The play An Inspector Calls is based in Edwardian England, but was written in 1945. The Edwardian Era was from 1900 - 1914, and the sinking of the Titanic and the start of WW1 ended the era. The author was trying to capture the atmosphere and feel in Edwardian England. The play also has a major role in capitalism (where means of production, trade and industry were largely privately owned), and socialism (communities made of different classes and statuses that had equal or similar wages etc.).
The author was highly against capitalism, for during the Edwardian Era, many working and lower class people were mistreated by their employers, and he disagreed with the methods of capitalism. An Inspector Calls also revolves around a Victorian man and how he treats his employees.
As Priestley was writing An inspector calls, the United Kingdom was in a bad state: the Second World War had concluded only a year before in 1945. Food was still being rationed, and many towns and cities had suffered massive damage during the Blitz. The political situation in the UK was about to shift massively with the first Labour government in several years, led by Clement Attlee, beginning work in 1946, the same year Priestley's play was first performed.
Additionally, before the war in 1939, the audience of the London theatre (which produced work that was popular and wide in range) began to be lured into the new "talking pictures" in the cinemas. In an attempt to regain their viewers, the theatre has made musicals more glamorous and spectacles more ambitious.
Detective thrillers and serious dramas were produced. Shakespeare's plays were revived, featuring the popular actors of those times, including John Gielgud.
An Inspector Calls also includes the seven deadly sins (pride, sloth, gluttony, envy, covetousness, lust & anger).
The connection between the seven deadly sins and An Inspector Calls is illustrated through all characters
Mr Birling represents greed because he sacked one of his employees, Eva Smith, just to save a few shillings. He also represents pride because he didn't want his name and business being tarnished because of one girl.
Mrs Birling represents wrath as she is angry at Eva Smith for using her name, in what she thinks is a spiteful way. She could also represent pride as she is proud of her name and does not want anyone else using her name without good reason.
Sheila represents envy as she is angry at Eva Smith for laughing at her, and she represents wrath for the same reason.
Eric represents gluttony as he has become an alcoholic; he is drinking far too much. He also represents sloth as he does not work for the money he gives to Eva Smith, and instead resorts to stealing it from his father's business.
Gerald represents lust as he fancies Eva Smith, and although he is in a relationship with Sheila, he still embarks on a sexual relationship with another woman, being Eva Smith.
Therefore you can see the connection between the characters in An Inspector Calls and the Seven Deadly Sins.
Edwardian musical comedy took place back during the early 1890s until the rise of the American musicals and following the First World War. Edwardian theatre was a British musical theatre which was a unique style from and captured the musical stage in Britain as well as other countries where English was spoken. Some of the most famous ones were 'A Gaiety Girl' which led to an incredible number of hits over the next 3 decades.
In the play, Mr birling represents a capitalist society. This is an economic system that is based on the private ownership of industry.
The problem with Capitalism is that it often leads to the few exploiting the many and creates a situation where those who have money have the power to stop others from sharing the wealth.
The Arcadians is also a popular Edwardian musical comedy composed by Monckton and Talbot. The story is about the havoc wreaked when truth-telling Arcadians arrive in corrupt London, with operetta-singing Arcadians, representing the past, meeting with music hall-singing Londoners, representing the future. This is an example of a common feature of shows of this period: sophistication with a common touch.
Edwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre from the period between the early 1890s, when the operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the American musicals following the First World War.
Edwardian musical comedy began in the last decade of the Victorian era and captured the optimism, energy and good humour of the new century and the Edwardian era, as well as providing comfort during the First World War. Also Theatre in England reached its zenith during the Edwardian era.
During the Edwardian era When the boer war took place the it split Britain into anti war and pro war fractions. The liberals spoke against the wars while unionist were with the war as it add too the economical strength of Britain the liberals ended up winning by a landslide as they were very influential
Before the outbreak of war in 1939 the London theatre had produced work that was very wide in range. It used to lure the audience by entertaining them with musical dramas. At the time detective stories were also popular written by authors such as Agatha Christie.
England was a largely capitalist economy during the Edwardian era. As a result, there were large divisions between the rich and the poor, which is why the writer, along with the working classes in England, were strongly against capitalism. At the same time, the idea of socialism, where companies were owned by the government and where equality is promoted because of similar wages, grew stronger in Britain.
The play an inspector calls is based in the Edwardian era which was during 1900 to the beginning of World War One. In the play inspector calls the writer tries to mirror what life was like during the Edwardian era in which he focuses A lot in captalisim and socialism. Capitalism is economic system when means of production, trade and industry were privately owned while socialism is when different status of rank in the economic ladder got equal or similar wages. The writer and like many other working class Britain citizens were strongly against captalisim as many of the working class we're getting poorer while the owners were getting richer as the money wasn't moving down in the economic ladder.
Context / History: Edwardian Drama was a form of British musical theatre from the period between the early 1890s until the early 1910s; Edwardian theatre had come to a stop due to the rise of the American Theaters as well as the First World War.
Edwardian Drama took place during the Edwardian era, in which is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII 1901 to 1910, and is sometimes extended beyond Edward's death to include years leading up to the First World War The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era. While Victoria had shunned society, Edward was the leader of a fashionable elite that set a style influenced by the art and fashions of Continental Europe—perhaps because of the King's fondness for travel. The era was marked by significant shifts in politics as sections of society that had been largely excluded from wielding power in the past, such as common labourers and women, became increasingly politicized.
The Edwardian period is frequently extended beyond King Edward's death in 1910 to include the years up to the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the start of WW1 in 1914, the end of hostilities with Germany in 1918, or the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
Examples: The popularity of the earliest ones, In Town and A Gaiety Girl (1893), led to an astonishing number of hits over the next three decades, the most successful of which included A Gaiety Girl (1893), The Shop Girl (1894), The Geisha (1896), Florodora (1899), A Chinese Honeymoon (1901), The Earl and the Girl (1903), The Arcadians (1909), Our Miss Gibbs (1909), The Quaker Girl (1910), Betty (1914), Chu Chin Chow (1916) and The Maid of the Mountains.
(Click hyperlinks to read more about the plays)
Capitalism & Socialism: Capitalism by definition is: "an economic system and a mode of production in which trade, industries, and the means of production are largely or entirely privately owned." Capitalism is often referred to as a pyramid scheme, where the individuals and low classes are forced to pay for the unsustainable practices of the ruler (at the bottom of the pyramid) and the ruler / the state being at the top, earning profits.
Socialism is where communities made of different classes and statuses have equal or similar wages, which in a way encourages less effort and to be lazy rather than to work hard.
An Inspector Calls: An Inspector Calls by J.B Priestley is a piece base during Edwardian England which was first performed in 1945 in the Soviet Union. This piece became rather successful and was considered Priestley's best work. J.B. Priestley was against the practice of capitalism, for the reason that during the Edwardian era, the lower individuals and classes were often mistreated by the upper class and therefore having wanted to abolish this system. Through the play, An Inspector Calls, J.B. Priestley hoped to allow the audience to realize the faults in capitalism by revolving the play around about people being mistreated.
My father had sent me this: http://www.extremelysmart.com/humor/cowsexplain.php, showing funny analogies of cows to explain different political systems.
Here, socialism is described as "You have two cows. The government takes one of your cows and gives it to your neighbor. You're both forced to join a cooperative where you have to teach your neighbor how to take care of his cow." and capitalism as "You have two cows. You lay one off, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when she drops dead.".
It's a clever way of looking at politics, and is funny too.
England was a largely capitalist economy during the Edwardian era. As a result, there were large divisions between the rich and the poor, which is why the writer, along with the working classes in England, were strongly against capitalism. At the same time, the idea of socialism, where companies were owned by the government and where equality is promoted because of similar wages, grew stronger in Britain.
Priestley's intentions were to showcase the difference between the classes: the Birlings having been of higher class and Eva Smith having been a prostitute of poverty and lower class. He portrays the divide between the supposed suspects and victim to be vast and probable, within political context of the era. The divide is also shown between the Birlings and their housemaid, Edna. She is of lower class, similar to Eva, and is often mistreated by the family.
Priestley ensures that the discrimination of classes is clear in the play as it is key to a moral he is trying to convey. He makes the audience empathise/sympathise with Eva and tries to teach a lesson of equality and love amongst those who bear differences.
There was no gender equality back in the Edwardian Era: women couldnt vote and were expected to marry as soon as possible. It was considered unfeminine and a disgrace for a woman to have opinions.
In An Inspector Calls, socialist feminism occured. Priestly's intention was to convey that regardless of the class and status, the woman will be discriminated. Sheila is told that she must learn to deal with men working all the time, just as her mother did, she was also spoken to like she was not important at all. However, the ladies in lower classes had it worse as they had very limited options and aren't able to marry as easily as women in the upper class. Women viewed as 'unemployed' were likely to end up as prostitutes or in a workhouse, which is why Eva Smith ended up at the Palace Bar- a popular haunt for prostitutes.
capitalism is an economic system where trade, industry and means of production are largely privately owned during the Edwardian time, capitalism modernized England by introducing automobiles and electrical appliances compared to horses and steam engines in 1899 in an inspector calls, the author expressed his dislike for capitalists and didn't agree with their methods, such as the mistreatment of employees
classes and status edwardian time was flourishing for the middle and upper classes, but it was not as exciting for the lower and working class people such as miners and railway men there was a lot of poverty for the working class and they were given very small and poor wages because a lot of production was owned privately, the owners and employers treated their employees very badly, and gave them virtually no money or a very small wage. the author of an inspector calls didn't agree with this, and his play is based on how one victorian man treated his employees during the edwardian time women played a very small role in society. all the well off women could do was get married, and the poorer working class women could be used for labour women also didn't have many rights during the edwardian time
classes and status edwardian time was flourishing for the middle and upper classes, but it was not as exciting for the lower and working class people such as miners and railway men there was a lot of poverty for the working class and they were given very small and poor wages because a lot of production was owned privately, the owners and employers treated their employees very badly, and gave them virtually no money or a very small wage. the author of an inspector calls didn't agree with this, and his play is based on how one victorian man treated his employees during the edwardian time women played a very small role in society. all the well off women could do was get married, and the poorer working class women could be used for labour women also didn't have many rights during the edwardian time
Socialism is political and economic theory that, in some ways, is the opposite of capitalism. It is based on the empowerment of a society's workers - the people who make and manufacture goods - and the idea that the community as a whole owns and regulates the means of production, distribution and exchange. Eva Smith, a worker, is mistreated first by her capitalist boss (Arthur Biring) in a classic "Capital versus Labour" dispute. From there, she suffers four further injustices that give a very negative impression of capitalism. In his final speech, the Inspector warns that it is only through socialism ("one body") that mankind can hope to prevent such tragedy in the future.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe play An Inspector Calls is based in Edwardian England, but was written in 1945. The Edwardian Era was from 1900 - 1914, and the sinking of the Titanic and the start of WW1 ended the era. The author was trying to capture the atmosphere and feel in Edwardian England. The play also has a major role in capitalism (where means of production, trade and industry were largely privately owned), and socialism (communities made of different classes and statuses that had equal or similar wages etc.).
ReplyDeleteThe author was highly against capitalism, for during the Edwardian Era, many working and lower class people were mistreated by their employers, and he disagreed with the methods of capitalism. An Inspector Calls also revolves around a Victorian man and how he treats his employees.
- Kiran
As Priestley was writing An inspector calls, the United Kingdom was in a bad state: the Second World War had concluded only a year before in 1945. Food was still being rationed, and many towns and cities had suffered massive damage during the Blitz. The political situation in the UK was about to shift massively with the first Labour government in several years, led by Clement Attlee, beginning work in 1946, the same year Priestley's play was first performed.
DeleteTHEATRICAL CONTEXT:
DeleteAdditionally, before the war in 1939, the audience of the London theatre (which produced work that was popular and wide in range) began to be lured into the new "talking pictures" in the cinemas. In an attempt to regain their viewers, the theatre has made musicals more glamorous and spectacles more ambitious.
Detective thrillers and serious dramas were produced. Shakespeare's plays were revived, featuring the popular actors of those times, including John Gielgud.
An Inspector Calls also includes the seven deadly sins (pride, sloth, gluttony, envy, covetousness, lust & anger).
Nadya, good research on the seven deadly sins. Any more resources on it?
DeleteThe connection between the seven deadly sins and An Inspector Calls is illustrated through all characters
DeleteMr Birling represents greed because he sacked one of his employees, Eva Smith, just to save a few shillings. He also represents pride because he didn't want his name and business being tarnished because of one girl.
Mrs Birling represents wrath as she is angry at Eva Smith for using her name, in what she thinks is a spiteful way. She could also represent pride as she is proud of her name and does not want anyone else using her name without good reason.
Sheila represents envy as she is angry at Eva Smith for laughing at her, and she represents wrath for the same reason.
Eric represents gluttony as he has become an alcoholic; he is drinking far too much. He also represents sloth as he does not work for the money he gives to Eva Smith, and instead resorts to stealing it from his father's business.
Gerald represents lust as he fancies Eva Smith, and although he is in a relationship with Sheila, he still embarks on a sexual relationship with another woman, being Eva Smith.
Therefore you can see the connection between the characters in An Inspector Calls and the Seven Deadly Sins.
Edwardian musical comedy took place back during the early 1890s until the rise of the American musicals and following the First World War. Edwardian theatre was a British musical theatre which was a unique style from and captured the musical stage in Britain as well as other countries where English was spoken. Some of the most famous ones were 'A Gaiety Girl' which led to an incredible number of hits over the next 3 decades.
ReplyDelete-Sang Gon
'The Geisha', a story of a tea house, was also a popular Edwardian musical comedy.
DeleteThe Shop Girl was a musical comedy in two acts, written by H. J. W. Dam, was also popular during the Edwardian Theater
DeleteIn the play, Mr birling represents a capitalist society. This is an economic system that is based on the private ownership of industry.
DeleteThe problem with Capitalism is that it often leads to the few exploiting the many and creates a situation where those who have money have the power to stop others from sharing the wealth.
The Arcadians is also a popular Edwardian musical comedy composed by Monckton and Talbot. The story is about the havoc wreaked when truth-telling Arcadians arrive in corrupt London, with operetta-singing Arcadians, representing the past, meeting with music hall-singing Londoners, representing the future. This is an example of a common feature of shows of this period: sophistication with a common touch.
DeleteEdwardian musical comedy was a form of British musical theatre from the period between the early 1890s, when the operas' dominance had ended, until the rise of the American musicals following the First World War.
ReplyDeleteEdwardian musical comedy began in the last decade of the Victorian era and captured the optimism, energy and good humour of the new century and the Edwardian era, as well as providing comfort during the First World War. Also Theatre in England reached its zenith during the Edwardian era.
During the Edwardian era When the boer war took place the it split Britain into anti war and pro war fractions. The liberals spoke against the wars while unionist were with the war as it add too the economical strength of Britain the liberals ended up winning by a landslide as they were very influential
Before the outbreak of war in 1939 the London theatre had produced work that was very wide in range. It used to lure the audience by entertaining them with musical dramas. At the time detective stories were also popular written by authors such as Agatha Christie.
DeleteEngland was a largely capitalist economy during the Edwardian era. As a result, there were large divisions between the rich and the poor, which is why the writer, along with the working classes in England, were strongly against capitalism. At the same time, the idea of socialism, where companies were owned by the government and where equality is promoted because of similar wages, grew stronger in Britain.
DeleteThe play an inspector calls is based in the Edwardian era which was during 1900 to the beginning of World War One. In the play inspector calls the writer tries to mirror what life was like during the Edwardian era in which he focuses A lot in captalisim and socialism. Capitalism is economic system when means of production, trade and industry were privately owned while socialism is when different status of rank in the economic ladder got equal or similar wages. The writer and like many other working class Britain citizens were strongly against captalisim as many of the working class we're getting poorer while the owners were getting richer as the money wasn't moving down in the economic ladder.
ReplyDeleteEdwardian Drama / Theatre:
DeleteContext / History:
Edwardian Drama was a form of British musical theatre from the period between the early 1890s until the early 1910s; Edwardian theatre had come to a stop due to the rise of the American Theaters as well as the First World War.
Edwardian Drama took place during the Edwardian era, in which is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII 1901 to 1910, and is sometimes extended beyond Edward's death to include years leading up to the First World War
The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era. While Victoria had shunned society, Edward was the leader of a fashionable elite that set a style influenced by the art and fashions of Continental Europe—perhaps because of the King's fondness for travel. The era was marked by significant shifts in politics as sections of society that had been largely excluded from wielding power in the past, such as common labourers and women, became increasingly politicized.
The Edwardian period is frequently extended beyond King Edward's death in 1910 to include the years up to the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the start of WW1 in 1914, the end of hostilities with Germany in 1918, or the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
Examples:
The popularity of the earliest ones, In Town and A Gaiety Girl (1893), led to an astonishing number of hits over the next three decades, the most successful of which included A Gaiety Girl (1893), The Shop Girl (1894), The Geisha (1896), Florodora (1899), A Chinese Honeymoon (1901), The Earl and the Girl (1903), The Arcadians (1909), Our Miss Gibbs (1909), The Quaker Girl (1910), Betty (1914), Chu Chin Chow (1916) and The Maid of the Mountains.
(Click hyperlinks to read more about the plays)
Capitalism & Socialism:
Capitalism by definition is: "an economic system and a mode of production in which trade, industries, and the means of production are largely or entirely privately owned."
Capitalism is often referred to as a pyramid scheme, where the individuals and low classes are forced to pay for the unsustainable practices of the ruler (at the bottom of the pyramid) and the ruler / the state being at the top, earning profits.
Socialism is where communities made of different classes and statuses have equal or similar wages, which in a way encourages less effort and to be lazy rather than to work hard.
An Inspector Calls:
An Inspector Calls by J.B Priestley is a piece base during Edwardian England which was first performed in 1945 in the Soviet Union. This piece became rather successful and was considered Priestley's best work. J.B. Priestley was against the practice of capitalism, for the reason that during the Edwardian era, the lower individuals and classes were often mistreated by the upper class and therefore having wanted to abolish this system. Through the play, An Inspector Calls, J.B. Priestley hoped to allow the audience to realize the faults in capitalism by revolving the play around about people being mistreated.
Sources:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwardian_era
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_drama
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inspector_Calls
http://universitypublishingonline.org/cambridge/companions/ebook.jsf?bid=CBO9780511999543
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwardian_musical_comedy
Sang Gon, try not to use Wikipedia as your main source of research. Have you tried Google Scholar and : edu in your search engine?
DeleteMy father had sent me this: http://www.extremelysmart.com/humor/cowsexplain.php, showing funny analogies of cows to explain different political systems.
DeleteHere, socialism is described as "You have two cows. The government takes one of your cows and gives it to your neighbor. You're both forced to join a cooperative where you have to teach your neighbor how to take care of his cow." and capitalism as "You have two cows. You lay one off, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. You are surprised when she drops dead.".
It's a clever way of looking at politics, and is funny too.
England was a largely capitalist economy during the Edwardian era. As a result, there were large divisions between the rich and the poor, which is why the writer, along with the working classes in England, were strongly against capitalism. At the same time, the idea of socialism, where companies were owned by the government and where equality is promoted because of similar wages, grew stronger in Britain.
DeleteSome great research evident. Please link to the play itself and to Priestley's intentions. Also, to capitalism and socialism and class struggles.
ReplyDeletePriestley's intentions were to showcase the difference between the classes: the Birlings having been of higher class and Eva Smith having been a prostitute of poverty and lower class. He portrays the divide between the supposed suspects and victim to be vast and probable, within political context of the era. The divide is also shown between the Birlings and their housemaid, Edna. She is of lower class, similar to Eva, and is often mistreated by the family.
DeletePriestley ensures that the discrimination of classes is clear in the play as it is key to a moral he is trying to convey. He makes the audience empathise/sympathise with Eva and tries to teach a lesson of equality and love amongst those who bear differences.
There was no gender equality back in the Edwardian Era: women couldnt vote and were expected to marry as soon as possible. It was considered unfeminine and a disgrace for a woman to have opinions.
DeleteIn An Inspector Calls, socialist feminism occured. Priestly's intention was to convey that regardless of the class and status, the woman will be discriminated. Sheila is told that she must learn to deal with men working all the time, just as her mother did, she was also spoken to like she was not important at all. However, the ladies in lower classes had it worse as they had very limited options and aren't able to marry as easily as women in the upper class. Women viewed as 'unemployed' were likely to end up as prostitutes or in a workhouse, which is why Eva Smith ended up at the Palace Bar- a popular haunt for prostitutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he3meRqAmIA
ReplyDeleteA relevant video for your research.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletecapitalism is an economic system where trade, industry and means of production are largely privately owned
ReplyDeleteduring the Edwardian time, capitalism modernized England by introducing automobiles and electrical appliances compared to horses and steam engines in 1899
in an inspector calls, the author expressed his dislike for capitalists and didn't agree with their methods, such as the mistreatment of employees
classes and status
ReplyDeleteedwardian time was flourishing for the middle and upper classes, but it was not as exciting for the lower and working class people such as miners and railway men
there was a lot of poverty for the working class and they were given very small and poor wages
because a lot of production was owned privately, the owners and employers treated their employees very badly, and gave them virtually no money or a very small wage. the author of an inspector calls didn't agree with this, and his play is based on how one victorian man treated his employees during the edwardian time
women played a very small role in society. all the well off women could do was get married, and the poorer working class women could be used for labour
women also didn't have many rights during the edwardian time
classes and status
ReplyDeleteedwardian time was flourishing for the middle and upper classes, but it was not as exciting for the lower and working class people such as miners and railway men
there was a lot of poverty for the working class and they were given very small and poor wages
because a lot of production was owned privately, the owners and employers treated their employees very badly, and gave them virtually no money or a very small wage. the author of an inspector calls didn't agree with this, and his play is based on how one victorian man treated his employees during the edwardian time
women played a very small role in society. all the well off women could do was get married, and the poorer working class women could be used for labour
women also didn't have many rights during the edwardian time
Socialism is political and economic theory that, in some ways, is the opposite of capitalism. It is based on the empowerment of a society's workers - the people who make and manufacture goods - and the idea that the community as a whole owns and regulates the means of production, distribution and exchange. Eva Smith, a worker, is mistreated first by her capitalist boss (Arthur Biring) in a classic "Capital versus Labour" dispute. From there, she suffers four further injustices that give a very negative impression of capitalism. In his final speech, the Inspector warns that it is only through socialism ("one body") that mankind can hope to prevent such tragedy in the future.
ReplyDeleteSome excellent research conducted. Now look at the play and look at how the characters are being portrayed, namely Mr. Birling and Sheila.
ReplyDelete