J.B Priestley had set his play ‘An Inspector Calls’ in 1912 although it was written in 1945. But why did he do that? 1912 was an era that was very different from the time that he had written the play in. 1912 was the Edwardian era. This is significant as there were a lot of changes happening during that time period as this was the time of the Russian revolution, the “unsinkable” Titanic sinking after colliding with an iceberg, two horrific world wars, and the Holocaust. Priestley tries to make Mr.Birling look injudicious by making him say ironic references on how the Titanic will never sink, which it did, or how it is impossible for another war to happen, which did end up happening in 1914. This creates a lot of dramatic irony and the audience automatically know that Mr.Birling is an arrogant character, the epitome of the upper middle class patriarchal men of 1912.
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Priestley reveals the tense relationship between the three classes, (Aristocracy, Gerald Croft, the Middle class, Mr.Birling, Sheila and Sybil., and the Working Class Eva Smith, and Edna.), and the fatal consequences that resulted from one group’s interaction with another, where each of the classes would’ve never interacted or marry into another, by 1912 it had become impossible for one class to exclude and ignore another.
“The era had significant shifts in politics, as sections of society which had been largely excluded from wielding power in the past, such as common labourers and women, became increasingly politicised.
Socially, the Edwardian era was a period during which the British class system was still very rigid, although the changing economic system was creating an environment in which there was more social mobility.” -Amanda
Priestley reveals the tense relationship between the three classes, (Aristocracy, Gerald Croft, the Middle class, Mr.Birling, Sheila and Sybil., and the Working Class Eva Smith, and Edna.), and the fatal consequences that resulted from one group’s interaction with another, where each of the classes would’ve never interacted or marry into another, by 1912 it had become impossible for one class to exclude and ignore another.
“The era had significant shifts in politics, as sections of society which had been largely excluded from wielding power in the past, such as common labourers and women, became increasingly politicised.
Socially, the Edwardian era was a period during which the British class system was still very rigid, although the changing economic system was creating an environment in which there was more social mobility.” -Amanda