What do the opening stage directions reveal about the characters in act 1 of An Inspector Calls?

From the opening stage directions we can infer that the Birling family are reasonably wealthy. The furniture, for example, is described as "good solid furniture of the period," and there is a fireplace with "two leather armchairs on either side." However, we are also told that the "general effect" is "not cozy and homelike," implying that this is perhaps not an especially happy or spirited family but instead a rather formal and conservative one.

As for the individual characters, the opening stage directions offer some clues as to their personalities. Arthur Birling is described as "a heavy-looking, rather portentous man in his middle-fifties." From this description, we might infer that he is a rather imposing man, who, as the word "portentous" suggests, may be a little pompous and solemn. His voice is described as "provincial," which implies that he was not born into an upper-class family.

Arthur's wife, who is not named in the stage directions, is described as "a rather cold woman" and as "her husband's social superior." The implication here is that Arthur's wife is perhaps supercilious and certainly upper class. One might infer that she has married beneath her. This, together with the description noted above of Arthur's "provincial speech," implies that Arthur has recently made what money he has, rather than inherited it. Perhaps his wife is "cold" because she resents that her husband is not her social equal.

The Birlings's daughter, Sheila, is described as "a pretty girl . . . very pleased with life and rather excited." Sheila seems immediately more likeable than her parents, and her excitable manner is emphasized in contrast to the seemingly cold, reserved manner of her parents. The description of her character also emphasizes her youth. And we are told that she is "in her early twenties."

Sheila's fiancé, Gerald Croft, is described as "an attractive chap . . . too manly to be a dandy, but very much the easy, well-bred young-man-about-town." The implication here is that Gerald is easy-going, charming, and keen to enjoy life. He and Shelia seem to be a good match.

Eric Birling, the last character to be described in the opening stage directions, is said to be "not quite at ease, half shy, half assertive." This suggests that Eric is somewhat bashful and self-conscious, and these characteristics would no doubt be emphasized in contrast to the easy-going, confident personas of Shelia and Gerald. The stage directions also tell us that Eric is sat "downstage," meaning that he will likely, as the curtain rises, have his back to the audience, facing Shelia and Gerald who are sat upstage. This small detail may help to portray Eric as a character who doesn't quite fit in.

What is the relationship among characters in Act I of An Inspector Calls?

To a considerable extent, the relationships between the various characters in act I of An Inspector Calls are defined by status. It is made apparent right from the outset that we're dealing with wealthy, class-conscious individuals for whom reputation is everything. Indeed, it is the enormous value that the Birlings attach to their reputation in high society that makes them so concerned by Inspector Goole's tenacious detective work. They know full well what an enormous scandal will ensue should the messy business with Eva/Daisy Renton ever come to light.

There is no sense in the opening scene that these people would willingly congregate under the same roof if they had the choice. Arthur Birling seems to regard Sybil as little more than a trophy wife, someone he only married because she could provide him with an entrée into high society. By the same token, Sybil, acutely aware of her social superiority to her husband, most probably agreed to the marriage only because she knew that Arthur, for all his provincial vulgarity, was at least phenomenally rich.

A similar dynamic can be observed in the relationship between Gerald Croft and Shiela Birling in that money is considered more important in love. Their projected marriage is little more than a glorified business arrangement, paralleling the intended unification of rival industrial empires.

This excellent play focuses on one family and its various members. The Birling family are all introduced in the first act as the curtain opens. We are told that the head of the family is Arthur Birling who is a manufacturer. His wife, Sybil is a socialite and appears to be a rather "cold" woman. Then, they have two children, Sheila, their beautiful daughter, and Eric, their shy son. Lastly, they have a guest with them, who is Sheila's fiancé, Gerald Croft, who is the heir to a business fortune. Although she is not precisely a member of the family, there is also the maid, Edna, who is busying herself with clearing the table and laying out port and cigars as the play begins. It is of course the way in which each of these individuals has been involved in the downfall of Eva Smith that Goole exposes, forcing them, albeit briefly, to take a look at themselves and their actions tothose less fortunate than themselves.