In GCSE English Literature, students are often asked to explore how Priestley presents women in An Inspector Calls: a powerful question that reveals much about gender, class, and social responsibility in early 20th-century Britain. This essay offers a full-mark (30/30) model response that unpacks how Priestley uses characters like Sheila, Mrs Birling, and Eva Smith to expose the inequalities women faced in 1912. By analysing key quotes, stage directions, and context, this essay shows how Priestley challenges patriarchal attitudes and highlights the potential for change, making it an essential guide for any GCSE student preparing for their exams.
How does Priestley present what life is like for women in An Inspector Calls?
In An Inspector Calls, J.B. Priestley presents a society where women are treated as inferior, objectified, and voiceless, reflecting the strict gender and class hierarchies of 1912. Through characters like Sheila, Mrs Birling, and Eva Smith, Priestley exposes how patriarchal attitudes reduce women to possessions or moral symbols, and he uses the play to challenge these injustices.
At the beginning of the play, women are presented as passive and sheltered, existing to please men. This is evident in the stage direction describing Sheila as “a pretty girl in her early twenties, very pleased with life and rather excited.” The adjective “pleased” suggests she is content and carefree, implying that she has been protected from the harsher realities of the world. The stage direction infantilises her-she is seen more as a decoration or child than an adult woman. Priestley deliberately presents her this way to highlight how upper-class women were conditioned to be obedient and submissive. This is reinforced when she calls her mother “mummy” , a term of childish affection that emphasises her immaturity and dependence. The use of this diminutive noun suggests she has not yet developed her own voice or moral understanding, reflecting how women were often kept in a state of emotional and intellectual infancy under patriarchy.
However, as the play progresses, Sheila becomes the voice of moral conscience and represents the younger generation’s capacity for change. When she protests, “But these girls aren’t cheap labour – they’re people,” Priestley uses the contrast between “labour” and “people” to humanise working-class women and condemn the capitalist system that dehumanises them. The plural noun “girls” also generalises Eva’s experience, showing that exploitation affects all working-class women, not just one individual. Through Sheila’s emotional awakening, Priestley highlights his belief that awareness and empathy, particularly from younger women, are key to social progress. In 1945, this message would have resonated with a post-war audience that had witnessed women taking on vital roles during the war, challenging the traditional gender divide.
Mrs Birling, on the other hand, embodies the hypocrisy of upper-class female privilege. Despite being a woman herself, she uses her position to judge and condemn other women, describing Eva as “a girl of that sort” and calling Gerald’s affair “disgusting.” The adjective “disgusting” reflects her obsession with propriety rather than morality; she does not challenge Gerald’s behaviour but instead protects her family’s social image. This shows how upper-class women were expected to tolerate male infidelity and maintain appearances, rather than seek justice or equality. Priestley uses Mrs Birling to criticise women who uphold the patriarchal order instead of challenging it, suggesting that social change requires women to stand with, not above, each other.
The exploitation of women is also evident in how working-class women are treated as disposable. When Mr Birling declares, “She was one of my employees and I discharged her,” his cold, transactional tone exposes his lack of compassion. The pronoun “my” conveys ownership, reducing Eva Smith to property rather than a person. The verb “discharged”, more commonly used for machinery or soldiers, dehumanises her further, implying she is an expendable resource. Birling’s language mirrors the patriarchal and capitalist mindset of 1912, where both workers and women were treated as inferior. His later reference to Eva as a “wretched girl” reinforces this, using a derogatory adjective to strip her of dignity. Priestley’s audience, aware of the suffragette movement and the fight for female equality, would recognise how Mr Birling represents the attitudes that movements like these sought to challenge. By portraying Birling as selfish and morally blind, Priestley warns of the dangers of a society built on inequality and male dominance.
Gerald Croft’s treatment of Eva – or Daisy Renton – further demonstrates how men exploit women under the guise of kindness. Gerald claims he “rescued” Daisy from a “notorious bar” and insists he “didn’t feel about her as she felt about me.” The verb “rescued” suggests heroism, but Priestley exposes this as a justification for manipulation. While Gerald believes he was helping Daisy, his actions reinforce his power over her: he controls her financially, emotionally, and physically. His assumption that she should be grateful reveals how men viewed women as dependent on male generosity. Priestley’s 1945 audience, familiar with wartime shifts in gender roles, would see Gerald’s behaviour as emblematic of pre-war hypocrisy — men claiming moral superiority while exploiting women’s vulnerability.
Ultimately, Priestley presents women in An Inspector Calls as victims of a deeply patriarchal, class-based society, yet he also uses them to symbolise hope for change. Through Sheila’s transformation, he argues that awareness and compassion can dismantle systems of inequality. By contrasting her with Mrs Birling’s rigidity, Mr Birling’s arrogance, and Gerald’s hypocrisy, Priestley exposes the full spectrum of female experience, from powerlessness to empowerment. His message is clear: society must learn to value women not for their beauty or social status, but for their humanity and moral strength.
Model Answers: An Effective Revision Tool
Model answers are one of the most effective tools for GCSE English Literature revision because they show students exactly what a top-band response looks like in terms of structure, analysis, and context. By studying model essays, learners can see how to integrate quotations smoothly, use subject terminology accurately, and link ideas to the writer’s intentions — all essential exam skills. They also help students understand the level of depth examiners expect, turning vague ideas into clear, evaluative arguments. To use them effectively, students should annotate model answers, highlight techniques and structure, and practise writing their own paragraphs in a similar style. This active approach transforms model essays from examples into powerful learning tools for building confidence and achieving top marks.
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