An Inspector Calls

Characters

Arthur Birling is the wealthy head of the household, a hard-headed businessman who hopes to be considered for a knighthood.

Context

Key dates: the Titanic sank on 15 April 1912; the First World War began in 1914; the play was first performed in 1945 (in the USSR); it opened at the New Theatre in London on 1 October 1946.

Key quotations

Mr Birling (Act 1), explaining why he refused the workers' pay demand: "my duty to keep labour costs down". He treats keeping costs down, which also protects his own profit, as a duty.

Language and form

Act One ends with a dramatic pause and a one-word question from the Inspector, creating a cliff-hanger before the intermission.

Plot and structure

After being sacked from Milwards, Eva Smith changed her name to Daisy Renton; this is the name Gerald knew her by.

Themes

When Gerald suggests the Inspector was not real, Mr and Mrs Birling are delighted to be off the hook, but Sheila and Eric insist they still behaved badly.

Characters

Mr Birling does not learn any lesson; when it seems the Inspector may have been an imposter he is overjoyed and mocks the others for being tricked.

Context

The play was first performed in 1945 in the USSR, at the Kamerny Theatre in Moscow and the Comedy Theatre in Leningrad.

Key quotations

Mr Birling (Act 1): "there isn't a chance of war". He claims this confidently in his speech at the engagement dinner; the audience knows war is coming.

Language and form

In the crime thriller reading the audience is given clues and tries to work out who is to blame for Eva Smith's death, and Priestley makes the audience themselves suspects.