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How Does Priestley Create Tension In An Inspector Calls

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“An Inspector Calls” is a play written by J.B. Priestly, in which a mysterious inspector interrogates a wealthy, upper-middle class English family about their responsibility for the death of a young girl. The play itself was first premiered in the United Kingdom in 1946, a crucial point in the history of the country. Following the trauma of the Second World War, and the incredible damage suffered as a result of the Blitz, the nation’s political situation was beginning to shift massively towards socialist ideologies: with the first Labour government in several years, led by Clement Attlee, and the foundation of the NHS. All these issues were clearly on Priestley’s mind, as he wrote the play: remaining to this day one of the most socialist works to have been written in Britain to date. …show more content…

Mr. Birling, the father, toasts to the couple, and Gerald presents Sheila with her engagement ring. After Mr. Birling’s lengthy speech, the women and Eric leave the room. The two men then discuss personal matters, with Mr. Birling fearing for his daughter’s social inferiority to Gerald. When Eric returns, Mr. Birling continues giving advice, and is proudly announcing his individualistic worldview when the doorbell rings, announcing the arrival of the Inspector. This “introductory” part of the play gives the audience an insight into the individual characters of Birling family (in this, case, including Gerald). However, in order to fully comprehend the method in which Priestly presents certain aspects of the characters, we must first examine the tone and mood of the

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