The whole play

• Priestley's ideas


  • The play promotes socialism
  • Suggests change is possible
  • Puts hope in the younger generation
  • Challenges existing social hierarchies
  • Criticises the moral failings of the upper classes
  • Encourages the audience to reconsider their attitudes and behaviours
  • Promotes egalitarian views in post-war Britain
• No intervals


  The Birlings don't get a break, so neither do we
• Dramatic devices


  • stage directions
  • dramatic tension
  • exits and entrances
  • dramatic irony
  • cliff-hangers
  • the Inspector
  • contrast
  • sound effects
  • punctuation
  • symbolism
  • use of lighting
• Priestley is specific about stage directions/dramatic devices so that the play is always performed the same way and the clear moral message is not diluted
• Context


  • Set in 1912
  • Just before the Titanic sank
  • A few years before WWI
  • Written and performed in 1945
  • Post-WWII
  • Explores themes of social responsibility and class in England
  • Critiques the rigid class system and inequality of early 20th Century Britain
• Context - quotes


  • "Unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable."
  • "No-one wants war"
  • Mr Birling, Act 1
  • Dramatic Irony
  • Birling is so confident as he says something completely wrong, means the audience don't trust him in the play going forward
• Priestley


  • Socialist
  • Supported the Labour party
  • They won in a landslide in 1945
  • Contrasts capitalist attitudes (Mr Birling) with socialist attitudes (the Inspector)
  • Writing at a time of major social change - the rise of the welfare state
  • Promotes socialist ideas of collective responsibility
• Key concepts

  • Capitalism
  • Socialism
  • Community
  • Society
  • Class
  • Hypocrisy
  • Morality
  • Everyman
  • Seven deadly sins
  • Loss of innocence
  • Old V. young
  • Privilege
  • Veneer of respectability
  • Abuse of power
  • Generation gap
• Technical terminology


  • Modern drama
  • Modern stage
  • Dramatic irony
  • Lighting
  • Structure
  • Intimidation
  • Symbolism
  • Visual image
  • Metaphor
  • Moralising tone
  • Voice
  • Prophetic tone
  • Didactic tone
  • Interrogation
• Aristotle's Unities


  • Unity of action
  • A tragedy should have one principle action
  • Unity of place
  • A tragedy should exist in a single physical location
  • Unity of time
  • A tragedy should occur over a period of no more than 24 hours
• The Inspector acts like a Greek chorus