Inspector Goole

E863461

Inspector Goole is the enigmatic, morally driven police inspector whose probing interrogation exposes the hypocrisy and social responsibility of the Birling family in J.B. Priestley’s play "An Inspector Calls."

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf dramatic character
fictional character
police inspector
alsoKnownAs Ghoul (pun on name)
appearsIn An Inspector Calls NERFINISHED
associatedWithTheme class inequality
collective responsibility
consequences of actions
guilt and remorse
hypocrisy
morality
social responsibility
characterTrait authoritative
didactic
enigmatic
morally driven
persistent
probing
createdBy J. B. Priestley NERFINISHED
dramaticTechnique arrives unexpectedly
controls pace of revelations
leaves abruptly
uses systematic questioning
firstPerformanceOfWork 1945
firstPublicationOfWork 1947
hasAmbiguousIdentity yes
interrogates Arthur Birling NERFINISHED
Eric Birling NERFINISHED
Gerald Croft NERFINISHED
Sheila Birling NERFINISHED
Sybil Birling NERFINISHED
investigates Eva Smith NERFINISHED
language English
medium theatre
narrativeFunction embodies social conscience
exposes hypocrisy of the Birling family
forces characters to confront responsibility for Eva Smith
questions capitalist values
occupation inspector
questionsAnsweredBy final telephone call revealing a real inspector is on his way
roleInWork catalyst for moral reckoning
protagonist
setInYear 1912
speaksFamousLine If men will not learn that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish.
We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.
symbolizes divine judgment
moral reckoning
social conscience
timePeriodOfSetting Edwardian England NERFINISHED

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.