Human experiences extensively define characters suffering, often revealing anomalous and paradoxical behaviour from individuals during moments of difficulty such as mass hysteria, fear, loss of power and threat to reputation, This is thoroughly reflected in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. The play is composed to critique extremist activities as an allegory towards modern issue of McCarthyism(1950s), through the storytelling of The Salem witch trials in 1692. Wrongful executions are performed in response to accusations made by a group of young girls. Miller writes a complex play highlighting the revelation of true inconsistent behaviours of the characters through these moments of weakness. During the horrific trials of Salem, immense fear …show more content…
Throughout The Crucible, Miller exhibits how power and authority impacts the characters pain. The play involves many characters with authoritative positions playing a significant role in the witch trials. This is initially seen in representations of both perspectives of the power scale between the slave, Tituba, and Referend Hale who upholds immense power particularly in this time. Hale uses an assertive tone to enhance the self-awareness of his “the jails are packed- our greatest judges sit here in Salem- and hangin’s promised.” Hale uses colloquial dialogue of ‘hangin” that accentuates the lack of remorse displayed by those that apprehend power in Salem. Initially Hale’s role in the witch trials was to “cure” the alleged witches, although Hale becomes consistent and immoral and resorts to brutally “removing” the individuals. Through utilising colloquial language like “ hangin” Miller effectively highlighted the lack of remorse Hale has for these individuals, leading him to inevitably inflict suffering on them. The play alongside the high end of the power spectrum represents the lower end through the character, Tituba, a slave from Babados, who is often at blame for the infection of witchcraft in Salem. This is illustrated in Act 1 “I have no power over this child sir”, the inclusion of “no power” and “child” extensively reflects the lack of power Tituba is …show more content…
The importance of reputation is revealed first in Act 1 through the metaphorical dialogue “There be no blush about my name” Abigail delivers this line, introducing the audience to the role reputation plays in the play. The necessity of a ‘pure-white’ reputation is highlighted through the symbolic word choice in the dialogue of “no blush”. Frequently, titles of literature and names of characters have a symbolic nature to them. This is seen in The Crucible. In John Proctor’s name, the name ‘Proctor’ holds the meaning of, “a man will not cast away his good name”. The meticulously chosen name further accentuates the role of a puritanist reputation in the town of Salem. Although this name is ironic to Proctor’s character in his immoral relationship with Abigail, it contradicts his puritan nature. The relationship between Proctor and Abigail leads to the discourse of inconsistent actions from Proctor such as “She is a Whore!” In this moment of weakness Proctor clearly defies his relationship with Abigail in order to protect his own reputation, this consequently leads to the emotional pain of Abigail. Proctor is then set to sign his confession, this is a pivotal moment in the play in displaying the impact the damaging reputation holds on the characters suffering. The stage directions ‘(Hysterically as though tearing paper was his life)” The simile in
The desire for power and authority has always been a part of the human nature. Today’s society most often use power to dominate one another and fulfill one’s personal intentions, which can affect other people in many ways. Having power and authority is truly gratifying but it is terrifying if abused and used for selfish acts. The play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller is an example to illustrate the consequences of abuse of power. The characters Abigail Williams, Deputy Governor Danforth and Reverend
Throughout The Crucible and Why I Wrote the Crucible by Arthur Miller, one can interpret that it is important for authors to advocate for social change. Authors have a significant amount of power over society; they have the power to influence and educate, but it is their choice whether or not to use that power for good. They have the power to bring certain issues to light and influence the way people today act. In Text 1, Tituba, the colored nurse, becomes an easy target to accuse of witchcraft because
The Crucible, a play set in the late 1600s, fired shots at the lot more recent Second-Red Scare in the 1950s. The play offers ideas about the religion in the judicial system, capital punishment, and moral values of those in authority. All of which were great issues to the Red Scare. In the story, Abigail, a young girl is faced to be held accountable for infidelity and her cross actions, yet she involves more people in her town, ultimately igniting the Salem Witch Trials. Miller’s story gives discomfort
nature of humanity is laid bare in all its complexity and contradiction. Arthur Miller's allegorical four-act play, The Crucible, explores the extensive impacts of a theocratic system of government upon individuals. The play, set in 1692, delves into the hysteria that envelops the Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts, as fear and suspicion lead to the persecution of innocent individuals. In this gripping narrative, Miller masterfully navigates the complexities of human nature, unveiling the paradoxical
of rebelling against the status quos regardless of a given agenda. One of the more compelling heroes of revolt in recent literary and theatrical history is Arthur Miller. Arthur Miller is arguably the most celebrated playwright of the past half century and has secured a well earned place in the history of playwrights of revolt. Arthur Miller’s moderately humble beings as a child growing up in the shadow of New York City did little to anticipate his eventual rise as a literary giant. Miller’s
Arthur Miller's "The Crucible” uses the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as a vehicle to analyze the dangers of hysteria and encourage justice during the Red Scare of the 1950s. Although Miller drew inspiration from historical events, he took creative liberties and altered both the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare to create a story that resonated with the audiences of his time. In doing so, "The Crucible" reflects on past infringements while warning against unchecked authority and conformity during
Corruption and Broken Community: The Result of Religion as Proven by Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Sierra Hall Department of English, Kearney High School ENG 101: AP Literature and Composition Mrs. Brodine April 23rd, 2024 Corruption and Broken Community: The Result of Religion as Proven by Arthur Miller’s The Crucible Religion has been a prominent figure throughout history for centuries. However, religion also has been the root of distrust, paranoia, death, and destruction, as proven by the Salem
and people took desperate measures to maintain theirs. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Reverend Parris’ motivation for supporting the witch trials is to further his reputation. When Parris questions Abigail about her being in the forest, he declares, “I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people for me and now, just when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character” (Miller 11). Parris is only concerned about Abigail’s disobedience because
Tragic Hero Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, as most know, was written as a commentary on the Red Scare in the 1950s and the massive paranoia surrounding it. There is another interesting connection to history that can be made, however, to Elizabethan era England. Shakespeare wrote many classic plays, and he often utilized the tragic hero to elicit the desired feeling and to examine the foibles of mankind. Miller uses a common farmer from the town of Salem as his main protagonist, and Miller writes the
In this essay, I intend to analyse the historical context of The Crucible and its relevance in today’s society. I believe that Arthur Miller’s life and his experience of McCarthyism strongly influenced the writing of The Crucible. McCarthyism, named after Joseph McCarthy was a period of intense anti-communism, which occurred in the United States from 1948 to about 1956. During this time the government of the United States persecuted the Communist party USA, its leadership, and many others suspected
Authority and power and chaos and order are the main discourses that are present in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Arthur Millar’s The Crucible. Through the context of each novel both authors use different dialogue, plots and situations to get their viewpoint across to the audience. In comparing the two texts with the similarities and differences, it is clear that both authors have had a different effect on the audience of today. It would appear as though both texts are focused around
Throughout the play, The Crucible, characters demonstrated the effects of holding on to and abandoning morals. In viewing the result, it was revealed which choice led to a better legacy. Although characters in The Crucible with discredited ethics often proposed a sense of authority over others, those who withheld their principles until perishing, were truly fulfilled in life. Corrupted
Defeating Hypocrisy and Eradicating Corruption The absolute power of aristocracies is a scourge on society that corrupts minds and imposes too much of an impact on the lives of the majority. At the time when Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible, society was subject to McCarthyism, the unquestionable authoritative force that could and did ruin the lives of those suspected of communism. Yet, of these people who suffered the brunt of punishment from authority, a numerous percentage of them displayed hypocrisy in
time of mass hysteria that became known as the Red Scare. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1952 when the Red Scare was at its peak; in the play, he recounted a similar panic known as the Salem Witch Trials. Miller conveyed the irrationality of the Red Scare through the plot and characters of The Crucible, drawing a connection between the role of social position in McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials. Throughout The Crucible, Arthur Miller emphasized how maintaining one’s reputation could conflict
Arthur miller’s play the crucible and the film the king in New York directed by Charlie Chaplin explores the way politics and people are entwined. Both these composers, through their texts, sagaciously convey the notion of how oppressive politics can be. They ingrain on the responder of the way in which politics can ruin and lead both people and societies to destruction when given excessive power. Arthur miller and Charlie Chaplin were profoundly affected by the mass hysteria of communism driven