An Inspector Calls Hannah
Style and technique
Technique: genre
-The play is a morality play that promotes a need for social
responsibility in the audience (intending to provide moral
instruction)
-similar to a whodunit which was a popular genre
-morality plays contained characters that personified moral attitudes
-the inspector arguably, personifies social conscience
- Historically they sought to teach the audience lessons that focused
on the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and
pride
-it’s a morality play since all the Birlings and Gerald committed to the
seven deadly sins
-Mr Birling -> greedy
-Sheila -> wrath, envy
-Gerald and Eric-> lust, taking advantages on Eva
-Mrs Birling -> pride
-Priestley uses the morality play structure to teach the audience a
series of lesson that relate to his beliefs about social responsibility,
age, gender and class. The audience is invited to enjoy judging these
characters and are also forced to question their own behaviour
, Technique: structure
-well-made play: tight plot, climax close to the end and most of the
actions occurs before the start of the play
-applies to the three dramatic unities:
>place, actions occurs in one setting
>action, one plot, no sub-plots
>time, real time, no flash backs or flash forwards
-as a result, the audience become voyeurs (discomfort since it’s not
polite to be watching)
-cliff-hangers:
>’Of course he knows. And I hate to think how much he knows that
we don’t know yet. You’ll see. You’ll see.
>by the end of act 1, Sheila is growing hysterical, she realises that the
Inspector knows all and the audience would be struck by the
dramatic change in her
>’the door slowly opens and the Inspector appears, looking steadily
and searchingly at them.’
>Act 2, the Inspector slowly opening the door as he returns to the
scene is very dramatic, the look he gives them adds to the tension
>’Well?’
>Act 3, finally the act ends on a question, the audience are desperate
to know the answer
The twits ending
-the ending is very effective
-The Birlings and Gerald are stunned and the audience would be
shocked and left with a lot of unanswered questions
-we can see the structure of the play as the cycle of events is about
to start all over again, with an investigation into the suicide of a
young girl
-Sheila and Eric have learned from their mistakes and could escape
this cycle, whereas the others have not
Style and technique
Technique: genre
-The play is a morality play that promotes a need for social
responsibility in the audience (intending to provide moral
instruction)
-similar to a whodunit which was a popular genre
-morality plays contained characters that personified moral attitudes
-the inspector arguably, personifies social conscience
- Historically they sought to teach the audience lessons that focused
on the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and
pride
-it’s a morality play since all the Birlings and Gerald committed to the
seven deadly sins
-Mr Birling -> greedy
-Sheila -> wrath, envy
-Gerald and Eric-> lust, taking advantages on Eva
-Mrs Birling -> pride
-Priestley uses the morality play structure to teach the audience a
series of lesson that relate to his beliefs about social responsibility,
age, gender and class. The audience is invited to enjoy judging these
characters and are also forced to question their own behaviour
, Technique: structure
-well-made play: tight plot, climax close to the end and most of the
actions occurs before the start of the play
-applies to the three dramatic unities:
>place, actions occurs in one setting
>action, one plot, no sub-plots
>time, real time, no flash backs or flash forwards
-as a result, the audience become voyeurs (discomfort since it’s not
polite to be watching)
-cliff-hangers:
>’Of course he knows. And I hate to think how much he knows that
we don’t know yet. You’ll see. You’ll see.
>by the end of act 1, Sheila is growing hysterical, she realises that the
Inspector knows all and the audience would be struck by the
dramatic change in her
>’the door slowly opens and the Inspector appears, looking steadily
and searchingly at them.’
>Act 2, the Inspector slowly opening the door as he returns to the
scene is very dramatic, the look he gives them adds to the tension
>’Well?’
>Act 3, finally the act ends on a question, the audience are desperate
to know the answer
The twits ending
-the ending is very effective
-The Birlings and Gerald are stunned and the audience would be
shocked and left with a lot of unanswered questions
-we can see the structure of the play as the cycle of events is about
to start all over again, with an investigation into the suicide of a
young girl
-Sheila and Eric have learned from their mistakes and could escape
this cycle, whereas the others have not
