Women in An Inspector Calls - GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE

A useful, detailed resource providing analysis of quotations pertinent to the theme of gender and, more specifically, the Role of Women in the GCSE English Literature text ‘An Inspector Calls’.

The resource makes reference to Sheila, Eva Smith and both Mrs and Mr Birling, providing apt and pithy quotations from each personage and a concise yet precise analysis of their attitudes, considering contextual and broader thematic factors as well.

“The way he spoke to Mr Birling and me”
Even here, in her state of triumph and victory-induced elation, Mrs Birling remains unable
to remove the shackles of her gender, remaining beholden to the traditional respectful
relationship she must maintain towards her husband. Though his behaviour towards her
has been less than endearing throughout the evening, she continues to address him as ‘Mr
Birling’, alluding to the idea that marriage is little more than a contact between two people
with greater emphasis on derived business prospects than love and affection.

“…is it the one you wanted me to have?”
Sheila, at this point in the play so naive and, as some would argue, ignorant, engages in
total subservience towards Gerald here, the true embodiment of the pre-1912 female
mode of life. Aligning herself with the socio-political views of her mother, her first priority is
pleasing the man to whom she is engaged. Even in this situation, a period during which it
is the sole target of the man to please his wife-to-be, she still defects to the traditional
outlook on female freedom and choice, questioning whether it is the gift he wanted her to
have.