What is the historical context of An Inspector Calls?
1912 to 1945: This was the period of the Russian Revolution, two appalling world wars, the Holocaust and the Atom Bomb. An Inspector Calls is set in 1912 An Inspector Calls was written in 1945. The First World War would start in two years. Birling’s optimistic view that there would not be a war is completely wrong.
What historical period is Inspector Calls set?
1912
JB Priestley’s play, An Inspector Calls is set in 1912 but written in 1945. We need to remember that the play is set before both world wars and at a time when the British Empire was still a force to be reckoned with internationally.
Who slept with Eva Smith in An Inspector Calls?
Eric confessing that he raped Eva Smith. Eric Birling is one of the main characters in J.B. Priestly’s acclaimed 1945 play An Inspector Calls. He is the son of Arthur and Sybil Birling and the sister of Sheila.
Why was An Inspector Calls set in 1912 but written in 1945?
Priestley deliberately set his play in 1912 because the date represented an era when all was very different from the time he was writing. In 1912, rigid class and gender boundaries seemed to ensure that nothing would change. Yet by 1945, most of those class and gender divisions had been breached.
What were Priestley’s intentions when writing An Inspector Calls?
Priestley’s intention in writing the play is to get a message across. This message is in the Inspector’s final speech, it says, ‘We are members of one body, we are all responsible for each other’. This message is telling us to look after each other, even if it is not a member of your family or a close friend.
What influenced Priestley in Inspector Calls?
‘ Whilst some progress was made after the First World War, society did not come far enough, and just over twenty years later in 1939, the Second World War broke out. Priestley, who was a well-established writer and social commentator by this time, was prompted to write An Inspector Calls.
Who does the inspector question first in Inspector Calls?
Inspector Goole arrives and says that a woman called Eva Smith has committed suicide by drinking disinfectant. He starts to question the family members, one by one.
What did Eric think of Eva Smith?
3/4: Eric’s Character Development/changes He was part of the ‘chain of events’, having a fling with Eva Smith and getting her pregnant. He treated her ‘as if she were an animal, a thing, not a person. ‘ At the start of the play, he was just like the others – abusing his power over a working class girl.
Why did Eva Smith not marry Eric?
Eva Smith – symbol of the working class She forms a sharp contrast with the Birling family: she worked hard, supported her fellow workers and was kind. Her honesty prevented her from considering marriage to Eric and protected him from his foolishness in stealing money.
What role did Priestley perform during the Second World War?
Postscripts
During the Second World War Priestley was a regular and influential broadcaster on the BBC. His Postscripts began in June 1940 in the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation, and continued throughout that year.