1918 and this play was written in 1934 but I understand why he put this in because the play was set in the year 1912, and new the audience would see irony of this. The world war was known as the Great War many people died in this war and caused a lot of heartache, which is why I think Priestly wrote this play to place happiness through entertainment.
The setting is very important when it comes to a play because it sets a mood and an atmosphere. Priestly has done this very well he has used a large suburban house with good solid furniture of that period. He also had a large dinner table placed upon it was champagne glasses a bottle of port and a box of cigars. The audience can relate to this in there lives, by using the set priestly has made the audience familiar with what he was trying to do. Not only is the set important but costumes of the characters are to, all the five characters are in evening wear, and the audience can relate this to a family celebrating a special occasion. Also important is the lighting in act one in the stage directions it says, the lighting should be pink and intimate until the inspector arrives and then it should be brighter and harder. I think priestly is using the lighting to create a mood the pink lighting shows a sense of the saying looking through rose tinted glasses because everything seems fine but when the inspector enters on stage they will have harder brighter lighting which is creating a mood of tension. Priestley also uses the words 'the general effect is
Substantial and heavily comfortable but not cozy and homelike.' I think Priestley says this because he wanted to create a realistic set not a fake one.
One of the five main characters is a capitalist and a socialist, Mr. Birling. I think Priestley made a character like Birling because he is the man of the house a man who makes the decisions and keeps everyone in there place. And nearly every household had a man of that manner in it. Birling uses very strong or large words in his speeches, which he does often even though he says he doesn’t, “and after all I don’t make speeches at you often.” That quote was taken from the play in act one. When Mr. Birling makes a speech he connects with the audience by referring to everyday stuff for example the titanic “the titanic- she sails next week” “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.” He also refers to the war, “there isn’t a chance of war.” I think this makes the audience feel a connection with the character using there thoughts and feelings.
There are many kinds of irony, but at its basic level it implies a difference or incongruity. Often it is a difference between what is said and what is meant. Dramatic irony refers to something the audience knows but the character in the play does not. In Mr. Birling’s case the audience knows that there was a war they also know the titanic sank.
Priestly uses juxtaposition very well in this play he uses the two characters; Mrs. Birling a woman of the older generation who is stubborn minded, who won’t let any one persuade her she has done wrong, he uses to compare Sheila a woman of the younger generation, Sheila is Mrs. Birling’s daughter Sheila is said to be Priestley’s mouthpiece through which his views are expressed. Sheila knows she has done wrong and she is the one who brings out the moral behind the play.
In my opinion Priestley did well in getting his views across in this play it showed a sense of understanding of whet the audience where going through, he showed that he knew the thoughts and feeling of the audience. He showed a sense of connection between him and his audience.
