How Issues In The Play Essay Example

views, which are characteristic of wealthy individuals like himself.

The significance of his differentiation of social classes demonstrates his belief in his superiority over those less fortunate, which aligns with J. B. Priestley's opposing opinions. The audience is immediately exposed to this dramatic irony upon the inspector's arrival, as he already makes an impact prior to engaging with the Birlings. Dressed in typical inspector attire, he wears a "plainish dark suit".

The inspector exhibits his dedication to the investigation by refusing Mr. Birling's offer of a drink and stating, "I'm on duty." This emphasizes the gravity of his presence in the room with the Birlings. The festivities are abruptly halted as he delivers somber news, creating a sharp contrast to their previous merrymaking. Mr. Birling promptly inquires about the reason for the inspector's arrival, offering him whisky and port in exchange for information. The inspector's serious demeanor shows the importance of the situation at hand.

Despite Birling's attempt to assert his dominance and status, the inspector remains unfazed by his arrogance. By questioning and circumventing the Birlings, the inspector procures considerable evidence. He employs a technique of staring and maintaining eye contact with his subject when addressing them. To get straight to the point of his visit, he shocks the audience by delving into gruesome details. He announces that a girl has taken her life by ingesting disinfectant, which caused her insides to burn.

He provides a detailed account of how, despite their best efforts, the woman was in immense pain. During questioning, he sets a ground rule of only answering one question from one person about one line of inquiry at a time. He methodically questions each

character, posing straightforward inquiries such as "why?" "when?" and "how?", as well as more suggestive questions aimed at trapping them into revealing something, such as "don't you think, Mr."

In the play "Birling?", every character admits to their involvement in the supposed death of Eva Smith. The inspector, in addition to serving as a detective investigating the death, also gives commentary and assessments on each character's relationship with Eva Smith and on the social issues of the time. Sheila becomes suspicious of the inspector's intimate knowledge of the case prior to the Birlings' confessions, hinting that he may not be an actual inspector. During conflicts, the inspector takes a step back and advises them all to take responsibility for their actions.

He encourages them to find the solutions independently, saying 'Mother, can't you see? Surely you understand what I'm saying.'

It's absurd that some families refuse to disclose information to inspectors, fearing it may lead to further conflicts. The inspector, however, has an extensive knowledge of the Birling family secrets and is even aware of the various names Eva Smith used. This adds to the mystery surrounding the inspector's character.

The audience, along with the Birlings, assume that the Inspector knows all the details about Eva Smith's interaction with their family, including her employment with the Birlings and the reasons for her dismissal. He is also aware of Sheila's involvement in her sacking, Gerald's affair, Eric impregnating her, and Mrs. Birling's unkind behavior when she sought help. The fact that the Inspector is privy to all of this information leads us to believe that he is a competent and thorough investigator. Nevertheless, our assumptions are challenged when we learn

that he is not a genuine inspector.

While they readily admit their involvement with Eva Smith, Mr. Birling does not require extensive questioning to uncover the truth. Although they do not share any new information, he prompts them to answer questions, as when he tells Mr. Birling, "I don't see where I come into this" and the Inspector responds, "she was employed at your works". This prompts them to acknowledge their wrongdoing. This contributes to the Inspector's powerful speech, which embodies many of J.B. Priestley's ideas and remains a significant moment in the play.

Priestley employs the inspector as his means of articulation and employs the stage to convey his perspectives. Through the inspector, Priestley expresses his distinct opinions on social matters, which contrast with those of Arthur Birling. The inspector's speech highlights the prevalent social problems of the period, while Priestley employs the character to communicate his beliefs on socialism. By exposing Eva's experiences and examining gender roles and class distinctions, the inspector sheds light on these issues.

The inspector's manner of speaking is political and matter-of-fact, indicating that he has practiced the speech extensively to perfect his delivery. Written in 1945, the play reflects the impact of the world wars on society, as mentioned in the line "if men will not learn that lesson they will be taught it in fire, blood and anguish." Through the speech, the audience is provided with a glimpse into the future, outlining what soldiers in the world wars fought for. The powerful words are reinforced by the repetition of "we are" and "their," building up to the final line "Good night," which leaves the audience hanging, eager for more.

The Inspector's exaggerated speech style is in line with Priestley's rhetorical writing style as he does not seek a response, but merely for listeners to take in his message.

The impact of the inspector's speech on the Birlings, including Mr. Birling, is demonstrated by the devices he makes them use before walking out and leaving them feeling subdued. After the intense speech, the Birlings become suspicious of the man's identity and begin blaming each other for the girl's death, causing arguments to erupt again. However, their confusion is resolved when Gerald returns home with news that there is no Inspector Goole working nearby.

After feeling immense relief, they call the infirmary to confirm that no cases were reported that day. Upon hearing the news, Mrs. Birling laughs, glad that her reputation is unharmed and that she is still respected by her peers. Mr. Birling's anger transforms into excitement as he realizes that it was all a hoax. He exclaims, 'By Jingo, a fake', grateful that his respected name has not been tarnished and his knighthood is now closer than ever.

Gerald revels in having prevented any girls from being taken to the infirmary, thus securing his reputation and increasing his chances of reconciliation with Sheila. However, Sheila and Eric are deeply affected by the events, which becomes evident upon Gerald's return and the revelation that Goole was not actually an inspector. They believe their reactions are distinct from those of others, and the true identity of Goole is inconsequential.

The Inspector serves as a dramatic device to uncover the Birlings' social indifference and lack of knowledge, revealing each person's hidden guilty secrets and exposing their unwholesome

nature beneath a facade of respectability. Eric and Sheila are set apart from the others, having been moved by the experience and learning to hold themselves accountable for their actions while also acknowledging the impact they have on those around them. Through this process, the Inspector helps the characters comprehend the consequences of their behaviour and understand the importance of not abusing their influence.

In 1945, Priestley aimed to highlight discrimination based on social classes and gender through the character of the inspector in his play. He wanted to challenge societal norms, such as taboo surrounding inter-class marriage seen through Eric and Eva's story, and the idea that upper-class individuals should not associate themselves with places like those frequented by Eric. By doing so, he hoped to make people more aware of the effects of these issues on individuals from various classes. Additionally, Priestley's final sentence in the speech, 'fire and blood and anguish,' highlights the almost supernatural quality of the inspector.

Priestley purposely left the identity of the "inspector" undisclosed to intensify the eerie aura surrounding the character.