Casting the Role of Goole in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

Casting the Role of Goole in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

In this essay I intend to discuss the dramatic importance of Inspector

Goole's character in Priestly's 'An Inspector Calls'.

Inspector Goole is a catalyst for the events of the play. He is calm,

firm and confident. He forces, with words, the other characters to

acknowledge and confess to knowing Eva Smith at one time or another.

His manner also enables him to bring Sheila and Eric to the

realisation of their guilt and responsibility towards the death of Eva

Smith. Inspector Goole is dominating and puts a lot of pressure on the

character he is questioning, this allows him to reveal the chain of

events that led to the death of Eva Smith. A director would have to

consider this when casting the role.

Inspector Goole has a great presence, 'he creates at once an

impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness'. Inspector

Goole dominates the situation from the start and is not intimidated by

Mr. Birling, Gerald Groft or anyone else in the family.

Inspector Goole is always in control, '(taking charge masterfully)',

he dominates the proceedings though-out the play, '(cooly, looking

hard at him)', this also shows that Inspector Goole is not intimidated

by anybody in the family and is in total control all the time. This

shows to me that as well as not being intimidated by the family he is

also controlling and dominating.

Inspector Goole deliberately controls the pace at which events are

revealed, 'all in good time', Inspector Goole likes to put a lot of

pressure the person he is questioning. One of the ways he does this is

by starring the person being questions square in the eye, he also

speaks slowly, '(slowly) Are you sure you don't know? He looks at

Gerald, then Eric, then at Sheila'. By saying this then looking at

Gerald, Eric and Sheila he is putting a lot of pressure on these

specific characters. Inspector Goole takes his time, he speaks slowly

and stares at the other characters, all these aspects are important in