Joseph Priestley

Inspector Calls was written in 1945 by J.B Priestley. In the 1930s, Priestley became very concerned about the effects of social inequality in Britain. The play was set in 1912. Priestley deliberately set the play in 1912 because the date represented an era very different from the era he was writing in. Inequality was common in 1912; severe class and gender boundaries seemed to ensure nothing would change. However by 1945, things had improved. Priestley wanted to make the most of this. He used…

Explore ways in which Priestly presents women in “An Inspector Calls” ‘An Inspector calls’ is a play set in 1912 and written in 1945. The starting scene is the Birling family and Gerald Croft. The Birling family are celebrating the engagement of Sheila Birling, the eldest daughter, and Gerald Croft. They are later interrupted by someone who claims to be a Police Inspector. The Inspector says that a girl has drunk very strong disinfectant and died in the infirmary two hours ago. He later says…

JB Priestley (13 September 1894 – 14 August 1984), wrote An Inspector Calls after the First World War (it was first performed in 1945); like much of his work the play contains controversial, politically charged messages.ownership of land, greater democracy, and a new 'morality' in politics. Priestly was a stong socialist and had very socialist views.During the start of the play, Sheila appears to be very childish and silly. However, At the end of the play, she is much wiser. She now judges her…

Responsibility in An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley J.B Priestly wrote 'An Inspector Calls' just as the 2nd World War was coming to an end in 1945. The play was based in the time just before…

The play ‘An Inspector Calls’, was written in 1945 by writer J.B Priestley. Its story revolves around a middle-class family called the Birlings, whom are celebrating the engagement of their daughter, Sheila. However, the play undergoes a subtle shift in mood and tone as an inspector lets them know that they have taken part in the suicide of a young lady called Eva Smith. Priestley chose to develop each character in the play in such a way that they all bring a lesson into the drama. Perhaps one…

“An Inspector Calls”, is a play written by JB Priestley in 1945. It is a thought-provoking play that explores the issues of accepting responsibility. The play is centered on a wealthy family in the upper class, who refuse to accept their involvement in Eva Smiths death. Using the Inspector as a mouthpiece, Priestley is able to discredit the capitalist views of the audience and Mr. Birling. Through the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Birling, Priestley shows how the class that a person belongs to or…

207 and finishing halfway down page 208. Throughout my speech I will be making references to some of the primary key themes and ideas in the play which are: Social Duty and Responsibility. I’m analysing this section because this is the point that Priestley adds another dimension to the play where by we first see the family rationalise the legitimacy of the inspectors lessons. During this time we see the divide between the older and younger members of the Birling family, and how they choose to…

disregard to how someone that cannot get him any financial or social gain feels. Eric on the other hand fully admits his wrong doings and accepts responsibility. Birling being part of the older generation is represented as the exact person that Priestley hates. He is completely unsympathetic towards Eva Smith and will take no responsibility for his actions as his self-important behaviour makes helps to convince himself that he has done nothing wrong this can be shown in his wife when Mrs Birling…

Mr. Birling is oblivious to the word ‘responsibility’, his mind seems to reject it as he believes that people should care only for themselves, even as the inspector was questioning him he denies everything and still keeps his childish behaviour. Piestly finds Mr. Birling’s ideals to be insulting and he wrote this play to fight against these sorts of people. Mrs. Birling (Sybil) being Mr. Birling’s ‘social superior’ always tries to correct him ‘Arthur’; you’re not supposed to say such…

change or danger will approach us. Other people might say that since Priestley was not a Christian then why should refer to a holy moral, the Inspector might be viewed as Priestley’s spokesman, who acts as Priestley’s mind or voice expressing his politics. The last speech of the Inspector is the message Priestley is trying to put through, he says that if you don’t change then there will be ‘fire and blood and anguish,’ here Priestley is talking directly to the audience, historically that is what…