e time and place in which the play is set. In a play that was set nearly sixty years ago we must focus on the social cultural and historical context. The main time we notice this is when Mr Birling uses his authority as the head of the house to order the rest of the family without question and as head of the house he liked to be the centre of attention either he was talking or was being spoken to. The social cultural and historical context is shown when Mr Birling fires Eva Smith without a written warning and a plausible reason. Mr Birling wasn't worried about the possibility of the lack of staff or how long it might take to employ somebody else because during that time period the unemployment rate was very high so he knew he would be able to find a replacement easily. It was also very uncommon for an employee to counter their employer's actions and so the chance that a former employee would sue for unfair dismissal was rare. Priestley gives a detailed description of stage direction. He gives an explanation of what furniture should be used and where it should be placed in the room, props, what clothes the characters should wear and how each character should speak. This is because Priestley is doing his best to present the Birlings to the audience. He is trying to illustrate to the audience early on in the play that the Birlings are rich, self-centred, snobs who don't care about anything but money and their reputation.
             Mr Arthur Birling is the head of the house. He sees himself as a hardheaded businessman, he does his best to control everything going on a round him. So that he is able to show off and let everyone know of his authority.
             "I was Lord Mayor here two years ago when Royalty visited us. So well I gathered there a very good chance of a knighthood."
             Mrs Birling is similar to Mr Birling properly why they are a happily married couple. She is very full of herself and doesn't really think abou...