Class

An intrinsic element of the play, Priestley’s exploration of the Edwardian class system through a pro-socialist lens exposes the rigidities and inequities of this time period. Writing from a post-war perspective, Priestley plays upon his audience’s knowledge of the unravelling of Edwardian structures, such as the gaping divide between upper and lower class, as a result of both world conflicts. His characters are intentionally prejudiced and ignorant of the struggles of the working class in order to highlight the effects of class division.