AGlimpseoftheCrumblingofBritishUpper—ClassSociety

董建炜

【Abstract】Set in 1912， the 3-act drama relates a celebration party in the prosperous Birling family for the engagement between Miss Birling and Mr. Gerald Croft， when it is interrupted by an unexpected visitor who addresses himself as “Inspector Goole”. My essay details about character analyses of the family members through which one learns how the vices reflected in the family result in the tragedy and the looming collapse of British upper-class society.

【Key words】character； upper-class； conflict

Introduction

Born in 1894， the author， J.B.Priestley was an English playwright and novelist. Not confining his talents to one aspect， Priestley led a layered and abundant literary life. He was awarded the Order of Merit in 1977 and died in 1984. As one of Priestleys best works， the dramas insight into the imminent crumbling of British capitalist upper-class society accorded with the sweeping post-war social transformation. With a successful revival by English director Stephen Daldry for the National Theatre in 1992， the popularity of An Inspector Calls continued to boost.

Character Portrayal in An Inspector Calls

Mr. Birling

Mr. Birling is the head of the Birling family and runs a local mill. As a successful businessman， Mr. Birling has accommodated his family in a grand mansion. Ironically， though living in extravagance， Mr. Birling has always desired for more wealth. Actually， one can perceive the true self of Mr. Birling in terms of the his relationship with his children and how he manipulates female workers in his factory. In dealing with the two kinds of relationship， Mr. Birling has invariably put interests above all： he manages to marry her daughter to Gerald so as to secure a brighter future by partnering with the mighty Crofts. And， Mr. Birling seldom shows concern for his son Eric， except when he considers it a duty to scold the son of his misconduct， making father-son relationship tense. In business， Mr. Birling ruthlessly exploits his workers and reduces them to poverty， and even sacks Eva Smith for her struggle for workers rights. In all， Mr. Birling is the epitome of the greedy and cruel capitalists of his time.

Sheila and Eric

In the drama， Miss Sheila is about to marry Gerald. Beneath the surface of joy and happiness， however， is that she is burdened with troubling thoughts. Ive found in the drama that theres been a chronic strain， rendered by her parents， that has wrecked Sheilas temperament， evidenced by her susceptibility and lack of self-confidence. With autocratic parents in charge of her life， Sheila is constrained from owning an independent personality. Unfortunately， when she， for the only time， rages against such dictatorship， the innocent girl Eva Smith falls victim.

Sheilas brother， Eric， serves as the unpromising son of a successful father， for his incompetence and alcoholism has made him the opposite of Mr. Birling. Unlike Sheilas submission to the family dictatorship， Eric resorts to self-escape， and only when he meets Eva does he find consolation in life. Despite a conscientious man， Eric is too cowardly to break free from family shackles； rather， he relies on his father financially while despising him for his conduct. Its the very contradiction in his personality that makes Eric partly blame for the girls death.

Conclusion

The author， through Inspector Goole， shows the audience how a seemingly well-to-do English family is ridden with vices that lead to Evas suicide. And the drama， more than once， refers to the coming of First World War， two years after the story. It is believed that the Great War signifies a destructive force that will overwhelm the old establishment. Though Sheila and Eric are brave enough for a self-examination of conscience， they are unable to withhold the great wave. Prietleys masterful technique of linking up individual stories with corresponding characters in a close-knit and progressive way makes the whole drama interesting as well as suspenseful， for which it deserves an enduring fame in literary world.

References：

[1]Buckroyd，Peter.，and Su Fielder.Oxford Literature Companions： An Inspector Calls.London：Oxford University Press，2013.

[2]Morgan，K.O.Twentieth-Century Britain：A Very Short Introduction.Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2008.

[3]Priestley，J.B. An Inspector Calls.Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，1980.