Themes

Responsibility

• One of the most prevalent themes

• Role of the I is to highlight actions have consequences

• Message that people need to be accountable for their actions and take responsibility for others

Responsibility: Knowledge and Evidence

• In demands each character be held and admit personal responsibility for what led to Ev death

  • Each character has a connection with Ev, regardless of how fleeting their actions influenced her fate

• Sh is the first to accept responsibility for her actions which demonstrates her courage and empathy

• Er initially offers to marry Ev which shows an attempt at responsibility

  • However, he fails his duty as the father to protect them both

• In urges characters and audience to consider their social responsibility arguing they have a duty to have actions which benefit society

  • Through the In, Priestley argues society has duties towards the welfare of others

  • Suggests they have a collective social responsibility to care for eachother

• Ar and Sy hold prominent positions in society, the In suggests they have an even greater duty to care for others

  • In alludes ideas of responsibility and duty, Ar and Sy repeatedly use these words despite interpreting them differently

• In contrast, Priestley presents Ev as having a greater sense of moral responsibility

• A pivotal part of act 3 is when the In leaves, provides an opportunity for characters to reveal if they have learnt from his message

  • Only Er and Sh grasp his message, everyone else is blind to it

Responsibility: Priestleys Intention

• Emphasises the importance of both personal and social responsibility

  • Insists this extends beyond the confines of the family unit and spreads to society as a whole

• Could be argues some acts committed by the Birlings and Gerald may not be so terrible individually to drive Eva to suicide

  • Priestley emphasises that individual actions may begin a chain of events leading to devastating consequence

Capitalism vs Socialism

• Play deals with ideas of fairness and inequality

• Priestley used the play to argue that capitalism prevented equality and social justice

• Socialism aims to share out wealth creating a fair society

Capitalism vs Socialism: Knowledge and Evidence

• P presents a powerful social message which is explored through this theme

  • Capitalism benefits individuals

  • Socialism benefits society

• P depicts comfortable, affluent life of the Birlings who thrive on Capitalism

  • Contrasts to Ev wretched life from their greed

  • Ev is exploited and marginalised by those in the privilege Capitalist system

• P maintains that the system creates and perpetuates inequalities and prevents social mobility

  • Ev is trapped in a cycle of poverty which she never overcomes

• In moralistic tone condemns the entrenched capitalist view of the group

  • Message that we are all part of one community is firmly established

• Ar is resistant, insisting his responsibility is to protect his business

  • No sense of responsibility/concern that his workers need higher wages to live

  • Treats the pay strike at his factory with his contempt because it threatens his profit

Capitalism vs Socialism: Priestleys Intention

• Presents the Birlings and Capitalism in a negative light through the Inspector

  • Presented as individualistic, self centred and amoral

  • Place profit and greed above rights and concerns of others

• Seeks to expose selfishness

• Encouraging others to look after eachother

• Encouraging working towards an equal, fair society

Generational Divide

• Younger characters are more open to social and economic change

• In conflict with their parents generation, who are stuck in their ways

Generational Divide: Knowledge and Evidence

• P attempts to reveal inadequacies of Ar and Sy parenting

  • Fail to acknowledge Sh and Er as adults

  • Offer little support

  • Ignore Er alcoholism which may be due to their indulgence

  • Attempt to shield Sh from hearing details about ‘women of the town’

• P portrays Ar, Sy, Ge as fully entrenched in upper class notions of superiority

  • Ar and Sy mock Sh and Er foolishness for being so affected

  • Er and Sh do not share the sense of relief at the end

• In shows the audience that all characters have had an opportunity for redemption, only Sh and Er embrace is

  • Ge displays some remorse for his treatment of Ev but reverts back at the end

  • Older generation is more concerned about social positions

  • Ge falls between the 2 generations

• P shows that the younger generation can change and accept social responsibility

  • Sh challenges her parents for not learning from the In

• Younger generation present a symbol of hope

Generational Divide: Priestleys Intention

• Priestley offers optimism through Sheila and Eric to show the audience the younger generation is capable of change

  • Depicts the younger generation as more compassionate and empathetic

    • Suggests they don’t avoid social responsibilities

  • Priestley suggests the younger generation will avoid errors of the previous generation

    • Suggests the selfish and exploitative Capitalist system will be replaced with a more Socialist agenda

Guilt

• Result of accepting personal and social responsibility

• Younger characters express guilt

• Older generation are not guilty, they are unwilling to see their own flaws and society’s flaws

Guilt: Knowledge and Evidence

• In contends if the characters learn anything, they must express guilt

  • Admission of guilt requires self reflection

  • Important step in encouraging change

• Guilt is both individual and collective

• Believes each character compromised their morals in the treatment of Eva

• Represent the upper classes who have enabled lower classes to be exploited and mistreated for their own gain

• Sh is first to express guilt

  • In then insists that guilt and responsibility must be shared

• Er eventually expresses guilt, but only willing in act 3

  • Expresses a stronger sense (emotional outburst), immaturity suggests he doesn’t feel it as keenly as his sister

• Ge appears to have sincere and honest regret, his guilt is temporary

  • Justifies his actions

  • Doesn’t care when there’s no consequence

  • More concerned his affair has been found out rather than betraying Sh

• Ar and Sy refuse to express any guilt

  • Fail to see and acknowledge they have done anything wrong

Guilt: Priestleys Intention

• Guilt felt by characters and society must be personal and collective for change to happen

• We are responsible for our personal conduct

• Should ensure all groups are treated equally

Class

• Criticises the inequality and unfairness of British class system

• Argues the privilege of class blinds people to their immoral behavior

Class: Knowledge and Evidence

• Major influence on may characters and events

• Immense inequality is established at the start

  • Birlings opulent home sharply contrasts with workers in Ar factory

• Sy could be viewed as making incorrect assertions about working class and views them as morally and socially inferior

  • Ignorantly links class with morality

  • Cannot believe Ev, working class girl refused stolen money

• Sy hypocritical stance means she overlooks her own selfish, immoral acts and those of the upper class

  • Class affords her superiority to decide who is/isnt worth charity

  • Overlooks Ge keeping a mistress and Er immoral conduct with Ev

• P demonstrates how working class especially women could be exploited and abused by those with wealth/power

  • Ge and Er abuse their power and status in relationship

  • Both discard Ev when it suits them

• Ge is entrenched in the views of his class system

  • Prevents him from genuinely empathising with Eva/working class plight

Class: Priestleys Intention

• Priestley demonstrates fixation of upper class on status and poor morals

• P conveys hypocrisy of upper class and abuse of power over working class

  • Clearest in the treatment of working class girls by young, wealthy men

Gender

• Priestley explores inequality between male and female characters

• Criticising society’s suppression of women’s rights and mistreatment of women in general

Gender: Knowledge and Evidence

• Important element impacting most behaviours of characters

• Ev would be viewed as ‘cheap labour’ and more at risk of being exploited and abused because of her gender

  • Working class women cheapest form of labour for Ar

• Ev is exploited by wealthy men and women

  • Sy and Sh use their power to suppress her

  • Ge and Er take advantage of her due to power imbalance

  • Ge emphasises how Ev was desperate for help and portrays himself as being chivalrous in rescuing her

• Sh can be viewed as a woman who is redefining the role of women at a time when woman’s rights were being sought during the suffragettes movement

  • Begins playing a typical role in patriarchal society

  • Contrasts as the play develops and she begins to challenge her father and Gerald

Gender: Priestleys Intention

• Priestley uses male and female characters to comment upon traditional gender roles

  • Sybil is subordinate to her husband

    • Sheila begins to challenge this role

  • Eva is an assertive female character

• Priestley highlights the suppression of women’s rights and how men and women can abuse their power

  • Birlings and Gerald all take advantage of Eva in different ways because of her gender

“If we are all responsible for everything that happened to everybody — it would be vert awkward wouldn’t it”

• Act One

• Mr Birling

• Mr Birling refuses to accept his part in Eva Smiths death

“At least I’m trying to tell the truth, I expect you’ve done things you’re ashamed of too.”

• Act One

• Sheila

• Sheila begins to understand her responsibility - even when Gerald and her parents will not

“Public men, Mr Birling, have responsibilities as well as privileges”

• Act Two

• Inspector Goole

• The Inspector makes it clear that the wealthy should help the poor

“We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for eachother”

• Act Three

• Inspector Goole

• The Inspector uses the metaphor of a body to show the physical connection between people in society and how people depend on one another

“We did her in alright”

• Act Three

• Eric

• Eric, like Sheila, recognises the truth and changes for the better

Guilt and Responsibility: The Telephone Call

• Concludes the play

• Symbolises that there will be consequences for those who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions

Guilt and Responsibility: The Inspector

• Embodies social responsibility

• Holds each character to account for their role in the ‘chain of events’ leading to Evas death

Guilt and Responsibility: Mr and Mrs Birling

• Representation of a selfish older generation

• Occupy an important position in society

• Fail in their duty to care for others

Guilt and Responsibility: Sheila and Eric

• Represent the potential for a more progressive younger generation to show greater collective responsibility

Impact of Guilt: The Inspector

• Priestleys mouthpiece for his socialist ideology

• Emphasises personal and collective responsibility

  • Argues wealthy have a responsibility to support most vulnerable in society

  • Message has a lasting, transformative effect on younger members of the family but not the older characters

Impact of Guilt: Mr and Mrs Birling

• Use the words ‘responsibility’ and ‘duty’ to describe their selfish behaviors, but begin the ‘chain of events’

  • Mr Birling fires Eva

  • Mrs Birling abuses her power in the Brumley Women’s Charity

  • Cruelty leads to Eva killing herself and her unborn baby

Impact of Guilt: Gerald

• Appears contrite when the Inspector reveals his responsibility for the suicide of ‘Daisy Renton’, but later calls the Inspector a hoax

  • Tries to give Sheila her ring back, symbolising he learns nothing

Impact of Guilt: Sheila

• Feels deep guilt and regret for getting Eva fired

  • Represents younger generations acceptance of their responsibility to others

Impact of Guilt: Eric

• Raped Eva before stealing from Mr Birling to support her

  • Shocks the audience by revealing this after Mrs Birlings actions lead to the babies death

• Demonstrates a capacity to change and an acceptance of his socialist responsibility

• Refuses to accept Geralds ‘hoax’ claim

Why Priestley uses Guilt and Responsibility: Setting and Period

• Priestley underscores how the wealthiest enjoy privileges and lives of excess, while refusing to show compassion for the opposite

• Demonstrates the consequences of selfishness and ignorance

Why Priestley uses Guilt and Responsibility: Plot Driver

• Plot is structured around the Inspectors interrogations, revealing guilt and responsibility one by one

• Reveals the chain of events that connect individuals and the importance of responsibility

Why Priestley uses Guilt and Responsibility: Audience Appeal

• Sheila and Eric represent Priestleys 1945 audience - a more progressive and responsible generation

• Mr/Mrs Birling and Gerald reflect blinkered attitudes of older generation whose irresponsibility would unsettle a 1945 audience

Why Priestley uses Guilt and Responsibility: Dramatic Device

• Creates dramatic irony - the audience realise before the Birlings do that each will be interrogated, and that each bears some guilt

• Leads to dramatic tension, such as the cliffhangers at the end of each act

“For lower costs and higher prices”

• Act One

• Mr Birling

• Mr Birlings business strategy is pure greed: he wants to charge lots and pay little

“She sails next week…unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable”

• Act One

• Mr Birling

• Mr Birlings comment about the Titanic reflects the blind faith of his generation in capitalism

“…its better to ask for the earth than to take it”

• Act One

• Inspector Goole

• The Inspector uses Mr Birlings own words against him to highlight his selfishness

“I wasn’t satisfied with the girls claim…she seemed to me to be not a good case”

• Act Two

• Mrs Birling

• Mrs Birling equates money with ones ‘claim’, as though money only belongs to the deserving

Elements of Capitalism vs Socialism: The Inspector

• Embodies socialism

• His investigation and moralistic speeches condemn how the poor and impoverished are victims of capitalist greed

Elements of Capitalism vs Socialism: Mr Birling and Gerald Croft

• Represent the greedy industrialists who treat workers as cheap labour and refuse to raise wages

Elements of Capitalism vs Socialism: Eva Smith

• Tragic fate shows the destructive potential of capitalism

• Fired for seeking a living wage

• Denied charity on the basis of her perceived worth

Impact of Capitalism vs Socialism: The Birlings

• Priestley contracts their comfortable, affluent life with Evas wretched life

  • Gerald also believes that Mr Birlings was right to sack a ‘troublemaker’

• Mr Birling is resistant to the Inspectors message, protects his business to maximise profits

  • Treats his workers with contempt

  • No sense of responsibility or concern for their welfare

Impact of Capitalism vs Socialism: The Inspector

• Inspector personifies socialist ideology by acting for the benefit of others

  • Central message is that everyone is connected by a ‘chain of events’; the actions of the upper class affect the less fortunate

• Inspector seizes control of the Birlings celebration

  • Symbolises Priestleys hope that socialism could overcome capitalism

Impact of Capitalism vs Socialism: The Inspector

• Inspector personifies socialist ideology by acting for the benefit of others

  • Central message is that everyone is connected by a ‘chain of events’; the actions of the upper class affect the less fortunate

• Inspector seizes control of the Birlings celebration

  • Symbolises Priestleys hope that socialism could overcome capitalism

Impact of Capitalism vs Socialism: Eva Smith

• Exploited and marginalised by the capitalist system despite being a good worker

  • Through the Inspector, Priestley maintains that this system creates inequalities in society and prevents social mobility

Why Priestley uses Capitalism vs Socialism: Setting and Period

• Priestley underscores how the wealthiest enjoy privileges and lives of excess but are blind to the effects of their actions on the less fortunate

• The play is a microcosm of capitalist society, set in an industrial city, in a wealthy manufacturers house

Why Priestley uses Capitalism vs Socialism: Plot Driver

• Plot demonstrates what happens when powerful, greedy people prioritise money over wellbeing of fellow people

• Eva Smith represents ‘millions and millions and millions’ of impoverished people oppressed by an economic system that puts profit before people

Why Priestley uses Capitalism vs Socialism: Audience Appeal

• 1945 audience was a more progressive and responsible generation, aware of workers rights

• Mr/Mrs Birling and Gerald reflect an outdated ideology from which society was seeking to move away

“Arthur, you’re not supposed to say such things”

• Act One

• Mrs Birling

• Mrs Birling reprimands her husband for the mistake of acknowledging their working class cook

“We’re respectable citizens and not criminals”

• Act One

• Mr Birling

• Mr Birling believes that his class places him above the law, something that the Inspector disputes

“Girls of that class…”

• Act Two

• Mrs Birling

• Mrs Birling refuses to show empathy or compassion for Eva because of her class

Elements of Class: Settings

• Birlings opulent house is sharply contrasted with descriptions of the workers in Arthurs factory

Elements of Class: Prejudice

• Upper class characters frequently make incorrect assertions about the working classes and view them as morally and socially inferior

  • Birlings, particularly Sybil, and Gerald are entrenched in the views of their class system

  • Genuinely cannot emphasise with the working class/Evas plight

Elements of Class: Exploitation

• Eric and Gerald use their class and status to take advantage of Eva

• Keep their relationship with her a secret to avoid reputational damage

Impact of Class: The Birlings

• Depicts their comfortable, affluent life in contrast to Evas poverty

• Mr Birlings is concerned that the wealthier Crofts might see Gerald and Sheilas engagement as a step down in society

• Mrs Birling ignorantly links class with morality, refusing to believe Eva would refuse stolen money

Impact of Class: The Inspector

• Suggests the class system creates inequalities in society, preventing social mobility

  • Investigation reveals the immoral behaviour of the ‘respectable’ upper classes

Impact of Class: Eva Smith

• Considered ‘cheap labour’ by Mr Birling and Gerald

• Exploited and marginalised by more privileged characters

• Class differences are a metaphorical ‘wall’

  • A barrier put up by the wealthy to separate them from the impoverished and vulnerable

    • Sheila warns her mother not to ‘build up a kind of wall’ between herself and Eva

Why Priestley uses Class: Setting and Period

• Underscores how the wealthiest enjoy privileges and lives of excess, but are blind to effects of their actions on the less fortunate

• Challenges the outdated values of the upper classes through the Inspecor, who speaks for Priestleys audience when he champions workers rights

Why Priestley uses Class: Plot Driver

• Revelations about how the Birling family have abused their class and social status provide a clear dramatic structure

Why Priestley uses Class: Audience Appeal

• Plays action is driven by revelations about immorality of Edwardian upper classes

• Contemporary 1945 audience were more progressive, responsible and aligned with socialist values

Why Priestley uses Class: Conflict between Characters

• Priestley quickly establishes the theme of class and conflict in the opening act

“…men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business”

• Act One

• Mrs Birling

• Mrs Birling tells Sheila that men do more important work than women, and this reinforces that status

“She’d had a lot to say…far too much…so she had to go”

• Act One

• Mr Birling

• Mr Birling believes that his class places him above the law, something that the Inspector disputes

“…young women ought to be protected against unpleasant and disturbing things”

• Act Two

• Inspector Goole

• The Inspector exposes the hypocrisy of pretending to protect women while exploiting them

“An hysterical child”

• Act Two

• Mrs Birling

• Mrs Birling belittles Sheila for questioning her, using a gendered insult often used to silent women

“[Eric] used [Eva] as if she wan an animal, not a thing, not a person”

• Act Three

• Inspector Goole

• The Inspector describes the brutal reality of Erics treatment of Eva

Elements of Gender: Relationships

• Relationship between Sheila and Gerald highlights the expectations of women in 1912 and their subservience to men

Elements of Gender: Exploitation

• Gender is closely linked to class

  • Birlings mistreatment of Eva due to her gender and low social status

  • Eric and Gerald use their gender and status to exploit Eva, sexually and romantically objectifying her

Elements of Gender: Oppression

• Sheila is repeatedly belittled and patronised - even by her own mother - in ways that reflect a wider silencing of women

Impact of Gender: Mr Birling, Gerald, Eric

• Male characters are presented as exploiting female characters

  • Arthur exploits working class women as one of the cheapest forms of labour

  • Gerald and Eric take advantage of the imbalance of power

  • Gerald emphasises his chivalry in rescuing her, despite his manipulation and abuse of her

  • Mr Birling bargains with Sheila: a marriage to Gerald presents a business opportunity

Impact of Gender: Mrs Birling and Sheila

• Sybil and Sheila use their power to suppress Eva

  • Mrs Birling denies Eva charity on her prejudice belief

  • Sheila is jealous of Evas looks and has her fired

• Sheilas attitude towards woman’s right and gender roles changes as the play progresses

  • She begins to challenge her father more, and refuses to take back Gerald’s engagement ring

Why Priestley uses Gender: Setting and Period

• Priestley uses male and female characters to comment upon traditional gender roles and emphasise the evolution of society since 1912

• Highlights the suppression of women’s rights in 1912 and draws attention to the ways that men and women can abuse their power

Why Priestley uses Gender: Political Commentary

• Priestleys depiction of pre war values confronts his audience with the consequences of patriarchal traditions

• Eva Smith represents ‘millions and millions and millions’ of women who are oppressed

Why Priestley uses Gender: Audience Appeal

• Priestleys 1945 audience would recognise the influence of gender on restricting the rights of women like Eva

• Sheila plays the role of audience surrogate in the play - her growing independence represents the audiences values

“You youngsters just remember what I said”

• Act One

• Mr Birling

• Mr Birling tells Eric, Sheila and Gerald to remember his predictions about the future - predictions the audience knows are inaccurate

“Really the things you girls pick up on these days!”

• Act One

• Mrs Birling

• Mrs Birling criticises Sheila, suggesting that she disapproves of modern culture or behaviour that is not traditionally feminine

“We often do [make an impression] on the young”

• Act Two

• Inspector Goole

• The Inspector suggests that the younger generation is more receptive to his socialist message

“You’re ready to go on in the same old way”

• Act Three

• Sheila

• Sheila criticises her parents and Gerald (representing the older generation) for ignoring the Inspectors lesson about responsibility

“…the famous younger generation who know it all. And they can’t even take a joke”

• Act Three

• Mr Birling

• Mr Birling attacks Sheilas generation (and therefore Priestleys 1945 audience) before he is proven wrong one final time

Elements of Generational Divide

• Mr Birling is shown to be incorrect about his predictions for his children’s future

  • Making us question wisdom and attitude of the older generation

• Sheila and Eric openly challenge their parents views on social responsibility and are far more receptive to the socialist message

• Gerald initially seems to accept the message, but later sides with the irresponsible and ignorant older generation

• Priestley shows younger members of the Birlings are capable of taking responsibility

  • Learn to care about the vulnerable members of society who have been exploited by greedy capitalists

Impact of Generational Divide: Mr and Mrs Birling

• Mr Birling expects the younger generation to ‘just listen’ to and accept his views

  • Dismisses as ‘nonsense’ the idea that people need to look after one another

  • Inaccurate predictions about the Titanic shows his opinions cannot be trusted

• Sheila argues that the Inspector is correct, Mrs Birling replies “I don’t understand you”

  • Shows she is incapable of understanding why she must change

• Arthur and Sybil are entrenched in their upper class selfishness

  • Act 3: Mock Sheila and Eric for being so easily influenced

  • More concerned by a potential scandal than taking responsibility

Impact of Generational Divide: Sheila and Eric

• Act 1: Sheila and Eric seem respectful of their fathers views

  • Sheila is especially childlike and subordinate

  • Contrasts to her behaviour as the play develops and she becomes more challenging

• Eric highlights the problems with their parenting

  • Describes his father as ‘not the kind of father a chap could go to when he’s in trouble’

  • Parents disbelief at Erics drinking and involvement reveals how blinkered the older generation is

• Eric and Sheila listen to and understand the socialist message

  • Play ends with the suggestion that the younger generation will be more responsible than their forebears

Why Priestley uses Generational Divide: Setting and Period

• Ignorant attitudes of Mr Birlings generation are presented to emphasise his 1945 audience how society has developed since 1912

• Redeems the characters of Eric and Sheila to suggest that their generation is capable of learning difficult lessons and enacting positive social change

Why Priestley uses Generational Divide: Political Commentary

• Pre-war values (unregulated capitalist greed and an absence of social care) confronts his audience with the awful consequences of patriarchal traditions

• Goole emphasises that “the young ones” are more receptive to the socialism and progressive movements emerged after WW2

Why Priestley uses Generational Divide: Audience Appeal

• 1945 audience were members of a more progressive and responsible generation

  • Sheila and Eric are therefore effective as audience surrogates

    • Newfound morals and sense of responsibility represent the values of a post war audience