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An Inspector Calls -
CONTEXT
- J. B. Priestly: Context behind the drama
- John Boynton
Priestley was born
in Yorkshire in 1894.
He knew early on
that he wanted to
become a writer,
but decided against
going to university
as he thought he
would get a better
feel for the world
around him away
from an academic
community. Instead,
he became a junior
clerk at 16.
- When World War 1 broke out,
he joined the army and
escaped death many times.
After the war, he gained a
degree from Cambridge
University, moving to London
to become a writer. He
wrote successful articles
and published his first novel
in 1929. He wrote his first
play in 1932 and went on to
write 50 more. Much of his
writing was controversial. He
included new ideas about
possible parallel universes
and strong political
messages.
- Priestley wrote 'An Inspector
Calls' after the First World War
and like much of his work
contains controversial, politically
charged messages. He set 'An
Inspector Calls' in 1912 because
that era represented the
opposite of what people were
hoping for in 1945.
- During World War 2, he broadcast a
popular weekly radio show which
was attacked by the Conservatives
for being too left-wing. The
programme was eventually
cancelled by the BBC for being too
critical of the Government.
- During World War 2, he broadcast a
popular weekly radio show which
was attacked by the Conservatives
for being too left-wing. The
programme was eventually
cancelled by the BBC for being too
critical of the Government.
- Priestley wrote 'An Inspector
Calls' after the First World War
and like much of his work
contains controversial, politically
charged messages. He set 'An
Inspector Calls' in 1912 because
that era represented the
opposite of what people were
hoping for in 1945.
- When World War 1 broke out,
he joined the army and
escaped death many times.
After the war, he gained a
degree from Cambridge
University, moving to London
to become a writer. He
wrote successful articles
and published his first novel
in 1929. He wrote his first
play in 1932 and went on to
write 50 more. Much of his
writing was controversial. He
included new ideas about
possible parallel universes
and strong political
messages.
- John Boynton
Priestley was born
in Yorkshire in 1894.
He knew early on
that he wanted to
become a writer,
but decided against
going to university
as he thought he
would get a better
feel for the world
around him away
from an academic
community. Instead,
he became a junior
clerk at 16.
- Priestly's Political Views
- In the 1930's, Priestley became very
concerned about the consequences of
social inequality. During 1942, he and others
set up a new political party, the Common
Wealth Party, which argued for public
ownership of land, greater democracy, and
a new 'morality' in politics. The party merged
with the Labour Party in 1945, but Priestley
was influential in developing the idea of the
Welfare State which began to be put into
place at the end of the war.
- He believed that further
world wars could only be
avoided through
cooperation and mutual
respect between
countries, and so
became active in the
early movement for a
United Nations. And as
the nuclear arms race
between West and East
began in the 1950s, he
helped to found the
Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament, CND,
hoping that the UK would
set an example to the
world by a moral act of
nuclear disarmament.
- He believed that further
world wars could only be
avoided through
cooperation and mutual
respect between
countries, and so
became active in the
early movement for a
United Nations. And as
the nuclear arms race
between West and East
began in the 1950s, he
helped to found the
Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament, CND,
hoping that the UK would
set an example to the
world by a moral act of
nuclear disarmament.
- In the 1930's, Priestley became very
concerned about the consequences of
social inequality. During 1942, he and others
set up a new political party, the Common
Wealth Party, which argued for public
ownership of land, greater democracy, and
a new 'morality' in politics. The party merged
with the Labour Party in 1945, but Priestley
was influential in developing the idea of the
Welfare State which began to be put into
place at the end of the war.
- Comparing 1912 and 1945
- J B Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls after the First World War and
like much of his work contains controversial, politically charged
messages. An Inspector Calls is set in 1912, it was written in 1945. This
table describes what society was like in 1912 and 1945
- 1912
- First World War starts in two
years. Birling's optimistic that
there would not be a war is
wrong.
- There were strong distinctions
between the upper and lower
classes.
- Women were considered to be
lower than men. All a well off
women could do was get
married; a working woman was
seen as a poor person.
- The ruling classes saw no
need to change the status
quo.
- First World War starts in two
years. Birling's optimistic that
there would not be a war is
wrong.
- 1945
- The Second World War ended
on 8 May 1945. People were
recovering from six years of
warfare.
- Class distinctions had been
greatly reduced as a result of
two world wars.
- As a result of the wars, women
had earned a more valued place
in society.
- There was a great desire for
social change. Immediately
after The Second World War,
Clement Attlee's Labour Party
won a landslide victory over
Winston Churchill and the
Conservatives.
- The Second World War ended
on 8 May 1945. People were
recovering from six years of
warfare.
- 1912
- 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.
Priestley wanted to make the most of these changes. Through
this play, he encourages people to seize the opportunity the end
of the war had given them to build a better, more caring society.
- J B Priestley wrote An Inspector Calls after the First World War and
like much of his work contains controversial, politically charged
messages. An Inspector Calls is set in 1912, it was written in 1945. This
table describes what society was like in 1912 and 1945
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