Dramatic structure and dramatic irony Structured in three acts with the Inspector’s relentless questioning at its core, the play’s momentum relies on revelations that force characters (and audience) to reassess morality and culpability. Priestley wrote the play in 1945 but set it in 1912; the Heinemann edition’s historical notes underline this calculated anachronism. The audience’s knowledge of the looming World War and the Titanic amplifies Birling’s complacency into tragic foreshadowing. Practical tip: annotate the Heinemann margins—mark instances of dramatic irony and link them to stage directions to see how performance and text co-operate to deliver Priestley’s critique.