Context of ‘Inspector Calls’ by J.B Priestley
Priestley:
Served on the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in the First World War and volunteered on the 7 th
September 1914.
In 1934, he published the travelogue English Journey which followed the effect of the Great Depression.
Interestingly, he is said to have had a prejudice towards the Irish saying in English Journey that he would
like to see a speech or book on ‘what Ireland has done to England.’ Possibly against Irish Independence
(Declared in 1919.)
Several of his plays were influenced by J.W Dunne’s theory of time.
In 1940, he wrote an essay for Horizon Magazine criticizing George Gernard Shaw for his support for
Stalin.
During WW2 he was a regular broadcaster on the BBC which his show, The Postscript drew peak
audiences of 16 million; only Churchill was more popular with listeners. However, his talks were cancelled
and it is believed that these were after the complaints of Churchill. He had a great influence over the
country with Graham Greene writing that he “became in the months after Dunkirk a leader second only in
importance to Mr. Churchill.”
Priestley influenced the period and helped the Labour Party get it’s landslide victory in 1945.
Priestley was placed on Orwell’s list of the Information Research Department of the Foreign Office which
created anti-communist propaganda in the Cold War. Orwell considered these people to have pro-communist
leanings and therefore unsuitable to write for the IRD.
Priestley was a founding member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in 1958.
He was married three times and had a number of affairs.
Priestley:
Served on the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment in the First World War and volunteered on the 7 th
September 1914.
In 1934, he published the travelogue English Journey which followed the effect of the Great Depression.
Interestingly, he is said to have had a prejudice towards the Irish saying in English Journey that he would
like to see a speech or book on ‘what Ireland has done to England.’ Possibly against Irish Independence
(Declared in 1919.)
Several of his plays were influenced by J.W Dunne’s theory of time.
In 1940, he wrote an essay for Horizon Magazine criticizing George Gernard Shaw for his support for
Stalin.
During WW2 he was a regular broadcaster on the BBC which his show, The Postscript drew peak
audiences of 16 million; only Churchill was more popular with listeners. However, his talks were cancelled
and it is believed that these were after the complaints of Churchill. He had a great influence over the
country with Graham Greene writing that he “became in the months after Dunkirk a leader second only in
importance to Mr. Churchill.”
Priestley influenced the period and helped the Labour Party get it’s landslide victory in 1945.
Priestley was placed on Orwell’s list of the Information Research Department of the Foreign Office which
created anti-communist propaganda in the Cold War. Orwell considered these people to have pro-communist
leanings and therefore unsuitable to write for the IRD.
Priestley was a founding member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in 1958.
He was married three times and had a number of affairs.
