higher class- ‘very nice. very nice. Good dinner too, sybil’
why does Priestley do this?
show what women had to live through in a patriarchal society
exposes the missuse and unappropriate use of power by men in higher positions
Key Gerald quotes
‘everything’s alright now sheila. what about this ring?’
‘she was very gallant about it’
‘we’re respectable citizens, not criminals’
‘i don’t come into this suicide business’
‘i didn’t install her there so i can make love to her- i was sorry for her’
Inspector Goole
mysterious
aggressive
moral
judgemental
figure of authority
stands apart from social hierachy
breaks the 4th wall- ‘fire, blood, anguish’ monologue → not real
asks personal questions and then gives opinions
condemning character
representative of socialism
symbolic, transient characters who knows & understands an extraordinary amount
inspector’s impact
‘millions and millions of Eva smiths’
‘shall be taught in fire, blood and anguish’
MOUTHPIECE used by Priestley to send out political allegory
calls out the massive divide in the class system
teaches that all have a collective responsibility
Quotes for the Inspector
‘I’m waiting… to do my duty’
‘we are responsible for others’
‘an impression of massiveness, solidity, and purposefullness’
‘in his 50s, speaks carefully, weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking’
Significance the inspector holds
dramatic tension
engaging to audience
aggressive yet agreeable
significant to play
socialist representation
Edna
symbolises the ignored, silenced working class.
Character of her time- servants weren’t common in 1945
one of the ‘millions and millions of eva smiths’
voice is restricted by social position
closest link to the title- says ‘an inspector’s called’ and opens the door
represents a desire to change, as she experiences restriction and exploitation
precarious- vulnerable. Fate depends on the Birlings, not herself.
THEMES: generation gap
YOUNGER:
to be celebrated
capable of change
honest, sympathetic, remorseful, receptive to knowledge
refuses to go back on what they had learned
gives hope to the ending.
OLDER:
incapable of change
set in their ways
views the younger generation as foolish and ‘children’→ ironic
cares about image over all
to be condemned
only sorry for the image and being caught
THEMES: responsibility
‘responsible’ and ‘responsiblity’ frequently mentioned
Mr B’s capitalist responsiblility speech at the beginning, contradicted by Inspector’s socialist responsiblity speech at the end
SOCIALIST VS CAPITALIST
personal: what have YOU done. → Sheila takes most of responsiblity
Mr and Mrs B like the thought of responsiblity, however only like it for personal image and glory
looks and sounds good- however takes hard work and integrity
THEMES: family
Mr B sat at head of table-
‘a nice well behaved family’ - Gerald
a facade → Secrets, tensions and conflicts are hidden
ROLES→ Mr B- patriarch, head of house, provider and protecter. Mrs B- reinforces patriarchy. plans parties. social superior. Children- obedient- this leads to them perpetuating parent’s views and ideologies and won’t change
HOWEVER: family hierachy is destroyed in new revelation of all hidden secrets & arrival of inspector.
Parents ignore and belittle children who finally show autonomy.
Mr and Mrs Birling ar not good parents- manifested in the behaviour of their children whom they look down on- ironic.
tied together by lies. split by truth. → fornication. infidelity. rape. adultery. envy. hate.
If all were honest with one another, family could’ve been a good support system.
THEMES: gender
clearly defined for wealthy and middle class → men work to support & protect wives and daughters
women marry into money, to not burden father, have children, plan parties, visit friends
further divisions within gender groups include:
upper class women passing judgement on lower class women, and holding illusory power. they reinforce the patriarchy. no sisterhood,
ALL male characters (apart from the inspector) exploit women:
- Sheila asked to take back Gerald’s ring, Eric and Gerald’s objectification of and sexual gratification from women, Mr Birling using factory workers as cheap labour- sacrificing their dignity to come back from strikes to low rates
upper class women passing judgement onto lower class: Lady croft → Sheila: ‘you might have done better for yourself’, Mrs Birling ‘a girl of that sort’ to Eva.
Sheila is a future leader and is a role model.
THEMES: social class
established in 1912 and hard to climb up.
makes life hard for those of lower class.
upper class have limited sense of responsibility
Mrs Birling’s disregard for both her cook and Eva.
Mr and Mrs B worried about social position
eva’s death causing a scandal
belief that position of authority makes them important- passing judgment.
Mr Birling only using Gerald to climb up social class
Mrs B being a head member of womens charity committee.
Birlings are used by priestley as a microcosm.
THEMES: community
lack of community in 1912 → Priestley condemns.
in 1945, war effort brough better sense of community- ‘community spirit’
Birling Family juxtaposed to Edna and Eva- clear division
desirable and essential
Priestley criticises businesses which claim to support community, but instead reinforces division
‘we are all members of one body’
