Looking at the similarities and context of the plays; The Crucible,

Looking at the similarities and context of the plays; The Crucible,

St. Joan and Antigone

I shall be comparing the following three plays: The Crucible, St.

Joan, and Antigone. I will be analysing the play's contents so that I

can look at the similarities between the three of them and

communicating the ideas that each of the three main characters have

similar characteristics. The Crucible was written by playwright Arthur

Miller and was first produced in 1953. The play is set in Salem,

Massachusetts in 1692 and looks at the 'witch hunt' that surrounded

America in the seventeenth century. Miller used his own views of

McCarthyism to look at the sheer madness that had surrounded this so

called witchery, and so the play was seen as a political parable.

Antigone is a Greek tragedy that was written by Sophocles between 496

and 406 B.C but then was first produced in Paris, 1942, by the French

dramatist Jean Anouilh. The play appealed to the French people's stand

against dictators and their own hatred for Hitler. The play contains a

tragedy and a hero (Antigone), dramatist decided on the use of masks

in which to symbolise the idea of camouflage, and it is then easier to

understand who is who in the play. Antigone is the daughter of the

late king Oedipus, her brothers Polymices and Eteocles decided to go

to war with each other over who should be the next king, but both were

killed. Antigone's uncle Creon, therefore, became king, but Antigone

was not happy as her brother Polymices was blamed and so was not given

a proper burial. She buries him herself, although knowing that Creon

will have to kill her due to the law.

The third and final play is St. Joan, written by George Bernard Shaw

in 1923 and was based upon...

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...the accused, who have been hanged,

names.

On stage, Antigone is being portrayed as an isolated figure, this has

been deliberately decided so to get the audience on her side and so

that they would feel sympathy for her. The main character and those

around her are used to get across the social feelings and opinions of

that time. With John Proctor, the villagers are used to portray the

social feelings at that time across to the audience.

St. Joan is similar to Antigone and John Proctor in trying to fight

for opinions they feel is right even knowing that death will be acted

upon unless they decide to do different. On all three occasions there

are totally different themes, but higher authorities such as King

Creon, Judge Danforth, Burundians (a powerful group of French

protesters), all want to stop the main characters actions or else they

will face death.