Introduction

Priestley: An Inspector Calls

In this course, Professor John McRae (University of Nottingham) explores J. B. Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’. In the first module, we provide a broad introduction to the play, focusing in particular on the influence of Gogol’s ‘The Government Inspector’ and the importance of the ordinary, middle-class background of the Birling. After that, in the second and third modules, we think about two historical contexts that are important to the play: first, politics and society in Edwardian Britain, when the play was set; and second, politics and society in 1940s Britain, when the play was written and first performed. In the subsequent twelve modules, we go through the play scene by scene, starting with the opening stage directions (“The dining-room of fairly large suburban house”) and ending with the play’s stunning final twist. As we go through each scene, we think about how characters interact with one another and respond to the events of the play, the development of the plot, the use of dramatic effects, key themes such as guilt, duty, and responsibility … and much, much more.

Note: Page numbers refer to J. B. Priestley, An Inspector Calls and Other Plays (Penguin Modern Classics, 2000). Students using a different version of the play may encounter slight differences in both the text and line numbers.

Introduction

In this module, we provide a broad introduction to the play, focusing in particular on the influence of Nikolai Gogol’s ‘The Government Inspector’ and the works of Henrik Ibsen, and the importance of the ordinary, middle-class background of the Birling family.