The Crucible

Background

The Crucible is . . . Puritanism + Witchcraft + McCarthyism + Arthur Miller

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692

•  Because of the harsh conditions the Puritans endured, there was safety in numbers.

•  This caused a fear of anything different than the common belief

•  The causes included politics, religion, family feuds, economics, and the imaginations and fears of the people.

Arthur Miller the Playwright

•  Wrote such famous plays as The Death of a Salesman and The Misfits

•  Wrote The Crucible in 1953 •  Married to Marilyn Monroe

1956-1961

Arthur Miller the Communist? •  In 1956 and 1957, Miller was

subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee and was convicted of contempt of Congress – Miller refused to identify writers

believed to hold Communist sympathies.

–  In 1958 Court of Appeals overturned his conviction

The Witch Hunt of the 1950s • Senator John McCarthy headed a department called the House Un-American Activities Committee • He claimed that he had a list of “members of the Communist party and members of a spy ring” • His reign of terror was a modern day “Witch Hunt” known as the “Red Scare” or “McCarthyism”

Communist Connection to Salem Witch Trials

• Miller saw a parallel between his experience with the “Red Scare” of the 1950s and the witch hunts and trials of Salem, Mass in 1692

Comparison between the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism:

1.  Suspension of rational judgment

2.  People who challenged the authority of the court soon found themselves under suspicion of guilt

3.  Conscience was no longer a private matter but one of state administration

Why Miller Wrote “The Crucible”

Drama Basics

•  Drama is a form of literature that is written to be preformed before an audience. –  Tragedy unveils the downfall of a main character in a

serious tone. –  Comedy is often light and humorous.

Drama Basics Plot- Related events that make up the story. In a drama, the plot is developed in a series of acts that are made up of scenes, with each scene establishing a different time and place (setting). The plot is brought to life through the words and actions of the characters, the individuals who participate in the action. The conversation between characters is called dialogue. An aside occurs when a chacter says something loud enough for the audience to hear but the other characters pretend not to hear.

Drama Basics

•  The central character of the play is the protagonist; he or she is deeply involved in the conflict and may change because of it. A character who opposes the protagonist is the antagonist.

•  A foil is a minor character who contrasts the personality of the protagonist.

•  Theme is the moral or lesson about life that is being presented.

Themes in The Crucible •  Hypocrisy •  Individual vs. the

community (unity and exclusion)

•  Authority •  Greed •  Justice vs. retribution

and revenge •  Godliness vs.

worldliness •  Ignorance vs. wisdom •  The Puritan Myth •  Order vs. Individual

Freedom

It is also a story about the

struggle between good and evil inside the heart of one man.

What does “crucible” mean?

1.  a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high degree of heat

2.  a severe test 3.  a place or situation in which

concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development

Character Introduction

! Abigail Williams: – Leader of the group of girls – Having an affair with John Proctor – Smart, manipulative, jealous

Character Introduction

•  John Proctor: – Farmer – Married, but having an affair with Abigail – Proud and (usually) honest

Character Introduction

•  Elizabeth Proctor: – John Proctor’s wife – Moral and honest – Sometimes seen as “cold”

Character Introduction

•  The Girls: – Betty Parris: Daughter of the town minister – Ruth Putnam: Daughter of a wealthy, greedy

landowner – Mary Warren: Servant of the Proctors – Mercy Lewis: Servant of the Putnams

Character Introduction

•  Reverend Parris: – Town minister – Paranoid – Concerned with what others think of him – Abigail’s uncle

Character Introduction

•  John Hale: – “Expert” on witchcraft – Asked to come to Salem for his knowledge – Intelligent and logical

Character Introduction

•  Tituba: – Slave from Barbados – Performs voodoo – Accused of witchcraft

Minor Characters

•  Giles Corey – Older man who is pressed to death – Outspoken – Files lawsuits frequently

•  Rebecca Nurse – Kind, older woman accused of witchcraft – Very moral and sensible

Minor Characters

Thomas Putnam – Wealthy Landowner – Greedy, nosy Ann Putnam - “Haunted” and “twisted soul” due to losing seven children in infancy. – Blames others for her misfortune

Minor Characters

•  Francis Nurse – Serves as unofficial judge for disputes – Self-made man

Martha Corey -  Giles’ third wife -  Her enjoyment of reading leads to her

accusation of witchcraft.

Minor Characters

Deputy Governor Danforth -  Great respect for the court -  True Puritan

-  He believes he is doing what is right according to God

Judge Hathorne - Presides over the witch trials - Quick to judgment - Partial and unfair

Minor Characters

Ezekiel Cheever -  Clerk of the court -  Determined to perform his duty