Context

• The play was set in 1912, just before the Titanic sinking and WW1.

  • It is before both world wars and the British Empire was still powerful
• The play was written in 1945, post WW2
• Yorkshire's culture


  Priestley grew up in Yorkshire:

  • he witnessed a lot of poverty amongst the working classes.
  • The city was industrial and the economy is reliant on wool and dyeing industries
  • Slums and impoverished conditions.
• Priestley and socialism

  • Raised surrounded by socialist values
  • Father was a proud socialist
  • Socialist since he was young
  • Promotes a socialist ideology
  • Co-founder of the Common Wealth Party (Socialist party)
• Socialism


  a political and economic philosophy that advocates for the community to own and manage the means of production and natural resources, rather than individuals
• Priestley in WW1


  Priestley served in the army for five years.

  • He saw active front-line services
  • He nearly died while many of his friends died giving him a feeling of survivor's guilt
• Victorian influence


  The play demonstrates the destructive impact of Victorian values and advocates for their removal from our modern culture
• Fallen women


  Women who had lost their innocence and fallen from the grace of God.

  They were condemned and ostracised by society
• Victorian rules and hierarchy


  • They were very religious people
  • Believed in sexual restraint, politeness, cleanliness and obedience of law
  • Hierarchy based on age, gender, wealth and heritage.
  • Your role in this hierarchy determined your expectations
• Double life


  • Most people of the upper class, especially men lived a double life.
  • They took part in all 'sinful' acts during night that they would condemn in the day
• The impact of the World Wars


  • Changed the economical, political and social landscape of Britain irreversibly
  • Dismantled the class systems as all classes experienced the same black outs, bombing raids and rationing etc.
  • Fewer upper class people
• Attitudes towards war

  • Men who did not enlist were often publicly shamed for it.
  • People were shaken by the large massacres and the gruesome reality of war
• The Second World War brought a sense of unification and teamwork.

  • created a sense of sharing and cooperation
• The government during the wars

  • Abandoned laissez-faire attitude
  • Government took measures to protect its people such as rationing and evacuation.
  • Government sent people to investigate social security
• The Great Depression


  • Worst economic event since industrialisation
  • Began in 1929
  • There was a lot less upper class people
  • Worst economic event since industrialisation
  • Began in 1929
  • There was a lot less upper class people
• 1912 class system


  • Poverty was extreme in both the cities and the countryside
  • Upper classes often had luxury stately homes to escape poverty.
  • People had more children to increase the number of working people in a family.
  • Lower class people had little to no education
• Women

  • Working class women needed to marry and have children.
  • Unmarried women were almost ostracised from society.
  • Upper class exploited their serving girls and female staff
• Industrial Revolution


  Happened during 1760 to 1840Happened during 1760 to 1840Happened during 1760 to 1840Happened during 1760 to 1840

  • Transition from manual labour to manufacturing with machinery.
  • Made production more efficient.
  • Huge growth in population and income
  • Urban spaces were cramped leading to poor hygiene.
• Industrial Revolution

  • Transition from manual labour to manufacturing with machinery.
  • Made production more efficient.
  • Huge growth in population and income
  • Urban spaces were cramped leading to poor hygiene.
  • Happened during 1760 to 1840
  • New class emerged = New money
• Worker's Rights & Strikes in 1912


  • Changed the way Britain's workforce was structured.
  • Controlled wages, work hours, work conditions were put in place
  • Trade unions became popular
• Women in work


  The average salary was much less for women.

  They were fined if they left their work area.

  If they talked or sneezed or made any noise they were fined

  Gossiping could make you lose your job.
• Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the Austro-Hungarian War ignored the injustices and inequalities on oppressed social gorups