Gender

• ARGUMENT

  Through ‘An inspector calls,’ Priestley criticised the exploitation of the working classes by the rich and argues for a new socialist system based on equality
• CONTEXT

  Priestley was influenced by the campaign for female suffrage during the Edwardian era, as well as the existing patriarchal structure. Under this social structure, the burden of shame was placed upon women who were blamed for illicit relationship, whereas men would be less harshly judged.
• FOCUS

  Through the presentation of the male characters’ treatment of women in the play, Priestley rejects the social hierarchy which treated women as either trophy wives or disposable object/ playthings
• BEGINNING POINT

  Priestley uses Birling’s treatment of Eva Smith in Act 1 as a parallel for the Suffragette‘s right to ‘voice’ in Edwardian Britain
• “far too much to say for herself“
• “if you don’t come down hard on these people they’d soon be asking for the Earth“
• “it’s a free country, I told them“
• MIDDLE POINT

  Through Gerald’s affair with Daisy Renton Priestley explores how the Edwardian men openly exploited the lack of independence and freedom given to women
• “I hate those hard eyed dough-faced women”
• “The opposite of hard and tough and unable to look after herself”
• “I became at once the most important person in her life”
• END POINT

  Through Eric’s use of sexual violences revealed in Act 3, Priestley criticises the misogyny which leads to the treatment of woman as sexual objects
• “I was in that state where one easily turns nasty”
• “I threatened to make a row”
• “Yes I wasn’t in love with her or anything-but I liked her-she was a good sport and pretty”