Priestley uses dramatic irony successfully very early on the play to convey his concerns and ideas, by making Mr Birling look foolish and to show us how arrogant the upper class was during 1912. An example of dramatic irony making Mr Birling look foolish is when he says that the Titanic is “unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.” However we know that Titanic sank on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City on 10th April 1912. This shows that Birling has no clue what he is talking about and doing so he loses all credibility. Priestly purposely made Mr Birling clueless and arrogant to represent what people were like in the Edwardian times. In addition by doing so Priestley is showing us why we should not go back to the Edwardian ways. Another example of where Mr Birling is shown to be ill-informed is when he says, “There’ll be peace and prosperity and rapid progress everywhere- except of course in Russia, which will always be behindhand naturally.” The audience by now loses all respect and despises Mr Birling from talking so much, yet knowing nothing. This results in the audience also despising the Edwardian ways from people being so arrogant.
Priestley’s use of the lighting is also a dramatic device which he uses to show change in the mood of the play. This is evident when it says, “The lighting should be pink and intimate until the Inspector arrives and then it should be brighter and harder.” This emphasizes the importance of the Inspector in the play. Also it shows his authority as the mood changes once he enters the celebration the Birlings are having automatically comes to an end. Also by the light becoming, “brighter and harder” you can see better, which symbolises the truth being revealed, which is what the Inspector is intending to do.
The use of the doorbell and the timing is also another dramatic device which Priestly uses to oppose Mr Birling’s opinion on the way we should live our lives. This is evident when says, “That a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own - and-”, he then is interrupted, “We hear the sharp ring of a front doorbell. Birling stops to listen.” Priestley purposely got the Inspector to interrupt as the Inspector represents Priestly himself and his views, so he obviously disagrees with what Mr Birling is saying. Mr Birling’s statement was what they would think like in the Edwardian times, which is what Priestley is concerned about. Priestley thinks the opposite of what Mr Birling thinks as he thinks we should help the community, so by interrupting Mr Birling Priestley is trying to tell the audience that it is wrong to think like that and that we should not go back to the Edwardian ways.
The use of a new major character having an effect on the rest of the characters is another example of a dramatic device that Priestley uses in order to keep the reader in suspense. When the Inspector enters the play that mood changes completely, this is evident when Mr Birling offers the Inspector some port or whisky, however the Inspector responds, “No thank you, Mr Birling. I’m on duty.” Before the Inspector entered the Birlings were having a celebration, however once the Inspector enters it stops immediately. This emphasizes the Inspector’s authority. This also shows that what Priestley wants to say to us cannot wait, as it is so important that we do not go back to the old Edwardian ways. In addition it shows that this is a serious matter; the Inspector is not there to join the party.
Priestley’s use of character entrances and exits is another dramatic device that he skilfully uses to engage the audience and highlight the flaws in the traditional upper class mentality. This is shown when the Inspector shows Sheila the photograph of Eva Smith; Sheila, “looks at it closely, recognizes it with a little cry, gives a half- stifled sob, and then runs out.” This is extremely effective as it adds onto the suspense, as the reader now knows that Sheila has a part in this as well. In addition you slowly start to understand that everyone at the celebration has something to do with Eva Smith’s death. This also suggests to us that Sheila is sympathetic unlike her heartless farther who only cares about himself. This shows us that Priestley is relying on the young, as they represent the New England that they will move on and not go back to the old Edwardian ways.
Lastly Priestley’s use of the end of Act 1 is a dramatic device he uses to keep the audience intrigued and to keep them in suspense, making the reader think that there is more to it than what has already been revealed. After the Inspector states that Eva Smith changed her name to Daisy Renton Gerald immediately recognized the name, this adds onto the suspense as the reader now knows that Gerald also was to blame for Eva Smith’s death. Soon after Act 1 ends with the Inspector, “Well Gerald?” This is effective because the reader starts to understand that the Inspector has everything under control. It also shows that the Inspector already knew everything before he even had entered the house. This suggests to us that Priestley is not just going there to find out who done what, he is trying to teach us something from this.
In conclusion as the story went along you get a different opinion based on the Birlings; at the start the Birling seemed like a normal happy family just celebrating the engagement. However as you read through Act 1 you start to understand that the Birlings are heartless and each time the Inspector reveals the truth more and more you detest them even more each time. Priestley uses many methods as I have stated, for example the significance of the lighting and the doorbell timing etc... I think that the playwright’s message is that we do not go back to the old Edwardian ways. I also think this is relevant today as everyone should have equal rights and they should not be downgraded if they are poor (lower class back then) or a different religion or colour.
