Dramatic Functions of Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

Dramatic Functions of Inspector Goole in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley

In the play An Inspector Calls, a message is being portrayed to the

reader by J. B Priestley and in my opinion, the main bearer of this

message is the inspector. Being of an ambiguous nature, he appears to

live in a different world to the family with whom he deals; the

Birlings and it is his dramatic function in the play that I shall be

analysing.

Firstly, we have the Stage Instructions to consider. Throughout the

play, there is no mention of Inspector Goole's physical appearance

except in the first set of stage instructions when he enters the

Birlings' house. He is said to "need not be a big man but he creates

at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness." As

for his age, he is "a man in his fifties, dressed in a plain darkish

suit of the period." There is no mention of any distinctive features

to define him so already, an air of mystery has been created about

this so-called inspector. For me, his "massiveness, solidity and

purposefulness" and his name "Goole" build up a feeling of fear and

this first set of instructions lead me to believe that he could be in

the form of a ghost returning to teach the Birlings a lesson about

responsibility.

An additional example of this, is when Inspector Goole is talking to

Mr. and Mrs. Birling (and occasionally Gerald) Priestley has added in

instructions so that Goole speaks to them "savagely" and "severely",

which indicates he has less patience and is not as forgiving with them

as he is with the children, Eric and Sheila. I think this shows the

possibility of Inspector Goole taking on the r...

... middle of paper ...

...he audience the importance

of community and moral responsibility.

To conclude this, I think that the Inspector's dramatic function in An

Inspector Calls is open to interpretation. For example in the 1954

black and white adaptation, the director has interpreted the Inspector

as a being a ghost to frighten the family. This is shown by the sudden

appearance of the inspector in the doorway coupled with very eerie

music and his disappearance at the end of the play, whereas in the

original script the technique used to make his arrival prominent is

his name "Goole". In my opinion, I think that the Inspector is

Priestley himself simply using the inspector as a device to convey the

message of responsibility to the audience. I also think this has been

successfully achieved and is a very gripping and thought-provoking

play.