An Inspector Calls

About “An Inspector Calls”

An Inspector Calls was first produced in 1946, a time of major societal change. The play has recently seen a major revival. It combines the suspense of a detective story with themes of social responsibility and the breakdown of middle-class values. The play is part of Priestley’s "time" plays, which examine ideas like premonition and the conflict between fate and free will. Another of Priestley’s works, The Linden Tree, also questions traditional views of history, as a professor faces disagreements with his family about life after the war. All of these plays were written by the English dramatist J. B. Priestley.