Social and Historical Context

Edwardian Society

Watch the BBC documentary in order to learn about the Social and Historical context within the play.

Priestley criticises society throughout the play. Think of examples of how he does this by using characters as examples of his opinion.

Birling's Toast

A detailed analysis of Arthur Birling's character, anchored in historical and social context.

Watch this video to help your understanding of why Mr Birling acts and behaves the way he does.

Who is J.B.Priestely?

Born to a working-class family in Yorkshire, in the north of England, John Priestley, who published under the name J. B. Priestley, wrote plays, novels, biographies, travelogues, and assorted essays, many notable for their political engagement. Priestley fought for England in the First World War, and the experience was formative for him. He later studied literature and political science at Cambridge, and on graduating began his career as an essayist, before branching out into other genres. He wrote quickly and thoroughly, producing dozens of texts. He published treatments of the lives of Charles Dickens and George Meredith, and a broader historical assessment of literary art and its effect on people’s lives (Literature and Western Man). Today, Priestley’s notoriety derives from his writing for the theater. An Inspector Calls, the play with which he is most commonly associated, opened in the Soviet Union in Russian translation after the Second World War, and in London soon after. Reviews over the next decades of Inspector and his other works were mixed, but a production of Inspector in the 1990s in London revived interest. Priestley’s plays continue to be performed in the US and the UK.

Priestley: The Broadcaster

An introduction to the social and political influences behind J. B. Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls'. The distinction between when 'An Inspector Calls' is set (1912) and when it was written (1945) is fundamental when analysing the social and political background of the novel. The narrator highlights the relevance of the play being written during the last year of the Second World War, using cinematic footage from the time to illustrate what life was like during this period. Excerpts from J. B. Priestley's morale-boosting radio broadcast that followed the news every evening are also featured. An interview with Priestley's son provides further insight into his father's aspirations for his play to echo the feelings of ordinary people.

Read more and watch the clips on BBC Bitesize here.

Keywords and definitions

Socialism - any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

Hierarchy - the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing; also : the group so classified.

Social Mobility - movement within society (a focus on class).

Class - a group sharing the same economic or social status (the working class).

Capitalism - an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.

Edwardian Era - The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history covers the brief reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910, and is sometimes extended in both directions to capture long-term trends from the 1890s to the First World War.

Aristocracy - government by the best individuals or by a small privileged class.

Arthur Birling's series of spectacularly inaccurate predictions

'Last month, just because the miners came out on strike, there's a lot of wild talk about possible labour trouble in the near future. Don't worry. We've passed the worst of it.'

Reality: In 1926, the miners went on strike for nine days as part of what became known as the General Strike. They were joined by dockworkers, ironworkers, printers, railwaymen, steelworkers and transport workers. In total, over a million and a half workers took part in the industrial action.

'[W]e're in for a time of steadily increasing prosperity.'

Reality: Though its economy grew in the 1920s, Britain suffered economic depression in the 1930s, partly as a result of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Unemployment rose to 25%.

'[T]here isn't a chance of war.'

Reality: The First World War, or Great War, in which J.B. Priestly fought, would begin on 28 July, 1914, and last for over four years, killing 16 million soldiers and civilians, including nearly 750,000 British troops.

'The Titanic, forty-six thousand eight hundred tonnes... and unsinkable, absolutely unsinkable.'

Reality: The Titanic sank on 12 April, 1912, during its maiden voyage, after striking an iceberg. Over 1500 passengers died, largely as a result of the ship's inadequate safety features, particularly for those passengers in second and third class.

'In twenty or thirty years' time – let's say, in 1940 – you may be giving a little party like this'

Reality: The Second World War began on the 1st of September, 1939. By June 1940, Nazi Germany had conquered much of northern Europe, including France, and looked set to invade the United Kingdom.

'There'll be peace and prosperity everywhere – except of course in Russia, which will always be behindhand naturally.'

Reality: In 1945, following its defeat of Germany in the Second World War, the USSR (which included Russia) ranked with the USA as one of the world's superpowers.

Context and Background Documentary

Watch the following clip to remind yourselves of the important historical context and background to the play An Inspector Calls.

This is super important to link in with the AO4 aspect of the essay question!