Today there are kids and adults that wonder why the events of the Salem witch trials actually happened because everyone was blamed for no reason and all people did was make excuses. Those types of people also wonder how the people back then were tricked into believing that witches existed and they had to deal with everything that happened in a harsh manner because everyone was in a “I can’t get in trouble let me blame someone else” type of attitude. There are many beliefs today that witches like things in the past. Many people would agree that they are no longer existent today; however Arthur Miller, author of the play, The Crucible, shows the audience that people have not progressed that far from those days when people believed during the Salem witch trials. A common belief is that witches hunt for things in the past. Many people would agree that they no longer exist today; however Arthur Miller, author of the play, The Crucible, points out that society has not come very far from the days of the Salem witch trials. All throughout this play, Arthur used the trials to parallel to the McCarthy Era because he noticed that the events were the same from the late 1600’s. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible to help everyone today notice that people back then weren’t going crazy they were just believing what they heard and they were all man for themselves attitude. Miller finished writing The Crucible in the 1950’s and at that time America was facing a crisis in the civil rights
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible focuses on the Salem Witch Trials along with the pointing of fingers that went along with it. Miller wrote this to reflect upon what was occurring during the Red Scare in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The Crucible is written in an ironic and cynical tone mocking the Red Scare.
In the novel The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the story was based on McCarthyism. This book is based on a real story and real people. John Proctor tore up his confession and goes to his death because he can’t lie about himself and ruin his reputations. He also doesn’t want people to think he is a bad person by confessing a lie just to save his life.
In the 17th century a group of Puritans migrated from England to America - the land of dreams - to escape persecution for their religious beliefs. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is based on the real life witch hunts as well as his own experience with the anti-communist campaign in the United States during the 1950s. In the 1692 Salem, Massachusetts the superstition of the existence of witches existed and the inhabitants of the town were Puritans who followed the Bible in a very strictly. A small group of powerful people wrongly accused and killed many people out of their own fear, ignorance, jealousy, or vengeance is a main point in the play. An abundance of people in Salem believed or pretended to believe the show the girls put on from what they felt was the Devil’s work.The Salem witch hysteria would not have occurred if the people of the town did not follow the rules of their religion as severely as they did.
The movie, The Crucible, was produced in 1996 and portrayed the dramatized play written by Arthur Miller in 1953. The movie story deals with the Salem, Massachusetts hysteria in 1692 with an irrational fear of the devil. Witch hunts and false accusations resulted. Trials took place and resulted in the hanging and associated death of more than 20 people and the false imprisonment of many others.
By the standards of virtually any society, lying is an act that is almost certain to result in some form of contempt, hatred, or even ostracism. However, not all liars are regarded in the same way- there is an obvious difference of morality between a fraudulent politician and one lying to protect his own life. In his play The Crucible, Arthur Miller demonstrates the moral and societal differences between and consequences of different types of lies: A liar’s virtue is determined primarily by intention, and while some forms of dishonesty are more acceptable than others, truth under all circumstances is vital to true morality. Miller’s stance is a rational and realistic one and can be seen not only in his play,
“The conflict created when the will of an individual opposes the will of the majority is a recurring feature of drama.”
While The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is only a four act play, it still resembles the format of a five act play. The five-act structure evolved from a three-act structure, which was made famous by Roman Aelius Donatus. Donatus came up with three types of plays: Protasis, Epitasis, and Catastrophe. The five-act structure helped to expand the three act structure, mainly made famous by Shakespeare through his many tragedies. Even though The Crucible contains only four acts, it still has the common composition of a five act play: an exposition, followed by the rising action, the climax, the falling action, closing with the denouement.
In the english dictionary, there are three definitions of the word crucible. One is a metal container in which metals are mixed and melted. Another is a severe test. But the third definition, and the one that I think fits the best for this book, is a place or situation in which different elements interact to create something new. In my mind, this fits because all of the characters had their little grudges and dirty secrets. But when all those seemingly little things interact, they formed something new and a lot bigger: a witch hunt. This strange transformation that happened, occurred because of people exacting revenge. Revenge is a theme in the crucible because Abigail Williams, Mr Proctor, and Ann Putnam acted out of revenge.
In the English dictionary, there are three definitions of the word crucible. One is a metal container in which metals are mixed and melted. Another is a severe test. But the third definition, and the one that I think fits the best for this book, is a place or situation in which different elements interact to create something new. In my mind, this fits because all of the characters had their little grudges and dirty secrets. But when all those seemingly little things interact, they formed something new and a lot bigger: a witch hunt. This strange transformation that happened, occurred because of people exacting revenge. Revenge is a theme in the crucible because Abigail Williams, Mr Proctor, and Ann Putnam acted out of revenge.
Superstition is an irrational fear in which a person fears the unknown. Many times, superstition revolves around a religious belief and is not based on reason or knowledge. Superstition can sometimes involve fear, causing people to use fear to their advantage in order to achieve their goal. Their goal may vary from holding a grudge to obtaining revenge on someone that betrayed them. Arthur Miller displayed how a young girl named Abigail Williams used superstition and mass hysteria to her advantage in the book, “The Crucible”. Miller presents Abigail Williams as the most despicable character in the story. She is characterized as both cunning and manipulative. Abigail is driven by lust for power, jealousy, and cravings for attention. She is a character that cannot suppress her own desires and acts based on what she thinks is beneficial for herself. The author uses her to portray the typical weaknesses that humans face in their everyday lives.
“I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!” (Miller 45). In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, residents of Salem habitually ‘cry witch’, driven by dismay, suspicion, and retribution. Under a strict theocracy, where the court’s ruling and religious beliefs are exclusively bound to one another, death is practically inevitable for those branded as witches, their names perpetually tarnished. From atop his high horse, one may look upon The Crucible and harshly judge the irrational actions of Salem’s community; however, human emotion drove these(should this be ‘those’???) injudicious acts, the very raw emotion that often overpowers logic in today’s society. Though theocracy has dissolved, one can never rid the world of (blank, need a word here) emotion or the mishaps that follow them. Today, dismay, suspicion, and retribution drive racial profiling in society, inciting scores of people to ‘cry terrorist’. Unjustified displays of terrorism and racism, such as blah blah blah, verify that society today mirrors that of The Crucible’s in unfortunate ways.
As defined, a crucible is a container where metals or other substances are heated to a very high temperature or even melted. In these small canisters, extremely violent reactions take place. A crucible isn’t solely an object necessary for chemical reactions, but is highly symbolic. Arthur Miller, author of the play The Crucible, used this as a metaphor of mass hysteria during the Salem Witch Trials. Through this, Miller connected the Puritan trials to The Red Scare, a span of time in which Communist trials were prevalent. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller continually illustrated the ghastly consequences of “witch-hunts” based off of fear of the unknown. By doing so, Miller delineated what happens to a society, whether past or present, when fear arises in a society based on novel things or ideas, thus creating a polarized community.
Abraham Lincoln once said: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man 's character, give him power.” In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, the issue of authority is emphasized; many characters seek to unfold the truth behind the justice system, when faced with wrongdoings and immoral behavior. For example, during the Salem witch trials individuals try to challenge the men in power when they see authority being abused, in favour of having an honest justice system. When testing the power of authority, some may face injustice and be forced into unlawful activities. Authority figures have the power to provoke individuals from showing evidence during a trial and they can continue on with court procedures, even if the
“I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!” (Miller 45). In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, residents of Salem habitually ‘cry witch’, driven by fear, paranoia, and vengeance. Under a strict theocracy, where the court’s ruling and religious beliefs are exclusively bound to one another, death is practically inevitable for those branded as witches, their names perpetually tarnished. From atop his high horse, one may look upon The Crucible and harshly judge the irrational actions of Salem’s community; however, human emotion drove these injudicious acts, the very raw emotion that often overpowers logic in today’s society. Though theocracy has dissolved in America, one can never rid the world of blind emotions or the mishaps that may follow them. Currently, fear, paranoia, and vengeance drive racial profiling in society, inciting scores of people to ‘cry terrorist’. Unjustified displays of racism, witnessed in the persecution of Muslims as result of the 9/11 and the Paris attacks, verify that society today is a reflection of The Crucible’s in unfortunate ways.
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, reveals how general members of society will do anything to attain or maintain a position of power and status amongst the bourgeoisie while a few will go through great lengths to remain true to their faith; ultimately revealing that the act of trying to achieve a higher position in life, at the cost of others, is a choice. Throughout the story you see characters change their views, opinions, and actions on certain items just to remain in the position that they have achieved. They also do these things to get to a higher position in society. Keeping your position and working for a new one means absolutely everything to this society. They will do anything to get what they want, they do not care what they do or if they hurt anyone. If they want something they will do everything in their power to get there.