An Inspector Calls as a Good Piece of Drama
John Boynton Priestley wrote 'An Inspector Calls' in 1945. He was born
on the 13th of September 1894 in Bradford. He was always politically
minded to some extent, and that is the reason for the socialist
message behind the play.
'An Inspector Calls' was a well-known play when it was first produced,
and it is still highly popular today. This is easily noticeable as;
throughout the years the play has received many awards.
A good piece of drama includes; good characters, a suitable setting
and an easy to follow plot. Ideally the piece should have a moral
message and an ending that creates suspense.
The setting of 'An Inspector Calls' is extremely important. It
reflects the wealth and stature of the Birling Family. The entire play
is set in the Birling household. It is a large well-furnished house,
'It has good solid furniture of the period,' but it is not cosy or
homelike, 'The general effect is substantial and heavily comfortable,
but not cosy and homelike.' This tells us that the Birling family have
not personalised nor respected their household in any way.
The Birling's emphasize their wealth through the décor of their house.
They are able to afford a telephone, which was very rare for people in
1912, when the play was set. They are also able to have servants to
cater for their every need, 'the parlour maid is just clearing the
table'. I think that as the Birling's can afford these things, they
believe that they are far superior to others.
When Arthur Birling is introduced to the play, we immediately get to
find out about his character. We find out that he is a successful
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...ll left with
us, with their lives, their hopes and fears, their suffering and
chance of happiness, all intertwined with our lives, with what we
think, say, and do. We don't live alone. We are members of one body.
We are responsible for each other. And I tell you that the time will
soon come when, if men will not that lesson, then they will be taught
it in fire and blood and anguish. Good Night.' I think that the speech
sums up all of Priestley's views by using the Inspector to try and get
the message across to all of mankind about how we should learn how to
live equally.
I think that 'An Inspector Calls is a very good play and I highly
enjoyed it. J.B Priestley has used the play to put across his strong
views about equal rights and I think that he uses the characters very
well to get his point across to everyone.
Priestley mainly uses the characters in the play to present his views, especially Mr and Mrs Birling, to present his ideas about class and society. In the Birling family, Mrs Birling is the most upper class, and is always referring to the lower class female factory workers such as Eva Smith as ‘girls of that class’. She seems to think that working class people are not humans at all.
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.
This caused workers to become better organised and strikes were becoming more frequent as they demanded better conditions and higher pay. J.B. Priestley was writing the play for a middle class audience and was trying to speak up for the working class by showing how the Birlings and Gerald Croft were all involved in making a young working class girl's life a misery. Priestley wants to show us that we have a responsibility to others to act fairly and without prejudice and that we do not live in isolation. Our actions affect others.
At the start of the play, we are introduced to the Birlings who are no
A Comparison of Characters of Mr. Birling and Inspector Goole in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls
Many women living alone and supporting themselves (for example by working in factories- like Mr Birling's) and their families demonstrate this, whereas the upper class women are totally dependent on their husbands for money and accommodation. The play shows that the treatment of working class women is degrading. For example it portrays the assumptions that the working class women who are jobless are quite willing to turn to prostitution. " Have you any idea what happened to her after that? Get into trouble?
"And be quiet for a moment and listen to me. I don't need to know any
Wells, both of whom references are made to in the opening pages of the play. A lot of the tension in the play is between Birling and the Inspector, both of who are powerful figures in the household and are both vying for dominance, creating a lot of tension. This is symbolic of the global struggle between capitalism and socialism, the Inspector represents Priestley's socialist views, and Birling, the antithesis of the Inspector represents capitalist views, which is made clear through his speech "the interests of Capital steadily increasing prosperity." When the Inspector is there, Birling is very fast to drop the blame on someone else, insisting "I can't accept any responsibility" which is a complete contrast of what the Inspector says, telling the family to "share the blame among yourselves when I have left" This constant conflict, which is often at the heart of the dramatic genre itself, makes sure there is tension whenever the two characters are talking to each other. This conflict is not the only one within the play.
Priestley explores the relationships between men and women as he shows that the Birlings look at people's gender to judge them. Sheila is a representation of stereotypical girls during that time period, who obsess over pretty clothing and expensive things. As when she gets the ring, she describes it as "a beauty". Moreover, Priestley shows that men have a higher status than women and they make all the decisions as Sheila asks Gerald "is it the one you wanted me to have?" Furthermore, in the play, it's shown that the expectations of women were to act innocent and pure and that they should seek protection from "unpleasant and disturbing" things.
Priestley's Social Message in An Inspector Calls The play an Inspector Call’s was written at the time of 1945 but is set in 1912. Priestley conveys a lot of social and important messages in this play. He conveys the messages through the character of Inspector Goole. One most important message that Priestley conveys is about Socialism.
JB Priestley’s intent in ‘An Inspector Calls’ was to convey the attitudes of socialism to the minds of the society in the Edwardian Era as he was a passionate believer of the concept. Priestley has attempted this through the employment of ‘Inspector Goole’ in the play. In the play drama is displayed through a variety of methods for the interest of the audience and the communication of personal views from JB Priestley.
Priestley’s Main Aim in An Inspector Calls JB Priestly wrote ‘An Inspector Calls’ to enhance the message that ‘we don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other’. This is something Priestly felt strongly about and he succeeded in representing his views through the character of the Inspector in the play itself. He wanted to communicate the message that our actions, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, always affect others.
The history of the time the play was written helps us to understand the views and the feelings expressed by Priestley in the play. The inspector transfers Priestley’s views and he shows the difference in social classes at the time. A gap which he wants to diminish. He illustrates the reason for this in the play, via the inspector, where he outlines the ways each of the Birlings have influenced someone from a completely different background and social class. This is the way Priestley viewed pre-war England.
A morality play is a medieval play designed to teach the audience right from wrong. JB Priestley uses An Inspector call to convey a moral message, which is that you should not judge people on their class i.e. lower working class/higher class. He also expands the views of socialism within the message; this is all made very clear by the use of dramatic devices. Although it is a morality play it is not in the traditional format. Priestley makes it very clear in what he wants the audience to think is moral and immoral. The play also conveys a strong political message. The play encourages the idea of socialism, a society in which responsibility and community are essential, also a place where the community all work together and are responsible for their actions. This is in contrast with capitalism. JB priestly wrote the play in 1945, but it was set in 1912 just before the war, it was later performed in 1946. The play was written after World War I and World War II, Priestley used this to his advantage, it makes the audience feel awful after what has just happened, the majority of the audience would have either lived through one or both of the wars. This helped Priestley promote socialism against capitalism.
Birling is presented as a self-centred capitalist very early on in the play. His pleasure in the marriage of his daughter is purely for his own profit. "Now you've brought us together and perhaps we may look forward to a time when Crofts and Birling are no longer competing but are worki...