J.B.Priestley's Use of Dramatic Ironys to Create Dramatic Tension in the Play An Inspector Calls

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J.B.Priestley's Use of Dramatic Ironys to Create Dramatic Tension in the Play An Inspector Calls

In this essay I am going to write about how J.B.Priestely used

dramatic irony and entrances and exits to create dramatic tension. I

will tell you what dramatic irony is and how it is used in the story

'An Inspector Calls'. In addition how Priestley uses entrances and

exits to create tension as well. The play is set in 1912 but actually

written in 1945, which created more dramatic irony because the

audience knew what had already happened in real life.

Priestley uses stage directions to create tension in the play and

suspense, this quote supports my point 'we hear a sharp ring of the

door bell. Birling stops to listen'. This creates tension because it

show's people thoughts and facial expressions are shown. The fact that

it is staged in one room creates more tension and it also makes

everything tight and tense. It is also really good that everyone comes

and goes out at really tense points.

Before the inspector arrives the family are celebrating the engagement

of Shelia Birling to Gerald Croft. There is a happy and jolly mood in

the house. Mr.Birling's Speeches have a lot of irony in them. Dramatic

Irony is when the audience know what is going on but the actors on

stage don't know. For example when Mr.Birling talks about the Titanic

being unsinkable 'New York in 5 days-and every luxury-and Unsinkable'

because Priestley wrote this in 1945 but set it in 1912 the audience

already know that the titanic sunk'.

When the door bell rang Mr. Birling stops to listen and then just

carries on what he was talking about. The doorbell rings at a really

calm moment not a lot has happened so far in the play. Birling has

given some dramatic speeches talking about war and how it will never

happen. The doorbell goes and the inspector doesn't come straight in

it takes a bit for him to come in; Priestley is creating more tension

here by slowing things down.

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