Birling Family

Evil Family
Full Name	The Birlings
Alias	None
Origin	An Inspector Calls
Home / Base of Operations	Brumley, North Midlands, England, UK
Patriarch	Arthur Birling
Matriarch	Sybil Birling
Relatives / Members	Eric Birling Sheila Birling Gerald Croft
Goals	Deny involvement in Eva Smith's death
Crimes	Causing death through indirect means Rape Unlawful firing
Type of Villains	Arrogant Aristocrats

“	We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.	„
	~ Inspector Goole's haunting lesson to the Birlings.

The Birling Family are the protagonists of J.B. Priestley's 1945 political thriller play An Inspector Calls.

They are a wealthy, upper-middle-class family in the Edwardian era who learn of their individual responsibilities in the death of "Eva Smith" (AKA "Daisy Renton" and "Mrs. Birling"). Each of the Birlings' actions reflect anti-communist attitudes (Priestley himself was a communist). As the play unfurls, each member is questioned thoroughly by a mysterious Inspector Goole (or Gould in the 2015 BBC adaptation).

Personalities

Collectively, the Birlings revel in their privilege. Whilst not pure aristocrats, they live a very comfortable life. The two parents, Arthur and Sybil, reflect deeply conservative attitudes toward society, which they have instilled into their children, Sheila and Eric. Their neglect and arrogance has resulted in Sheila being overly-spoiled and Eric an unconfident drunk. A lack of accountability is noticeable in Arthur and Sybil, whereas Eric and Sheila reflect progressiveness and acceptance of their wrongdoings.

Biography

Background

Arthur Birling, the patriarch of the family, owned a manufacturing company, Birling & Co.. Arthur's company was successful, which resulted in the family having significant wealth. Mr. Birling also served as Lord Mayor of their locality, as well as a magistrate. His wife, Sybil, undertook local positions on a local women's charity, where she held chair powers to reject claims to the charity. The parents' success resulted in palpable grandiosity and egotism.

Their children, Eric and Sheila, became corrupted by their parents' greed. Sheila became a spiteful, envious and spoiled girl whilst Eric became a drunken oaf. The family never treated Eric with understanding, leading to his feeling of outcast and alcoholism. Sheila ended up meeting Gerald Croft, a true aristocrat of upper-class roots. The pair became engaged after a rocky start to their relationship.

An Inspector Calls

In 1912, the Birlings are sat in celebration of Sheila and Gerald's engagement. The evening is filled with proud remarks from Mr. Birling, pleased to share in his daughter's social elevation. As the evening winds down, the Birling's servant Edna informs the family that a policeman has arrived. Inspector Goole appears, who informs the family of a young girl's recent death.

The younger of the family are notably shocked, but Mr. and Mrs. Birling offer minimal sympathy and question why they are being informed. Goole then begins to question Mr. Birling on his past, which he shares proudly. Goole then questions Birling on his association with a girl named Eva Smith. Mr. Birling claims he does not remember, but when shown a photo of her, recalls that she led a strike protest for women's equal pay. Mr. Birling reveals he had her sacked due to her involvement and vociferousness, but refuses any responsibility as he learned she found somewhere new to work.

Goole corroborates that as fact, when it is revealed that Eva began working in a department store. It is at this store that she met Sheila. Sheila claimed that Eva laughed at her when she was trying on clothes, but later admits she believed this only due to her jealousy of Eva's beauty. Eva then reveals she had Eva fired.

Inspector Goole reveals that following the loss of two jobs, Eva began working as a prostitute in an upmarket bar. There, she met Gerald, who took pity on her. He misled Eva (who claimed her name to be Daisy Renton) by allowing her to believe he was in love with her. Eventually, Gerald ended the relationship abruptly.

Completely depressed, Daisy then met Eric, who is heavily implied to have raped Daisy in a drunken stupor. Daisy then fell pregnant, and appealed to the charity chaired by Mrs. Birling. Mrs. Birling explains she rejected Daisy's claim on the basis she said her name was Mrs. Birling (as this was Eric's name, and needed to appear married in order to have credibility). Goole explains then that a hopeless Daisy drank a powerful cleaning substance, and died.

The elders of the family continue to deny responsibility, whereas Sheila finally accepts her responsibility and encourages her family to do so. When Goole leaves, Mr. Birling checks the infirmary and learns that no girl died, and that this was a cruel prank. The majority of the family are relieved to learn this, but Sheila informs them that they still did those things to Eva. Whilst trying to calm Sheila, the phone rings. Mr. Birling answers and explains a woman has been called into the infirmary having died under exactly the same circumstances as Goole explained.