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.
setting
During the 1930's Priestley
became very concerned
about the consequences of
social inequality in Britain
‘An Inspector Calls’ was
written in 1946 but is set in
1912.
Put historically, it
was written just after
the Second World
War and set just
before the First World
War.•
J.B. Priestley had lived
through both wars, which
must have had a huge
impact upon him.•
By setting the play in the past, Priestley
can make use of dramatic irony – the
audience knows what happens after the
events in the play but obviously the
characters don’t.
Author's Background
in 1942 Priestley 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.
written in 1945
The Second World War
ended in Europe on 8 May
1945. People were
recovering from nearly six
years of warfare, danger
and uncertainty
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.
set in 1912
The First World War would start in
two years. Birling's optimistic view
that there would not be a war is
completely wrong.
There were strong distinctions
between the upper and lower classes
Women were subservient to
men. All a well off women could
do was get married; a poor
woman was seen as cheap
labour.
The ruling classes saw no need
to change the status quo.