Dramatic & Stylistic Features of An Inspector Calls

Transcription

1 Dramatic & Stylistic Features of An Inspector Calls Well-made play In many respects, An Inspector Calls fulfils the criteria of the well-made play. The well-made play was invented by Eugene Scribe ( ). The formula of the well-made play was (is) an almost guaranteed prescription for a successful piece of drama. Indeed, it has guided more than 150 years of drama. The structure of a well-made play is a carefully crafted in order to arouse suspense and tension. Features of a Well-made play 1. Exposition The exposition (the opening) is meant to serve as a gentle introduction, providing basic information on: the main characters; the background and context; the themes and ideas of the play. To what extent does An Inspector Calls meet these criteria? Find examples and / or quotes to support your ideas in each of these areas. 2. Entrances and Exits. In order to heighten the suspense and tension, entrances and exits are perfectly timed within a well-made play. To what extent is this true of An Inspector Calls? Find at least three examples of this within the play and explain how they add to the suspense. Who, within the play itself, controls who enters and leaves the dining room? 3. The 'obligatory scene'. This is when a secret is revealed. Again, this serves to add to the drama. Are there any 'obligatory scenes' in An Inspector Calls? Give examples and explanations. 1

2 4. The Climactic Curtain The climactic curtain is one of the major features of a well-made play. It is when the end of an act (nee scene) ends on a tense and highly dramatic moment. Are there any climactic curtains in An Inspector Calls? Explain each of them. 5. Mistaken Identity The well-made play thrives on the notion of mistaken identity. The ideas of identity and mistaken identity both play a part in An Inspector Calls. Find and explain three examples. 6. Plot The plot of a well-made play focuses around one major storyline. There is no sub-plot. However, there will be a smattering of complications and crises within the plot of a well-made play, all strategically placed for dramatic effect. To what extent does An Inspector Calls conform to this? Explain your ideas. 7. The Dénouement The dénouement (or ending) of a well-made play is both logical and plausible. Is this true of An Inspector Calls? Explain your ideas. 2

3 The Unities In Classical Greek Drama, plays conformed to the structure of The Unities. The three unities of drama are: action; (This means that the plot focuses on one storyline.) time; (This means that the timescale of the drama must not be more than 24 hours. In its purest form, unity of time meant that stage time and real time were identical.) and place. (This means that there is only one setting.) To what extent does An Inspector Calls meet the criteria of The Unities? Think about the following: 1. Is there one major storyline being unravelled? What is it? 2. Is the timescale of An Inspector Calls less than 24 hours. What is the timescale? 3. What is the setting of the play? Does it ever change? The Greek Chorus: The Chorus in a Greek drama served a number of purposes. These included: 1. Offering a summary of what has happened so far; 2. Commenting on the characters within the play; 3. Explaining to everyone the lessons to be learned. Who, in the play, has a similar role to that of a Greek chorus? Find an example where this character does each of the above. Match the comment to the unity and copy the correct version of the table into your books. When stage time and real time are the same, this serves to make the play more realistic Because complicated sub-plots do not spoil the action of the play, it makes the play realistic and convincing. The single, constant setting focuses the attention of the audience. Unity of Place Unity of Action Unity of Time 3

4 The Dénouement The denouement (or ending) of a Greek Drama should have been a learning experience for both the characters and audience. At the end of An Inspector Calls, not all of the characters have learned their lesson. Who are they? In order to counter this, Priestley introduced another dénouement. What is it? Is it really an ending? To help you answer this, think about: 1. What does Priestley force us to imagine? 2. Do we want some of the characters to go through this again? 3. Have we, as an audience, learned anything? 4

5 Other Considerations Other dramatic features that Priestley relies on include: detective story or whodunnit ; morality play; stage directions; dramatic irony. Detective Story or Whodunnit This is a story (play) in which a mystery, frequently involving murder, is unravelled by the careful questioning of a detective. In a traditional 'whodunnit' mystery, the criminal would be revealed. Is An Inspector Calls a traditional whodunnit? To help you answer, think about: the nature of the mystery in this play (Is there a 'murder'?); the 'crimes' committed by the Birlings and Gerald Croft. (Could they be punished for what they did to her?) Morality Play This was a type of play performed in the late middle ages. Its purpose was to instruct and guide an audience as to the correct way to live, behave and treat others. (Basically, not to break the Seven Deadly Sins.) Does Priestley (the Inspector) have a moral for us? Stage Directions Stage directions take the form of information (which is not part of the dialogue) given to a reader, actor or director. Some may be basic instructions such as: Exit stage right. Others may provide detailed information on things such as setting, action or a character s personality. Which does Priestley tend to use? Look at the opening Stage Directions to the play. What do you notice about the length of the SDs? Dramatic Irony The term dramatic irony refers to the situation which arises when a character in a play speaks lines which are understood in a double sense by the audience, though not by the characters on stage. There is one character in An Inspector Calls whose speeches are particularly ironic. Who is this? (See separate sheet on Dramatic Irony.) 5