Discuss the use of dramatic tension in “An Inspector Calls.” How does Priestley create and sustain tension throughout the play, and what effect does it have on the audience’s engagement with the themes and characters?

J.B. Priestley’s play “An Inspector Calls” is renowned for its skillful application of dramatic tension. To keep the audience interested in the play’s themes and characters, Priestley builds and maintains tension throughout.

Dramatic Irony as a Tension-Building Device:

Dramatic irony is one of the main techniques Priestley employs in “An Inspector Calls” to create tension. When the characters on stage don’t know something that the audience does, tension and anticipation are generated. For instance, the audience is aware of the impending World War I when Mr. Birling makes confident predictions about the future and claims, “There isn’t a chance of war.”