Characters and Dramatic Devices in An Inspector Calls
This page introduces the main characters of J.B. Priestley's play "An Inspector Calls" and outlines key dramatic devices used throughout the work. The characters are presented with their roles and defining characteristics, providing insight into their personalities and functions within the narrative.
Highlight: The Inspector, Goole, is described as "Priestley's mouthpiece; advocates social justice; serves as the Birlings' conscience," emphasizing his role as a moral arbiter in the play.
The Birling family members, including Mr. Arthur Birling, Mrs. Sybil Birling, Sheila Birling, and Eric Birling, are introduced along with Gerald Croft and the unseen character Eva Smith. Each character is given a brief description that hints at their role in the story and their personal traits.
Example: Mr. Arthur Birling is characterized as a "Businessman; capitalist; against social equality: a self-made man new−money," setting up his opposition to the Inspector's ideals.
The page also lists several dramatic devices employed in the play:
- Dramatic irony
- Setting
- Tension
- Cliff-hanger
- Foreshadowing
- Theatrical Stagecraft
- Time-lapse
- The 4th Wall
Definition: Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters do not, creating tension and anticipation in the narrative.
These devices are crucial in understanding how Priestley crafts the play's structure and impact. The inclusion of stage directions is noted as an important element that reveals character emotions and sets the atmosphere.
Quote: The stage directions are described as "Instructions for the actors; often revealing - such as the lighting change when the Inspector arrives: 'Pink and intimate then brighter and harder'"
The page concludes with a section on Social, Historical and Literary Allusions, mentioning references to the Titanic, Russia, and socialist writers Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells. These allusions provide context for the play's setting and themes, connecting the fictional events to real-world history and social commentary.
