An Inspector Calls - Discuss How the Inspectors Presence Creates Dramatic Importance

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Using Two Scenes from Priestley’s Play ‘An Inspector Calls’, Discuss How the Inspectors Presence Creates Dramatic Importance

        Written in 1945 by the Playwright J.B. Priestly, ‘An Inspector Calls’ is a political play set in 1912, centred around a middle class family’s home. The Birling family, who live prosperously due to the success of their business, are enjoying a celebratory evening when suddenly, Inspector Goole arrives. He begins to interrogate each family member and shocks them all to reveal they all played a part in a young girl’s demise to suicide. This highlights the cracks in the family’s unity, as the younger family members feel their upbringing has been ignorant and they have ruined others for their own achievement. They take responsibility for their actions and are remorseful, yet the older family members remain in denial about their role in her death.

         Priestly has made a conscious choice when writing his play in 1945 to set it in 1912, for a number of different contextual reasons. One of Priestley’s main concerns was to compare the differences between society in 1945 and in 1912. During the time the play was set were years of great industrial unrest, where many people with businesses were becoming rich. The play discusses the issues of capitalism and socialism, and Priestly makes it clear what his message to the audience is, wanting them to be aware of the idea of actions and consequences, and how people must look out for one another as a community, as opposed to only thinking of themselves. The head of the household, Mr Birling, is shown as ignorant and stubborn, and Priestley uses dramatic irony to show this. For instance, Mr Birling claims “I say there isn’t a chance of war”. However, the audience would be aware that shortly after from 1914-1918 was the First World War, and after that the World War Two. Another example of this is when he declares the Titanic as “unsinkable… absolutely unsinkable”, even though it very famously sank on its maiden voyage. This would persuade the viewers to disagree with Mr Birling and his capitalist views and establish him as stupid.

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        Priestley’s play is structured over 3 acts, each one growing in dramatic tension. He uses the character Inspector Goole to heighten this, and creates him as wise and mysterious, two traits which would intrigue the audience. During the play, he and the ignorant Mr Birling continuously lock horns, as though to represent the two political sides. When describing the scene the playwrights tells us there to be a table “which has no cloth”, suggesting the family want to show off their wealth and luxury, and do not care if it was to get damaged by a spill, as they ...

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