The Crucible by Arthur Miller

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The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Every great playwright has his or her time in the spotlight, for Arthur Miller it is believed this time came when he created The Crucible. The play is based on the corruption of the Salem witch trials which condemned many to an unjust death. Numerous amounts of criticism and interpretations were published to help the reader visualize a clearer picture of the play and understand what was happening during that period of time. The setting of language and the force of evil along with a review on hysteria and ideology and finally and interpretation on the devil in Salem can all be discussed in The Crucible as well as in this paper.

The Crucible for Miller was a turning point as far as being a playwright was concerned. It was the first time in his playwright career that he did not base his play on a Greek background. Miller's creation also turned heads because the reader noticed a more diverse choice of characters with individual descriptions on characters such as Hale, Abigail, Putnam and Proctor. Miller also uses the basic subject of his play very well, he bases the fate of one Massachusetts town on the decision of a few people. Curtis believed the greatest drama occurred during the collision of divine and secular law. (68) I feel this statement to be true, all was quiet in Salem and the whole fiasco could have been avoided if Rev. Parris had told the town Betty was sick in bed instead of blurting out that she was possessed. Most likely divine and secular law would not have conflicted and the townspeople would not have been accused so harshly. The role of titles in the play shows one characters greatness over another. One's integrity, reputation, prestige, functional power and selfish...

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...h their description. One as a controlling, materialistic priest and the other a spoiled teenager who ruins the lives of many people. Arthur Miller's The Crucible was full of controversy and superstition as well as many other elements of great playwriting.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

Barron's ed. Services. Baron's Book Notes, Arthur Miller's "The Crucible". New York: Barron's ed. Services Inc., 1984.

Burns, Margo. Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" Fact and Fiction. 2 pp. Online. Internet.

Burns, Margo. The Witch Index. 4 pp. Online. Internet.

Miller, Arthur. The Assault on Privacy. New York: University of Michigan Press, 1994.

Miller, Arthur. Electric Library. Encyclopedia.com. 1 pp. Online. Internet.

Miller's, Arthur. Collected Plays. 2 vols. The Viking Press, 1981.

Sparknotes.com. The Crucible. 8 pp. Online. Internet.

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The Crucible by Arthur Miller

An Analytical Essay Explaining Why Arthur Miller Wrote The Crucible