An Inspector Calls

The wealthy Birling family gathers in Brumley to celebrate Sheila's engagement to Gerald Croft. Mr. Birling uses the moment to boast about their future and social standing. The mood blends pride with polite, cautious chatter as the dinner begins.

Mr. Birling lectures the men about looking after themselves and achieving success by their own efforts. He declares that such a future will even merit an honour in the next list, reflecting his self-important worldview. The conversation hints at a hollow confidence behind the glamorous façade.

Mrs. Birling and Sheila withdraw from the dining room, leaving the men to finish their talk. The family maintains outward calm, but a simmering tension undercuts their civility. The moment marks the beginning of the evening's unraveling.

Edna informs the men that a police inspector has arrived, and Inspector Goole introduces himself as investigating Eva Smith's suicide. He insists on taking statements one item at a time and keeps some details for later. The formal inquiry cuts through the earlier festive mood.

Mr. Birling acknowledges he knew Eva Smith, who had worked in his factory and was dismissed after leading a strike for equal pay. He describes the strike as lasting over a week, but the workers returned when they ran out of money. He claims he bears no responsibility for Eva's death.

Sheila recounts the Milwards dress incident, remembering how she demanded Eva's dismissal after admiring a dress in the shop. She feels humiliated and guilty, realizing Eva did not deserve to be blamed. The memory shows how a moment of vanity hurt a vulnerable woman.

Inspector Goole presses Gerald about a woman named Daisy Renton, Eva's later alias. Gerald admits they had a summer relationship, helped her financially, and found her lodging, but says the relationship ended after a few months. His actions reveal a charitable facade masking a more complex truth.

The inspector questions Mrs. Birling about the woman who sought help, Daisy, who used the alias Mrs Birling. Daisy's plea is denied by Mrs. Birling, who condemns the woman and insists the father be found. The exchange exposes Mrs. Birling's class prejudice and its impact on Eva's fate.

Eric enters and breaks down, confessing he is the young man who impregnated Eva and that he stole money to support her. He reveals the pregnancy and his attempt to cover it up, exposing a pattern of secrecy and irresponsibility in the family. The admission shocks the others and heightens the confrontation.

Inspector Goole reveals that Eva/Daisy/Alice died after drinking disinfectant, linking the family's complicity to a fatal consequence. He emphasizes that every action has consequences and that people are intertwined in a single society. The revelation crystallizes the moral gravity of the evening.

The family questions whether Inspector Goole is real, calling the chief constable who confirms there is no inspector with that name. Gerald and the elder Birlings feel relief, while Eric and Sheila continue to feel guilt. The idea of a hoax adds a troubling layer to the night's events.

A phone call confirms a young woman has died in the infirmary, prompting the police to question the family. The inspector's identity remains unexplained, but the family’s confessions have already begun to carry public consequences. The sense of immediate accountability intensifies.

With the looming inquiry and the threat of public disgrace, the family confronts the moral weight of their actions. Gerald offers a sense of relief, while Sheila and Eric struggle with guilt and the broader social responsibility implied by the inspector's words. The play closes on a sobering note about interconnected lives and accountability.