Priestley deliberately set his play in 1912 because the date represented an era when all was very different from the time he was writing, a direct opposite of how he wanted it. At this time, Edwardian times supported a class system which had a clear distinction between upper and lower classes.. In ‘An inspector calls’ Arthur Birling is a rich, portentous businessman who thinks very highly of himself, even though he is often wrong. Arthur's family respect him and listen closely to his ideas that: “there isn't a chance of war” and that the Titanic is “unsinkable.”
As the play was written in 1945 and set in 1912, this is an example of dramatic irony as the audience would know that Arthur was very wrong in his opinions, because what followed was a time of war, protest, and economic collapse. This builds up suspense for the audience, and puts the audience at an advantage over the characters and makes us feel more involved as a result.
Mr Birling is optimistic for the future, and confident that there will not be a war. As the audience knows there will be a war, we begin to doubt Mr Birling's judgement.
Priestley wanted the audience to have a low opinion of Birling because he was trying to show that people like Birling are at fault for social inequality.
When Mr Birling makes his speech he makes several points which Priestley himself disagrees with, he uses the Inspector as a method to make a point to both the Birling family and the audience that we shouldn’t all “Look out for our own” which is how Birling describes it. This highlights the point that we are “members of one body” and that we are responsible for one another, which is what Priestley wanted the play to emphasise. The timing of the Inspector’s entrance is immediately after Birling has made this speech about how “a man has to look after himself and his own” This makes the audience feel uneasy about the views shared by Mr Birling.
There are many devices used by Priestley in order to get his point across. In the beginning of the play, Mr Birlings speech is an example of dramatic irony. Throughout the play the Inspector uses emotive language and also referral to Eva Smiths death, this creates a feeling of guilt and desire to change, for both the Birlings and the audience. Priestly also kept to the rule of the three unities, which made the audience have belief that the Inspector is both talking to the Birlings, and also the audience as it is in ‘real-time.’
In the Inspectors final speech, much repetition and rule of three is used.
Priestley used all these devices in order to have most affect on the audience, he wanted to make sure the audience would take home this lesson and begin to change. These devices both entertained and also persuaded, the audience came away with the idea that the Birlings acted very irresponsibly, and that if both the Birlings and the audience did not change they really would be “taught in fire and blood and anguish.”
There are three main rules of unities often used in plays to emphasise changing of tension and atmosphere throughout the play. Priestley uses all three unities. The use of unity of time being one evening, the unity of place being a strongly polished, and highly present living room, and the unity of action being the interrogation of Eva Smith’s death. The play is effective due to Priestley keeping to these rules. The three unities give the effect of the audience being there and having a direct view of the different emotions and varying atmosphere created during scenes. The change from the strong, commanding speech made by Mr Birling, to the cringing of the Birling family in the presence of the Inspector is entertaining and involving. This builds suspense and tension, which in turn made the audience feel more involved with the play.
