Critique of Patriarchal and Capitalist Ideologies in Priestley’s An Inspector Calls
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Abstract
This thesis entitled “Critique of Capitalist and Patriarchal Ideologies in
Priestley’s An Inspector Calls” is an analysis of the novel from the view point of
Marxist Feminism. This work basically focuses on the domination of capitalists and
patriarchs upon proletariats, especially on females and resistance of females to
capitalistic and patriarchal norms and values. The central character Eva Smith is
working as a laborer under capitalist and patriarchal mode of society. Wherever she
goes, she cannot be free from the claws of bourgeois and patriarchs that make her life
deplorable; she is time and again exploited by bourgeois and patriarchs and she finally
is compelled to commit suicide which can be seen as a silent resistance to capitalistic
and patriarchal norms and values. Though another female character, Sheila is from
bourgeois class, as a female she is also dominated inside her class. She is used as a
means of upgrading business by her family and her lover’s family. The degrading
situation of female has been portrayed as an inevitable consequence of private
accumulation of capital. Mr. Birling, his wife Sybil, son Eric, daughter Sheila and
Gerald Croft dominate Eva Smith by means of capitalist and patriarchal ideologies.
They present their cruel behavior towards Eva either exploiting sexually or by
dismissing from job; she becomes a victim of their patriarchal and capitalist beliefs.
So, to avoid the capitalist and patriarchal domination and exploitation, she has to
leave this world. Her suicide is a silent slap on the face of capitalistic and patriarchal
domination