Meaning and Symbolism in the Crucible by Arthur Miller

The word “crucible” is used to describe purification or truest essence; in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible this definition is appropriate because throughout the trials John Proctor’s true nature is shown. For example in act 3 John admits to his affair with Abigail. He intended to keep the affair a secret, but when he needs to have leverage against Abigail he admits to his sin. His act of admitting lechery shows how much he wants to take down Abigail and save the people accused of “witchcraft”. Due to his wife trying to protect him she declines him being a lecher when she was brought in. In reality she made Proctor in a worse situation. Proctor wanted to confess his sin, but Elizabeth made it look like he's making up rumors. John’s true nature

The word 'crucible' is used by Arthur Miller in his play as a metaphor. The first definition of the word crucible is: a melting pot especially for metals. In the play this is first acknowledged during the first act, as we gradually piece together the information concerning the girls dancing. The 'kettle' viewed by Reverend Parris mirrors a crucible. We are told that the girls had made a brew which contained a little frog and blood is therefore viewed by the characters involved as a potent, fearsome mixture and this signifies the beginning of the Salem tragedy. It seems that from this 'brew' a more sinister force is released. The dancing and the contents of the little pot seem to fuel the

What does geography mean to a work of literature? In the two texts, “The Crucible,” by Arthur Miller, and “Geography Matters…” from the book, “How to Read Literature Like a Professor,” the authors describe how characters, moods, and themes are impacted by geography. First, Miller writes about many characters, but specifically three: Tituba, Abigail Williams, and Judge Danforth, who all have completely different views on their Puritan culture, based on their separate hometown geographies. Second, the author of the chapter from “How to Read Literature Like a Professor” explains how this geography can impact these characters and their environments. Lastly, my life has been impacted by my hometown in similar ways. *Thesis*

Crucible means a severe test of patience and belief or a trial and it fits the play very nicely because in 1692 the rumors of witches had overtaken the town of Salem, Massachusetts because of one foolish little girl who was in love with a thirty-five year old man. She pulled this whole scheme together just to get with John Proctor. Unlike Herrick, who is the marshal of Salem,he did not change one bit.

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the normal criteria that a central character fits, is not met by the protagonist, John Proctor. Common traits one might expect to find in a traditional hero are humility, patience and caring. John Proctor, while he is the principal, has many qualities that could instead assume him the role of the antagonist and land him in the adversary box. His background and slight character flaws cause him to take on the the personalities of both a protagonist and antagonist. Proctor, because he exhibits qualities of both types of characters, is what is known as a tragic hero. Tragic heroes are characters within stories that due to a judgment error, is the cause of his/her own demise. In the case of Proctor, his error was made when he refuses to give up the names of other alleged witches, and refuses to allow the court to hang his confession in the center of town. John Proctor embodies three major signs of tragic heroism. Proctor, even through the rest of the village perceives him as great, knows deep down inside that because of past sins, he will never be able to live up to his reputation. As well, John Proctor is a tragic hero because he had the power to stop his own execution, therefore his downfall was no one 's’ fault but his own. This reluctance to could be seen as a character flaw. The final criteria that Proctor meets for a tragic hero is that the punishment given is way too severe for the “crime” committed. His sentence to death for being a wizard

“A place or occasion of severe test or trial.” is the most obvious definition the Dictionary gives of the word “Crucible” that would relate to the title of the novel. However not many think to consider the other definition of the word which is “a little ceramic or metal container which is used for the purpose of metals or other substances to be melted or subjected to very high temperatures”. In other words a “Crucible” is a small container which is pact with aggressive results; which fully relates to Salem throughout the witch trials, for it was a tiny village containing violent madness. Nevertheless for the majority of individuals living in Salem, it became a crucible for them if they were ever wrongly accused at the stand of the religious court of being a witch. No confession of an accused individual resulted in being hung. Although one’s life could be secured with a confession, however a life of always being remembered as someone who had the Devil deified. Living beneath such commotion and madness the majority of the characters in the famous drama were enforced to undergo dilemmas, personal motivation, as well as development- that all relate to the title in between the lines of their plots and the general story.

Of all of the writer’s crafts, symbols represent my favorite craft. The multitudes of symbols in the play all helped me find the heart truth. That reason being, that each symbol embedded inside this play was there for a reason, it was there to be guiding points for the reader, me, to see what the author, Miller, wanted each reader to find and interpret themselves. The bible in the play represents the human’s downfall of their uncanny ability to make something out of nothing. On is the bible, “I have no knowledge of it; the Bible speaks of witches, and I will not deny them” (Miller 69).

The most important word in “The Crucible” is “lie”, it is a word that is used very often that represents the main theme of the book, intolerance, and creates the conflict in the whole play. “The Crucible” is a play that is about a group of girls that lived in Salem at the time witchery was feared. Abigail lead girls to the forest where they all danced around a fire, when they were found, the girls were brought to trial. People started accusing the girls and other people around them of witchcraft. Along with accusations, innocent people kept getting hanged because at the time, the court took someone's word for evidence instead of actual proof.

Characterised with variant themes of fear, morality, reputation and hysteria, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible through its literal and figurative elements evokes strong parallels with the American past as well as the present. Centered around the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, the plot examines the transformation of a “community of saints” into one riddled with hysteria, fear and hypocrisy. Moreover, fostered from personal motives along with a atmosphere of distrust and resentment, accusations of witchcraft illuminated not only the destruction of the social order within the society, but also the destruction of morality on a personal level. Although the major characters with their prominent motifs of ambition and pride expand the overall conflict, the

He was born on October 17,1915 in Harlem. His parents were Polish immigrants. After the Wall Street Crash in 1929, he moved to Brooklyn. After Graduating high school, he went to the University of Michigan. After college, he wrote plays for the Federal Theatre. Miller died of heart failure on February 10, 2005.

Arthur Miller is easily one of the most complex modern writers. Crucible, for example, is a layered bean-dip of meaning and symbolism. At first glance, it a story mocking and analyzing the individual human motives behind a dark piece of history. Upon closer look The Crucible is a criticism of the hysteria and mod mentality surrounding the persecution of communists during the Cold War. Death of a Salesman analyzes the American Dream in modern culture.

The Crucible The title of the play 'The Crucible' written by Arthur Miller, expresses numerous different meanings of the play. ‘The Crucible’ explores the themes of morality, truth, false accusations and good versus evil. At points there are explosions of emotion and trials of patience and faith in the aptly named play, and these points culminate into a larger plotline that challenges the way humans socialize and interact with each other in such circumstances. The word crucible is defined as a vessel used for melting a substance that requires a high degree of heat.

To understand the importance of the meaning of Miller’s play The Crucible and the symbolism used within, it is crucial to comprehend not only the author’s background, but also his motivation for writing. The play is about a group of girls that become sick for no apparent reason. Rumors subsequently start and escalate that some individuals are consorting with the devil, consequently creating hysteria and fear in the town. The townsfolk turn on each other, blaming others as a way of exonerating themselves. A system of justice is set up, and the ‘success’ of the Salem Witch Trials is dependent on accusations and the singling out of individuals. It encourages a cycle of blame, which then leads to a creation of lies for individual’s own gains, and innocent people being persecuted. Writing in the early 1950’s, Miller manages with expertise to demonstrate the similarities between the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the victimization of communists at the time he was writing. The injustices and frenzy that he highlights in the play are a magnificent example of the turbulent times that he was living and working in, and the effects it had not only on individuals, but American society as a whole.

There are quite a few motifs in The Crucible, but the one that stands out the most is deceit. Without it, there would not be much of a story in place. Out of the major characters, Abigail Williams prevails this motif continuously throughout the play. There are a few other characters that show hints of this motif. None of which come close to Abby’s level of deceitfulness.

A crucible is defined as a severe trial or a container in which metals are melted at very high temperatures. Much like how metals mold to a new shape at very high temperatures, people change when severe trials and challenges present themselves. When innocent lives are lost, a person will realize the wrongs and attempt to make things right again. The character John Hale must forget his old teachings and way of life to try to return the town of Salem to a peaceful community. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Reverend John hale transforms from a prideful prosecutor of witches to a humble defender of the accused because of the guilt he experiences over the innocent lives lost during the Salem witch trials.