Arthur Miller's title for 'The Crucible' could be argued to be derived from from the name of a small piece of chemistry equipment used to melt and combine substances, a place or situation in which different elements interact to produce something new, but especially a place or occasion of severe test or trial. The play is seen as a metaphor for the Salem community which was made up of many different, conflicting events. The events which transpire cause and allow many of the characters in this enclosed space to change. Miller wrote 'The Crucible' in the 1950s, with numerous allegorical connections between the Witch trials of Salem and communist trials in America. In the United States during this time there was an irrational fear of communism. This caused many figures in the government to become blacklisted, or fired from their jobs although many did not even belong to the communist party. Paralleled to Salem, citizens feared of witchcraft but it was not only their reputations that got damaged in real life, but many lives were lost without a just cause.
Although Salem is shown as potentially creating evil for evil, in the end it also
shows potential for causing good. Arthur Miller creates many characters who seem to be flawed in one way or another but they are able to change. For example, Giles Corey is characterized as being just a bit naïve (despite his age) but shows great strength of mind and of character towards the closing of the play. Even when he is in the face of death with stones crushing his chest, he calls out "More weight!" rather than to harm his innocent friends. Reverend Hale comes into Salem acting arrogant, "like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion." He is quite cocky of his knowledge of w...
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...reed, vanity, and other human flaws give Salem the capacity to turn dancing in the woods into the deaths of innocent people.
Through the use of powerful characterization in this kind of historical
setting, Arthur Miller has successfully shown that the society had the ability to turn what started as just girls dancing in the woods to cause the deaths of many innocent people. He created the feelings of of fear and deceit to show that these people had the capacity for evil. In any society, it is the human events and accidents that create these kinds of evil and tragic misfortune. Although the society of Salem had many good people within it, human's natural behavior at its worst that brings about their own downfall. By the end of the play we can believe that the people of Salem have hopefully been purified by these severe trials (or the "heating up" of the crucible).
This conglomerate of tests and trials, legal and internal, display a deeper side of humanity, one that we often do not like to show. Sins of one come to haunt another, and sins of the past strike at the very heart of Salem. Sin is the open rebellion against God, which is what these people of Salem did by asserting themselves as the divine and holy judges of creation’s soul. However, these trials are not bound to fictional Salem nor are they dead in the real Salem. These trials are being held all over the world at different times and places as well as different hearts and minds. Internal confliction and past mistakes destroy the livelihood of people everyday, and The Crucible is one of the greatest fictional portrayals of this. The characters use the circumstances of the period for personal gain and to hide their sins. Gallows once used to deliver godly punishment become a dark place, absent of the deity, which destroys the lives of those hanging from the noose and their families. If it could happen then, would it not be accurate to assume it is happening
In “The Crucible”, the author, Arthur Miller, conveys what he believes Senator Joe McCarthy is doing during the Red Scare. The Salem Witch Trials were true events, while this play uses these trials and adds a fictional twist to show a point. Witchcraft was punishable by death during this time. Once names started flying in town it was like a chain reaction, people were accusing others of witchcraft because they were not fond of them or they had something they wanted. Some definitions state mass hysteria as contagious, the characters in this play deemed it true. In this play, innocent people were hung because some of the girls in town cried witch.
The Salem Witch Trials marks a vulnerable era in history. The play allows us to see that uncontrolled rage, pride, and even religion at times, can lead to destruction and mayhem. With these factors, it’s quite clear to see why Salem was vulnerable to these
Many people look back on the events of the Salem witch trials and laugh at the absurdity of the allegations. It seems crazy that society could be fooled into believing in things like witches and deal with the events in such an extreme manner. It is a common belief that witch hunts are things of 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. In his play, he used the Salem witch trials to represent the McCarthy Era because he saw that the nation was facing the same events that Salem went through back in the late 1600's. Arthur Miller wrote "The Crucible" in an attempt to create moral awareness for society. He did so by making a few small changes to the history and creating parallels in the play with racism, human tendencies, and H.U.A.C.
Many of the characters in Arthur Miller's The Crucible have specific human flaws that cause the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. Many villagers, especially Abigail Williams, take advantage of the opportunity to seek vengeance on others through the trials. Greed for power and land often holds precedence when the hysteria takes over. Fear of being arrested or put to death is the key motivation in turning others in as witches. From these three human flaws, the town of Salem falls into chaos with many innocent people paying the price.
Unresolved conflicts between people can have tragic results leading to many sad and unnecessary deaths, marriage conflicts among people, and towns physically and mentally unraveling. Overall, people should set their differences aside and not take it out on each other. Innocent people are dying in Salem because of a few girls’ lies that went too far. That elaborate story they created ends in a lot of death, and it will remain a tragic story throughout history
Being isolated from any other group of people with different beliefs created a church led Puritan society that was not able to accept a lot of change. The church was against the devil, at the same time it was against such things as dancing and other premature acts. The reputation of the family was very important to the members of the community. When the girls were caught dancing in the woods, they lied to protect not just themselves but the reputation of their families. They claimed that the devil took them over and influenced them to dance. The girls also said that they saw members of the town standing with the devil. A community living in a puritan society like Salem could easily go into a chaotic state and have a difficult time dealing with what they consider to be the largest form of evil.
One of the subjects on which Miller commented was that of the notion that there is only pure, white goodness and cruel, unbending evil. In the play he shows us how people chase what they think is evil, (For example: not going to church, not knowing the Commandments, etc.) persecuting basically good people while the truly evil escape and are even seen as the innocent victims. The people of Salem condemned many based on the few things that were considered 'ungodly' and since they committed one sin, then it was assumed that they were committing many others.
Choose three of the characters in the crucible and show how Miller presents the motivations for their actions.
The Crucible is a 1953 play by Arthur Miller. Initially, it was known as The Chronicles of Sarah Good. The Crucible was set in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts. It talks of McCarthyism that happened in the late 1600’s whereby the general public and people like Arthur Miller were tried and persecuted. The Crucible exemplifies persecutions during the Salem Witch Trials. The people were convicted and hung without any tangible proof of committing any crime. Persecutions were the order of the day. When a finger was pointed at any individual as a witch, the Deputy Governor Danforth never looked for evidence against them or evidence that incriminated them; he ordered them to be hanged. This can be seen through his words “Hang them high over the town! Who weeps for those, weeps for corruption!” (1273), the people were persecuted aimlessly. The four main characters in the play, John Proctor, Abigail Adams, Reverend Hale and Reverend Parris, are caught in the middle of the witchcraft panic in the religious Salem, Massachusetts in late 1690’s. Persecution is the most important theme in the Crucible, the leaders and citizens of Salem attacks and persecutes one of their own without any tangible evidence against them.
The Crucible is a famous play written by Arthur Miller in the Early 1950’s. It was written during the “Red scare, when McCarthyism was established. Many anti-communists wanted to prevent communism from spreading just like in The Crucible many wanted to get rid of witchcraft. Many would accuse others of witchcraft in order to not be accused just like many would accuse people of communism. In The Crucible witchcraft would be punishable by death. Many were scared to be accused; therefore many would admit practicing witchcraft in order to save their lives. The Crucible is considered a good play because it is based on real life events during the Salem witch Trials and shows how fear played a role in the individual’s life just like during the “Red” scare.
In The Crucible, the mass hysteria surrounding the witch trials caused paranoia amongst the people of Salem. Miller uses the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as a symbol and allegory of the fear surrounding the spread of communism during the 1950s in America. The community’s sense of justice was blinded by the mass hysteria and for some, a desire for vengeance and personal gain. The Putnams
The Crucible is a play with many underlying messages and themes. One of which is the idea of power. Power is a very important term in this play in that whoever holds the power, holds the fates of others. The hysteria within Salem has directly effected society. Everything has turned upside down and has gotten distorted. Arthur Miller is telling us that all the power in Salem is given to those who are corrupt and their abuse of it is directly shown through: the actions of Abigail throughout the play, the corruption and desires of Parris, as well as the witch trials held by Judge Danforth.
“Miller’s characters and their actions serve as a warning to the play’s audience. Danforth refuses to admit his own error. He says, “While I speak God’s law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering.” If a group of young girls coached by a mistaken respected adult could manipulate the entire town of Salem, Miller seems to say, then what is it to stop similar manipulations in other locales in the present time? He wants us to fear the power of the group. He wants us to fear coercion. He wants us to question the “bandwagon effect” in society.” (56)
Arthur Miller cleverly picked the title "The Crucible" for his play about the Salem witch hunts of the 1660's because of the word's many meanings. Throughout the play, Miller has characters face severe tests that make them question their own self. A crucible is also an earthen pot that is used for melting metals. In a way the town of Salem was a crucible as people were brought before the court and blasted with allegations from others as being witches. They were either forced to give in and live a lie or be hanged.