Irony In The Crucible Essay

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The Crucible, by the playwright Arthur Miller, is a four act play which dramatizes the story behind the Salem Witch Trials as an allegory to the McCarthyism era. In the play, a young girl named Abigail Williams is caught in the middle of hysteria which the townspeople of Salem believe is witchcraft. Abigail and several young girls are seen dancing in the forest, so she becomes afraid she will be charged a witch. She threatens the other girls involved to go along with her story as she begins to accuse numerous amounts of innocent people of being involved in witchcraft. The whole scenario is ironic in the way that the people accused “evil” are actually good, and the “good” girls accusing are the ones corrupted by evil. As the play continues, …show more content…

Although being wronged, Elizabeth tries to be a good wife and does not tell the court of John’s affair, unknowing that he had already admitted. John loves his wife, so he righteously admits to his sin in attempt to save her while only dooming himself to the good nature of Elizabeth. There is irony in this situation because Elizabeth, a woman who “in her life, she had never lied” does so only to protect her husband’s name (103). In making the decision to lie, she is therefore convincing the court that John is lying to protect her. Emotions steadily build awaiting the dramatic ending between Elizabeth and John. Elizabeth is saved from hanging due to her pregnancy, whereas John refuses to lie and admit to witchcraft. Their attempts to save each other backfire. Ironically, if Elizabeth had not lied, her and John could have been together for years to come.
The irony Arthur Miller used when writing The Crucible made for a dramatic play. The dialogue, written as the characters of Abigail, John, and Elizabeth, ironically depicts how the pointing of fingers upon the innocent can be so easy, even for people who are guilty. Also, the ironic actions in the play accurately depict the struggle during the McCarthyism era as it relates to the false accusations in The Salem Witch

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