Overview

• Who is the playwright of the play discussed?

  J.B. Priestley
• When was the play first performed?

  1945
• What year is the setting of the play?

  1912
• Where does the play take place?

  In the dining room of the Birling family home
• What is the structure of the play?

  Three acts with no scene breaks
• What genre does the play belong to?

  A morality play and a well-made play
• What is a key theme emphasized by the play's context?

  Dramatic irony of known events
• What significant event does Mr. Birling dismiss in Act 1?

  The possibility of war
• What does Inspector Goole reveal upon his arrival?

  Eva Smith's suicide and questioning Mr. Birling
• Why does Sheila confess in Act 1?

  She had Eva dismissed due to jealousy
• Who does Gerald admit to having an affair with?

  Eva Smith, also known as Daisy Renton
• What does Mrs. Birling confess in Act 2?

  She denied Eva charity when she sought help
• What significant detail is revealed about Eva in Act 2?

  She was pregnant and sought help
• What does Eric confess in Act 3?

  He exploited Eva and is her child's father
• What does the Inspector do before leaving?

  Delivers a moral speech
• What do the Birlings discover at the end of the play?

  There may not have been a real Inspector
• What does the phone call at the end signify?

  A real inspector is coming to question them
• What does Inspector Goole's quote about responsibility reflect?

  Socialist ideals and collective responsibility
• What does Arthur Birling's quote reveal about his character?

  His rejection of social responsibility
• What is a turning point for Sheila Birling in the play?

  She begins to grasp the Inspector’s message
• What historical context does the play reflect?

  Post-WWII attitudes and critiques of complacency
• What social context is depicted in the play?

  Rigid class system in Edwardian England
• What political context influenced Priestley's writing?

  His socialist beliefs critique capitalism
• What techniques does Priestley use in the play?

  • Dramatic Irony: Birling’s remarks about Titanic and war
  • Timing: Inspector arrives after Birling's dismissal of socialism
  • Symbolism: Eva Smith represents the oppressed
  • Tension: Built through revelations and questioning
• What does the term "Dramatic Irony" refer to in the play?

  Audience knows more than the characters
• How does timing play a role in the Inspector's arrival?

  It highlights Birling's dismissal of socialist ideas
• What does Eva Smith symbolize in the play?

  She represents the oppressed "Everywoman"
• How is tension built throughout the play?

  Through revelations and the Inspector’s questioning