J B PRIESTLEY: An Inspector Calls
4a Explore the ways in which Priestley makes the Inspector’s first appearance in the play so dramatic here. [40]
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INSPECTOR: I'd like some information, if you don't mind, Mr Birling. Two hours ago a young woman died in the Infirmary.
She'd been taken there this afternoon because she'd swallowed a lot of strong disinfectant. Burnt her inside out, of course.
ERIC: (invoIuntarily) My God!
INSPECTOR: Yes, she was in great agony. They did everything they could for her at the Infirmary, but she died. Suicide, of
course.
BIRLING: (rather impatiently) Yes, yes, Horrid business. But I don't understand why you should come here, Inspector INSPECTOR: (cutting through, massively) I've been round to the room she had, and she'd left a letter there and a sort of diary.
Like a lot of these young women who get into various kinds of trouble, she'd used more than one name. But her original
name - her real name - was Eva Smith.
BIRLING: (thoughtfully) Eva Smith?
INSPECTOR: Do you remember her, Mr Birling?
BIRLING: (slowly) No - I seem to remember hearing that name - Eva Smith - somewhere. But it doesn't convey anything to
me. And I don't see where I come into this.
INSPECTOR: She was employed in your works at one time.
BIRLING: Oh - that's it, is it? Well, we've several hundred young women there, y’know, and they keep changing.
INSPECTOR: This young woman, Eva Smith, was a bit out of the ordinary. I found a photograph of her in her lodgings. Perhaps
you'd remember her from that.
INSPECTOR takes a photograph, about postcard size, out of his pocket and goes to BIRLNG. Both GERALD and ERIC rise to
have a look at the photograph, but the INSPECTOR interposes himself between them and the photograph. They are surprised
and rather annoyed. BIRLING stares hard, and with recognition at the photograph, which the INSPECTOR then replaces in his
pocket.
GERALD: (showing annoyance) Any particular reason why I shouldn't see this girl's photograph, Inspector?
INSPECTOR: (coolly, looking hard at him) There might be.
ERIC: And the same applies to me, I suppose?
INSPECTOR: Yes.
GERALD: I can't imagine what it could be.
ERIC: Neither can I.
BIRLING: And I must say, I agree with them, Inspector.
INSPECTOR: It's the way I like to go to work. One person and one line of inquiry at a time. Otherwise, there's a muddle.
BIRLING: I see. Sensible really. (Moves restlessly, then turns.) You've had enough of that port, Eric. The
INSPECTOR is watching BIRLING and now BIRLING notices him.
INSPECTOR: I think you remember Eva Smith now, don't you, Mr Birling?
BIRLING: Yes, I do. She was one of my employees and then I discharged her.
ERIC: Is that why she committed suicide? When was this, Father?
BIRLING: Just keep quiet, Eric, and don't get excited. This girl left us nearly two years ago. Let me see - it must have been in
the early autumn of nineteen-ten.
INSPECTOR: Yes. End of September, nineteen-ten.
BIRLING: That's right.
GERALD: Look here, sir. Wouldn't you rather I was out of this?
BIRLING: I don't mind your being here, Gerald. And I'm sure you've no objection, have you, Inspector? Perhaps I ought to
explain first that this is Mr Gerald Croft - the son of Sir George Croft - you know, Crofts Limited.
INSPECTOR: Mr Gerald Croft, eh?
BIRLING: Yes. Incidentally we've been modestly celebrating his engagement to my daughter, Sheila.
INSPECTOR: I see. Mr Croft is going to marry Miss Sheila Birling?
GERALD: (smiling) I hope so.
INSPECTOR: (gravely) Then I'd prefer you to stay.
GERALD: (surprised) Oh - all right.
BIRLING: (somewhat impatiently) Look - there's nothing mysterious - or scandalous - about this business - at least not so far
as I'm concerned. It's a perfectly straightforward case, and as it happened more than eighteen months ago - nearly two years
ago - obviously it has nothing whatever to do with the wretched girl's suicide. Eh, Inspector?
INSPECTOR: No, sir: I can't agree with you there.
BIRLING: Why not?
INSPECTOR: Because what happened to her then may have determined what happened to her afterwards, and what
happened to her afterwards may have driven her to suicide. A chain of events.
This passage occurs immediately after the Inspector’s arrival at the Birling’s house. His entrance follows the Birlings
celebrating the engagement of Gerald and Sheila and also follows Birling’s relating of his belief in “capital” and his selfish
views regarding “community and all that nonsense”. The mood and atmosphere up to this point has been generally positive
and celebratory.
The Inspector’s arrival quickly changes the dramatic mood. His detailing of the suicide of Eva Smith and relating that she
“burnt her inside out” brings a horrific aspect to the evening. This is born out by Eric’s involuntary “My God”. This mood
change is then emphasised by the Inspector’s “She was in great agony”.
Dramatically Priestley has changed the mood but Birling is not interested. Priestley emphasises his selfishness with his
impatient “Yes, yes horrid business …” We know already that Birling is rather self-important and looks down on his social
inferiors but Priestley allow the Inspector to interrupt him “cutting through massively”. The adverb “massively” reiterates the
description of the Inspector in Priestley’s initial stage direction and emphasises his dramatic presence and the fact that he is
not to be cowed by Birling. This suggests conflict to come and a cause of dramatic tension is established.
The drama is then developed with the introduction of Eva Smith’s name. It is clear, despite Birling’s initial denials, that He
knew Eva. The fact that he states that he employs “several hundred women” makes it clear that he does not see them as
individuals and this makes him an unsympathetic character. The Inspector suggests that Eva was special, “a little out of the
ordinary” and we therefore think that Birling should remember her.
Priestley then uses the dramatic device of the photo to create tension. He does this by allowing Birling to recognise Eva whilst
annoying Eric and Gerald. In addition this protecting of the photo allows for the development of the plot and the possible
twists revealed by Gerald in Act 3.
Gerald’s annoyance at not being shown the photo is made clear but importantly the Inspector is not bothered by this.
Although Gerald is his social better he responds “coolly” and succinctly maintains his massive presence and a sense of his
being in complete control of the situation. The short interchange between Eric, the Inspector and Gerald also establishes a
degree of us and them socially. This foreshadows the Birlings trying to assert social superiority over the Inspector at various
points in the play.
Begrudgingly Birling seems to accept the Inspector’s views of pursuing one line of enquiry at a tie but Priestley suggest he is
not happy about it by describing his movements as “restless”. Priestley then adds further tension by revealing tension in the
Birling family itself with Birling’s “You’ve had enough of that port now Eric”. This suggests that actually all is not happy in the
Birling residence and foreshadows the generation split to follow.
At this point the drama is cranked up by Priestley as the Inspector “is watching Birling”. This clearly disturbs Birling but it also
creates a sense that the Inspector sees everything and is a threatening presence.
In response to the inspector’s stare Birling matter of factly reveals that the fired Eva. Eric ironically then asks whether this is
why she killed herself. Birling then impatiently tells Eric to “keep quiet” further developing the dramatic tension in the scene.
At this point Gerald seeks to leave but he is requested to stay by the Inspector. Birling introduces him in a way to emphasise
his social pedigree to try and intimidate the Inspector. In doing this Priestley is suggesting to the audience that perhaps he
has something to answer to. The fact that this request is made after the Inspector is made aware of the engagement is
doubly intriguing; the adverb “gravely” gives extra wait to the ominous mood.
Following Gerald’s surprise Birling typically resorts to impatient bluster to try and put an end to the matter denying any
responsibility for Eva’s death. With typical brevity and in a controlled way the Inspector contradicts him. Birling’s terse “Why
not?” shows his annoyance at the Inspector who then establishes the notion of a “chain of events” something which the
audience will see as being a chain which will involve all of the characters.
In this passage Priestley introduces the notion of the play being a “whodunit” through the Inspector’s first appearance. He
creates tension between the Inspector and Birling and reveals tension between the members of the Birling family. We also
see the attempts to pull social rank and indifference to the death of Eva Smith – two main concerns of the play. Priestley
shows the Inspector to be “massively” in control and in doing so creates a dramatic dynamic which will lead to the revealing
of the truth of the “chain of events” and reveal the hypocrisies and values of the Birlings and their like. Key to the dramatic
effect of the Inspector’s arrival and presence is his ability to dramatically alter the atmosphere and mood of the action
thereby engaging the interest of the audience and setting up what is to follow.