Although these texts were written more than a century apart, they both explore the changeable and intricate relationships between a parent and their child. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’ portray similar relationships between a parent and child. The structure of each text highlights the conflict and aggression, as the tension progresses. The scenes intensify when the powerful, controlling father figure feels his authority has been challenged by a child in the family. Firstly, in 'Romeo and Juliet' Lord Capulet expresses his forceful, vicious side when Juliet commits an act of disobedience. She decides to not follow her father's ‘decree’ to marry Paris, stimulating her father to act violently. Similarly, in 'An Inspector Calls', Priestly presents Mr Birling as a pompous man initially. However, as the tension increases, the atmosphere begins to change, and he becomes agitated as Sheila begins to answer back, revealing all of their crimes. There is a sense of hostility towards his children, as he feels they are to blame for the monstrosities that had occurred that night, potentially putting him at a disadvantage. Shakespeare and Priestly use a variety of techniques to present the relationships and theme of parental control and authority.

Act 1: Scene 2

In this scene, Shakespeare presents Lord Capulet as a man who cares deeply for his pride and reputation, but above all his daughter. However, Lord Capulet seems to have a deceptive nature, when speaking about his daughter, and Paris’s marriage proposal.
Firstly, Lord Capulet's attitudes towards Paris’s marriage proposal are negative, to an extent. When Paris eagerly asks “what have you to say about my request to marry your daughter?” Capulet responds in an aggravated manner, saying “but saying o’er what I have said before, my child is yet a stranger in the world”. He is reluctant to marry off Juliet at