The English Society in 1912 Portrayed in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls J. B. Priestley's play 'An Inspector calls' can be seen as a progression from ignorance to knowledge, of which he conveys many points of significance about English society in 1912. Priestley does this through various dramatic techniques that convey his criticisms to the audience. Priestley provides detailed stage directions at the beginning of Act One, which gives the audience the impression that the Birlings are quite like any other normal upper-class family. However, as events unfold he begins to slowly dismantle the family, taking each member apart to convey the fact that some apparently respectable individuals or families are actually flawed or even corrupt despite the maintenance of an appearance of respectability. This important fact is also emphasized by dramatic irony presented by Priestley when Gerald comments," You seem to be a nice well behaved family" as indeed, the Birlings turn out to be the complete opposite. Capitalism is one of the main themes presented by Priestley in this play. He mainly focuses on the effects of capitalism on people within society and how it can lead to insensitivity, greed, lack of compassion and exploitation. Before the arrival of the inspector, an engagement party is well underway in the Birling household, where the spirits are high, and everyone is about to drink to Mr Birling's daughter Sheila, and Gerald Croft's health and happiness. Mr Birling gives a little speech on how it "… is one of the happiest nights of my life.", and goes on to comment on how the marriage between Gerald and Sheila could bring ... ... middle of paper ... ...l his inquiries, he gives a long, powerful speech about responsibilities for others and the "…millions and millions of Eva Smiths and John Smiths still left with us, their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and chance of happiness all intertwined with our lives…" With this the inspector emphasizes on the fact that society should make allowances for poor people and those who suffer, and that we should be careful of our actions as we are directly responsible for the consequences. In conclusion, Priestley is criticising the way that capitalism and social class and status have a negative effect on the English society in general in 1912. He emphasizes on how these factors influenced cruelty and selfishness in society, leading to damaging inflictions on the unfortunate people involved, such as Eva Smith.
There would be more of an effect on the audience at the time, as it
Criticism in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley "An Inspector Calls" has been called a play of social criticism. What is being criticised. Explain some of the dramatic techniques which Priestley uses to achieve the play's effects. "An Inspector Calls" has been called a play of social criticism as Priestley condemned the many different injustices that existed in the society between the first and second world wars.
J. B. Priestly was born in 1894 in Bradford and he died on the 14th of
event yet he chose to put his business first. This should be a part in
The Reflection of J. B. Priestley's Political and Philosophical Beliefs in An Inspector Calls In 1945 J. B. Priestley wrote the play "An Inspector Calls". It is a very tense play; the audience are always on the edge of their seats. It is didactic as it conveys a social and moral meaning to the play.
"And be quiet for a moment and listen to me. I don't need to know any
technology and how a man should live. He says 'A man has to make his
talks with. He is a man who has come to the Birling's house to do his
they have done even know they do not lead her to her suicide. But a
in jeopardy than how he may have driven a young girl down a spiral to
play is set in 1912, only 2 years before the outbreak of WW1, and in
the suicide of Eva Smiths death. The aim of the story is to, try to
Perhaps “the sound of Spanish wash over me like warm island water as I say your soothing
Goole. Some the Birling family are used to show how we are not to act
... may mean that if a person does not learn from their mistakes the first