What reaction does Priestley intend the audience to have to the content of the play? How does he set about achieving them? Do you think he is successful in achieving his intentions? Do you think a modern audience would react in the same way?
Priestley wants the audience to agree with his point of view and understand social responsibility. Social responsibility is a theory that the community should work together and help each other. When priestly wrote this play social responsibility was a new idea. Perhaps priestly wanted to raise the awareness through this play. The audience of the time would of like the idea of social responsibility because they had all worked together to win the war.
The audience would be receptive to the idea because when the play was first performed in 1946 the people of the time had just experienced the war. During the war class barriers didn't seem to matter as the men went away to fight and the women had to work, so everybody had a part to play. When the men came back from war they wanted to be equal and expected a land fit for heroes. Meaning they wanted the same opportunities, healthcare, education and housing as the rich. The audience would have been responsive to this.
Priestly achieves the reaction he wants through setting, lighting but mostly the characters also the comparison between the Birlings and Eva Smith.
Arthur Birling is a selfish pompous Business man. He only cares for himself, his family and how other people see him; Birling sees himself as important to society and wants other people to think the same.
Priestley wants the audience to agree with his point of view and understand social responsibility. Social responsibility is a theory that the community should work together and help each other. When priestly wrote this play social responsibility was a new idea. Perhaps priestly wanted to raise the awareness through this play. The audience of the time would of like the idea of social responsibility because they had all worked together to win the war.
The audience would be receptive to the idea because when the play was first performed in 1946 the people of the time had just experienced the war. During the war class barriers didn't seem to matter as the men went away to fight and the women had to work, so everybody had a part to play. When the men came back from war they wanted to be equal and expected a land fit for heroes. Meaning they wanted the same opportunities, healthcare, education and housing as the rich. The audience would have been responsive to this.
Priestly achieves the reaction he wants through setting, lighting but mostly the characters also the comparison between the Birlings and Eva Smith.
Arthur Birling is a selfish pompous Business man. He only cares for himself, his family and how other people see him; Birling sees himself as important to society and wants other people to think the same.
