"An Inspector Calls" John Boyton Priestley
G.C.S.E English Coursework "An Inspector Calls" John Boyton Priestley was born in Bradford, Yorkshire on the 13th September 1894. He served in the First World War; the events that happened influenced his writing a great deal. He narrowly missed death twice. In 1925 his wife died of cancer. He also opposed to the class system. The play "An Inspector Calls" is set in the Birling's dining room in the spring of 1912. The evening celebration was for Sheila, Mr Birling's daughter, and Gerald's engagement. During the night they talk about good times and joyful memories. Mr Birling, who is a successful factory owner frequently comments about his status in society, even whilst Gerald and the reader know that his wife Sybil, who is said to be "rather cold", is his social superior. Mr Birling is very hopeful about the future. He says about how the Titanic is "unsinkable", and it sinks quite awfully on it's maiden voyage, and how he thinks that war would be an impossibility, and war breaks out in 1914, these are examples dramatic irony, as the reader knows what happens to the Titanic and the public knowing a war will be inevitable. This makes us think of Mr Birling as a fool. Inspector Goole, quite rudely interrupts the celebration dinner, even then Mr Birling still boasts about his ranking in society, "It's probably something about a warrant, I'm still on the Bench, you know",
"An Inspector Calls" was written by J.B Priestly in 1945.
"An Inspector Calls" "An Inspector Calls" was written by J.B Priestly in 1945. J.B Priestly was born in 1894, but at the age of twenty joined the infantry, by the First World War Priestly took an active part in the British army, which was based in France. Their Priestly narrowly escaped a German shell, which exploded not far from him. After that ordeal Priestly left the forces and began writing. The play itself is set in a fictional region named Brumley. The place is described as an industrial city in the North-Midlands. During this era England was a class structured society. Being an industrial city there are lots of cheap labourers. The time when the play is set is 1912, two years before The First World War. So Priestly has to consider the mood and feelings of people just before the war, so the whole of Europe would have been tense and unsteady leading up to the war. The opening of "An Inspector Calls" begins in the Birling's drawing room, the mood is happy and excited. The room is occupied by characters Mr.Birling, Mrs.Birling, Sheila Birling, Eric Birling and Gerald Croft. It is a special occasion in the Birling household it is the announcement of Sheila and Gerald's engagement to be married. The room is full of spirits the whole party is drinking and Eric in particular is being affected by the alcohol. The occasion so far is appearing fine everybody is in high
"Directing A New Production Of "An Inspector Calls" by J. B. Priestly, With Special Reference To Act Two, Page 33 (in Heinemann Plays 'An Inspector Calls'), And The Characters Of The Inspector And Mrs. BirlingThe two characters that I have chosen - the in
"Directing A New Production Of "An Inspector Calls" by J. B. Priestly, With Special Reference To Act Two, Page 33 (in Heinemann Plays 'An Inspector Calls'), And The Characters Of The Inspector And Mrs. Birling The two characters that I have chosen from the play, 'An Inspector Calls', are the Inspector and Mrs. Birling. I chose these characters because they have very contrasting personalities. The Inspector is called 'Goole', which symbolises a ghoul and reflects on his personality. He is very probing when he asks the family questions and obviously has experience with 'interrogating' people. He is very direct and quite blunt when he is questioning the Birling family. In the BBC video version of the play, it was quite obvious that the Inspector was not a normal man as soon as he entered the room. This may have been helped by dramatic music, but it was also evident in the play. "The Inspector enters, and Edna goes, closing the door after her. The Inspector need not be a big man but he creates at once an impression of massiveness, solidity and purposefully... He speaks carefully, weightily, and has a disconcerting habit of looking hard at the person he addresses before actually speaking." As soon as the Inspector enters the room, the other characters are immediately aware of this "impression of massiveness". In the BBC video the Inspector was quite an old man and he looked
How does the Inspector enable Priestley to illustrate his social concerns, and why does he use this particular strategy?
How does the Inspector enablePriestley to illustrate his social concerns, and why does he use this particular strategy? An Inspector Calls is a morality play, in which J.B.Priestley uses the character of Inspector Goole to show the Birling family how the consequences of their actions affect others. The Inspector arrives in the middle of engagement celebrations for Sheila and Gerald, held at the Birling's house. He is not apologetic for the hour of his visit, and is abrupt and professional; the stage directions reveal he is methodical and determined. "One person and one line of enquiry at a time. It's the way I like to work" Mr Birling is condescending and self important, infuriated by not being differentiated because of his social status. "I was an alderman for years - and Lord Mayor two years ago - and I'm still on the Bench" The Inspector ignores this and refuses a drink, because it would be against the regulations of the police service to drink on duty, and he would also have an obligation towards Mr Birling for his hospitality. The Inspector brings bad news; the Birlings are in danger of loosing face and the reputations they hold so important. The family begins to break down when it is scrutinised. Goole is ruthless in divining the truth, and stares hard at people before addressing them. He is not at all sympathetic towards Mr or Mrs Birling because they are
What reactions does Priestley intend the audience to have to the content of the play? How does he set about achieving them?
What reactions does Priestley intend the audience to have to the content of the play? How does he set about achieving them? An 'Inspector Calls' was written by the playwright J.B Priestley in 1945, just after World War 2. It was set in 1912 in Brumley an imaginary industrial town in the north. The continuous three-act play takes place in the dining room of the Birling's house, one evening in spring. The Birling's are enjoying a celebration between the engagement of Shelia his daughter and Gerald Croft, when a police inspector rudely interrupts the family wishing to interview them over the death of Eva Smith a working class girl. Priestly uses a mystery or whodunit genre, through the character of the inspector to show the audience what could happen because of their actions. He wanted the audience to be aware of their individual and collective responsibility for how they treated other people from different classes and how this affected society in general. By careful use of stage directions, lighting and how the characters are allowed to associate with each other, Priestley ensures there is nothing that will distract the attention of the audience. Lighting plays an important part in this play and was used to reflect the mood on the stage. At the start of the play pink coloured lighting was used to create a peaceful and happy atmosphere. The pink lighting represents the family
To what degree do you think that Sheila and Eric's actions are the results of having Mr. and Mrs. Birling as parents?
To what degree do you think that Sheila and Eric's actions are the results of having Mr. and Mrs. Birling as parents? Throughout 'An Inspector Calls', Sheila and Eric do things that seem very erratic and irrational to Mr. and Mrs. Birling. With the coming of the Inspector, both of the Birling children change, and their actions are very unlike those at the beginning of the play. However, how much is this a result of having Mr. and Mrs. Birling as parents? At the beginning of the play, Sheila seems like a spoilt and sheltered little girl, with a liking for material things. This is shown when Gerald gives her the ring, and she suddenly changes from quiet and serious, to excited with, "Oh-it's wonderful! Look mummy- isn't it a beauty - oh darling". I think this attitude is completely as a result of having Mr. and Mrs. Birling as her parents. Arthur Birling has shown that he likes to have fine things (i.e. the expensive port) to show how wealthy he is, and as the Birlings are an upper-class family, they most definitely have brought Sheila up with the knowledge that material goods are everything. Even though her and Gerald are engaged, just the fact that she has the ring for it completely changes how she acts. Another thing, and in my opinion hugely influenced by Mrs. Birling, is Sheila's treatment of Eva Smith at Milwards. Simply out of jealousy, and the fact that she could do
J.B. Priestly was a playwright concerned with the ideas of capitalism, socialism, individual and collective responsibility.
J.B. Priestly was a playwright concerned with the ideas of capitalism, socialism, individual and collective responsibility. In an Inspector Calls, Priestley used the death of Eva Smith to represent abuse, and mistreatment of upper/lower classes in the sociality they are living in. The play was first performed in 1946, in which the community would be conscious about ideas of community because of the Second World War. Research the political beliefs of other authors, like Orwell, Bernard Shaw, and Wells and make a passing reference to how they are similar. Other literacy figures of the period, such as Wells were also writing about the themes of Capitalism. Immediately, the set establishes the theme of class Act One, Scene one open with the four Birling characters (Mr Birling, Mrs Birling, Shelia, and Eric) and Gerald seated at the table, they are all having a celebration on arrangement on something. There is another character called Edna who is the maid cleaning up after them, and basically bring a servant. You could tell that characters are in a high class because of the way the scenes introduce them. The characters were smartly dressed, 'All five in Evening Dress of period.' The scenery is simply a typical dinner party that any people in a high sort of class would have. This scenery and the family together would be a good reprehensive for the theme society in their time
How does Priestley explore the theme of responsibility in the play, An Inspector Calls?
Post 1914 Drama Coursework How does Priestley explore the theme of responsibility in the play, An Inspector Calls? Written in 1947, J.B. Priestley's didactic murder-mystery, An Inspector Calls, accentuates the fraudulent Edwardian era in which the play was set. Britain in 1912 was inordinately different to Britain in 1947, where a country annihilated by war was determined to right the wrongs of a society before them. In 1912 Britain was at the height of Edwardian society, known as the "Golden Age". A quarter of the globe was coloured red, denoting the vast and powerful Empire and all Britons, no matter what class they belonged to were proud to be British - the "best nation in the world". Theatres, musicals, proms concerts and films entertained the growing population. The upper classes led such a lavish life of luxury that the Edwardian era is now infamous for its elegance, ostentation, extravagance and sexual license. However despite the illusions of these secure times this epoch was full of hypocrisy, prejudice and exploitation. There was a huge divide between the upper and lower classes and the difference between the affluent lifestyle the wealthy lived compared to the downtrodden existence of the poor was remarkable. In 1947 Britain had just come to the end of a devastating world war where families had suffered immense losses and society was desperate for a fairer,
Arthur Birling is a rather portentous man in his middle fifties with a fairly easy manner but with restricted views and opinions
Arthur Birling is a rather portentous man in his middle fifties with a fairly easy manner but with restricted views and opinions. Arthur Birling tends to think more about his business than the people who work for him, so when he sacked Eva he didn't consider her feelings or how it would affect her life, to him she was just an employee, He was a "hard headed practical man of business". When his daughters engagement was announced he found it as another bonus to his business because Gerald was the son of the owner of Croft unlimited the company in competition with his own so in his eyes the marriage between his daughter and Gerald was just another way to bring the two companies together But, Birling is also a little uneasy about his daughter marrying Gerald incase Gerald's parents think their son is marrying beneath himself by marrying Sheila. Arthur Birling was very concerned with the publics views of him and thought of his reputation very highly. He is Ex-Lord Mayor of Brumley and a local magistrate and he is always quick to point out his social status " I gather there is a very good chance of knighthood". He wants to stay away from scandal and the police to protect his public image. When Arthur was questioned by the inspector he tells him that Eva Smith left his factory two years ago, she was always a good worker, "a foreman told me he was ready to promote her into what we
An Inspector Calls - What reactions does Priestley intend the audience to have to the content of the play? How does he achieve this?
What Reactions Does Priestley Intend The Audience To Have To The Content Of The Play? How Does He Achieve This? The Play 'An Inspector Calls' was written by J.B. Priestley in 1945 which is six years after the start of World War Two. The play is set in 1912, which is two years before the start of World War One. Priestley himself was a socialist and believed that everyone should help everyone else out. When Priestley wrote this play he was aged 51, this means he experienced both wars and meant that he must have wanted to do something that would help stop more wars. The wars he experienced could have contributed to Priestley's socialist views also the wars would make him want to help stop more wars appearing which he tried to do by showing his socialist views through the play 'An Inspector Calls'. In 'An Inspector Calls' Priestley uses a mixture of the detective, mystery and the 'whodunit' genres through the character Inspector Goole to show the audience what might happen if they do not change their actions towards less fortunate people. Priestley wanted his audience to be aware of their responsibilities to people in different social classes and how the audience viewing the show affect society, in general. He also wanted the audience to see how if they do not change their greedy and uncaring ways quickly then they could be in store for more wars and anguish. Priestley does this
