Dramatic Devices in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

Dramatic Devices in J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls

Introduction

John Boynton Priestly (1894 - 1984) played many roles as a political

activist and commentator; a campaigner for nuclear disarmament and

public lending right; a cultural ambassador; and a student of time and

of dreams. He once, memorably, became an actor in one of his own plays

and stood as a Parliamentary candidate in the 1945 General Election.

It may be argued that in literary, social and political terms he was

very much 'a man for all seasons'. His father's socialist friends

introduced Priestly to politics.

Priestly was the most versatile writer of his time; one of his great

plays, which I will perform my coursework on, is called 'An Inspector

Calls'. This play was set in the spring of 1912 but peculiarly it was

first performed in 1945 pre-1939, London theatre was very well known

during the war theatres.

The inspector wants to show and teach the Birlings to take

responsibility for their own actions, to see what the consequences are

to what they act upon. He also wants them to realise when they are

wrong and to never refuse help to those whom are in need of help no

matter what their reason, their past or situation.

J.B. Priestly's main concerns were to demonstrate to the audience, how

the people of the older generation (mostly whom are capitalists)

differ from the younger generation (mostly whom are socialists) and

everybody should take care of one another like a family and if that is

a success, than there will be no suffering or any need of any crimes

committed or conflicts. This is because Priestly wanted to remove

capitalism and replace it with socialism. He wanted to make the world

a better place.

This play was set before the World War One in 1912. However the play

was written and performed just at the end of World War Two around

1945. This enables J.B Priestley to show the audience, that Mr Birling

is wrong. Birling said that there wasn't going to be another war.