'An Inspector Calls' was written by JB Priestly in 1946, just after the Second World War. It focuses on a visit to the Birling family from a mysterious inspector. Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to represent a "godlike" figure who may also be his spokesperson. He is an omniscient and authoritative character who enhances the drama of the play while bringing to the forefront moral issues important to the characters and the audience. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Goole is a contradictory and complex character who reveals frequently opposing characteristics ranging from calm to anger, aggressiveness and gentleness, assertiveness and secrecy. At the start of the play in Act 1, Birling gives what he believes to be quite a significant speech; he celebrates his daughter's wedding and discusses his attitude towards responsibilities. Shortly after, he is interrupted by “the shrill ringing of a doorbell.” Priestley chose to use the adjective "sharp" in his stage directions to suggest that the arrival of the inspector cuts through Birling's monologue and draws the characters' attention. It also creates a change in atmosphere. The once friendly atmosphere suddenly became tense. This is affected by a change in lighting, from "pink and intimate" to "brighter and harsher". It could be argued that the inspector destroys the warm and safe atmosphere of the Birlings' celebration and opens the family to the realities of the world. Before the inspector says his first sentence, we can see that he clearly takes issue with Birling's situation. Priestley presents the Inspector and Mr. Birling as polar opposites. When the inspector first arrives, the stage directions inform us that he creates "an impression of massiveness, solidity and determination." The triplet makes it clear that he will now dominate the situation, despite the hospitality he faces from the Birlings. The inspector remains calm, while the characters around him explode. The term “solidity” proves that he remains focused despite Birling’s many attempts. He remains unmoved by their threats and does not get angry. He "has the annoying habit of looking intently" at someone before speaking, he takes his time and interrupts Mr Birling, "cutting off" his bluster. This highlights the power of the inspector and his refusal to be intimidated by his social class. Birling, on the other hand, adopts a condescending attitude towards the inspector and shows increasing "impatience". Eventually, he begins to terrorize him when he realizes that the inspector will do his "duty" and will not be diverted. Mr. Birling is the play's stereotypical depiction of an arrogant, materialistic capitalist, whose attitudes reflect a lack of social responsibility and fairness, "a man must look after himself." His erroneous beliefs about war and the Titanic being "unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable" demonstrate to the audience how stupid he truly is. Priestly intends to emphasize, through dramatic irony, that the beliefs of capitalists are ignorant and should not be considered. Throughout the play, Priestley invites us to compare Birling's attitudes and the responsible, socialist attitudes of the inspector. The Inspector represents Priestley's voice: he serves as his spokesperson for strong socialist opinions and practices. It challenges the characters and the audience about their treatment of the working class. More precisely, it represents morality and amplifies thehow we, as a society, should treat each other since “we do not live alone” and “we are members of one body.” This metaphor places more emphasis on socialism and equality. The pronoun “we” proves that it is a general, public message, intended for everyone, it is addressed both to the characters and to the contemporary audience. The Inspector has an omniscient presence, granting him moral or divine power that places his opinions above all others in the room. Priestley intentionally chose the name "Goole" as a homophone for "ghoul", suggesting a ghost or evil spirit and also as someone with a morbid interest in death, reminding us that his concern is the death of Eva Smith. Priestley intended to center the play's plot around a lower-class character, Eva Smith, to suggest how vulnerable the working class was in the Edwardian era. Additionally, he emphasized how socially acceptable it was to mistreat them. In the 1920s, there were strong distinctions between the upper and lower classes. Little did the upper class or Birling know that their peaceful lives relied on the hard work of those below them like Eva. Furthermore, the Inspector's origins are unknown and the characters spend the end of the play trying to establish where he comes from, with Mr Birling decrying him as a "hoax". By presenting the Inspector in this way, Priestley intends that he serve not to penalize a single person for the events that led to Eva Smith's death but to force all the characters to repent of their actions and to warn of the dire consequences they will face. if they don't. The inspector's final speech "If men do not learn this lesson, then they will receive it in fire, blood and anguish", reveals the most obvious form of his thought, which he developed all along. throughout the piece. , and which seems to have motivated his very presence in the house. The inspector strongly believes in socialism and equality between all classes. He believes that we all have a responsibility in society to care for each other and that the upper and lower classes should unite. The fact that the inspector speaks in the third person once again proves his dominance and control over them. He excludes himself and once again emphasizes that he is above them all. The metaphor “fire, blood and anguish” is a powerful image that suggests conflict. These three words make us think of hell, bloodshed and grief over the loss of life, and bring readers closer to World War I and World War II. This would have a great influence on the audience, as it would appear that the play was set in 1912. The intended effect of the predictions was to give the audience insight into the kind of person the character is. In Birling's case, the audience would see him as a character whose opinion cannot be trusted, whereas the predictions made by the Inspector chill the audience and make them realize that the lesson he is talking about has been relearned by fire and blood and anguish twice already. The public had experienced the horrors of war and were not eager to face it again. Priestley has just asked the inspector to reveal what the future might hold for the Birlings if they don't change their minds about life. Goole teaches the audience what can happen if one chooses to ignore others and deny responsibility for their own actions. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay JB Priestly wrote “An Inspector Calls” with the intention of making.