Detrimental Effects of Hysteria, Rumors and Accusations Depicted in Miller's, The Crucible

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The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is a timeless piece of work that is applicable to many societies. The Crucible was written to criticize the outrageous behavior of Americans in the 1950’s. The McCarthy Era in the 1950’s parallels the witch hunt in Salem. Miller’s work is still relevant for political situations today even though it was specifically written to criticize that time period. Both the McCarthy Era and the Salem Witch Trials display the danger of collective hysteria, the speed of rumors, and the inability of accusers to stop the accusations once they have started.

In the 1950’s, a Senator named Joseph McCarthy found himself in a position of great power and influence due to his loosely slung accusations. After World War II, communism was viewed as a terrible crime of supporting anti-American views and it was a very dreadful thing to be marked a communist. If a person was put on the blacklist by Joseph McCarthy, their reputation would be destroyed indefinitely and the person might even lose their job. A very similar character to Joseph McCarthy in The Crucible is Abigail Williams. Like McCarthy, Abigail gains a certain power that she desperately desires when she accuses someone of witchcraft. “I am but God's finger, John. If he would condemn Elizabeth, she will be condemned” (Miller 98). When Abigail mentioned a citizen of Salem’s name, their reputation and even life was in jeopardy. “The Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points!” (Miller 68). Miller never directly declares it, but Abigail Williams seeks power, attention, and love. Abigail’s parents were murdered when she was young and she desires love that she does not receive from her caretaker, Reverend Parris. She d...

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...ly a timeless piece of art that continues to apply to the world’s current situations. Miller is commended for capturing the perspective of the McCarthy period in another form. He cleverly parallels Abigail Williams and Joseph McCarthy in their wild accusations. He directly displays the speed of rumors, the power of accusers and the destructiveness of accusations. Perhaps, Miller even implies what may be the future of our society.

Work Cited

Hayes, Richard. “History and Ideology in The Crucible.” History and Ideology in The Crucible (1953). May 31, 2008. October 29, 2008. .

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Books, 1996.

Woolway, Joanne. “The Crucible Criticism.” Answers.com. 1998. Answers Corporation. October 29, 2008. < http://www.answers.com/topic/the-crucible-play-8>.

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