The Crucible Throughout the play, “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, the characters crack under the pressure, face trials they fear they can’t handle on their own, and ultimately turned against one another. There are three known definitions of the word ‘crucible’ and Arthur Miller incorporated all three when writing this play. First, a container used to melt metal or other substances at a high temperature, second, a severe test or trial, and lastly, a situation where great political, social or cultural forces interact or change. All the interpretations of this word apply to the play, they all symbolize an event that took place. In order for a substance to melt or be destroyed, it eventually has to give in to the thing …show more content…
trying to destroy it. Miller made this comparison between this definition and the characters in “The Crucible”. For example,”Oh, Mary, I cannot, I Cannot stop my mouth; It’s God’s work I do...oh, please, Mary! Don’t come down”(Miller,Act III, 115). This excerpt eventually leads into where Mary accuses John Proctor of being involved in witchcraft. This quote represents the extreme heat that makes the substance give in, Abigail being the symbol for ‘crucible’ and Mary being the metal that eventually gives in when pushed to a certain point. This quote is a prime example of how this play continues on, and how it was written before. Another example of this would be, “I cannot...don’t touch me! You’re the Devil’s man.”(Miller,Act III, 118). This quote shows the aftermath of Abigail’s doings, and how it played out after Mary gave in to the pressure and her fear. This also shows, the accusation made was the reason for Proctor’s death. The characters in this play cracked under the pressure, much like metal will eventually melt, if put to a high enough temperature. Abigail was the heat, and the melting represents all the unnecessary deaths of innocent and righteous people. Majority of the play “The Crucible” took place in a courtroom with the characters consecutively on trial, which leads into the second definition, a severe test or trial.
Although this definition could be taken quite literally, this play exemplifies both of these scenarios. The characters that were on trial were also going through an internal struggle at the time. For example when John Proctor admitted to adultery,”It is a whore...Oh, Francis, I wish you had some evil in you that you might know me. A man will not cast away his good name. You surely know that.”(Miller, Act III). Throughout the entirety of this play John struggled with his sin of adultery, it was a severe struggle he dealt with. Therefore admitting it while in court in order to make Abigail uncredible added to his trial even more. This was a crucial part of the storyline because John was giving up his name as well as reputation, overcoming his internal battle while developing external consequences for it. Another example of a character’s extreme struggle would be when Reverend Hale recognizes he’s been in the wrong,”Excellency, I have signed seventy-two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it...I have this morning signed away the soul of Rebecca Nurse, Your Honor. I'll not conceal it, my hand shakes yet as with a wound! I pray you, sir, this argument let lawyers present to you.”(Miller,Act III).
This goes to prove Hale’s struggle with what he has been doing, and his recognition of being in the wrong. He can no longer sign people to their execution without being positive, especially people he is certain are innocent. After this moment instead of happily sending people to their deaths, he tries to help save them, or better yet convince them to save themselves, and forget their reputation.
A crucible refers to a harsh test, and in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, each person is challenged in a severe test of his or her character or morals. Many more people fail than pass, but three notable characters stand out. Reverend John Hale, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor all significantly change over the course of the play.
A crucible is a severe test of patients or belief, a trial. The play The Crucible is a journey through the trials of many townspeople caused by the superstitious belief in witchcraft. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller progresses and evolves the outlooks and views of the townspeople of Salem and shows how events, people, and catastrophes cause the characters to change their views on whether the people prosecuted were guilty or innocent of witchcraft. Reverend John Hale changes his view, more and more drastically as the play advances, as a result of the events that he underwent and the experiences he had. Soon he had a total belief in the innocence of all those convicted and hung in Salem.
Crucible- a severe test, a hard trial or also could be define as a pot for melting metals. A severe trail could be as other then a physical it also could be mentally a severe trial like person verses self. In The Crucible, Miller reflects the theme that pressure can force people from there can force their morals. The characters in The Crucible have morals that they must up hold to be accepted into the town and church. It is a struggle to keep these values when there are moral hazards like desires, greed, hate, and obsession.
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a play that discusses many issues and spurs contemplation within the reader. While reading this play, because of the controversy of many issues detailed within, it is difficult for one not to take a look at one’s own morals and determine what one would do if placed in a similar situation. The key issues discussed within this play, the effects of hysteria, marital betrayal, and the murderous powers of lies, are portrayed intriguingly and effectively. The lessons that can be learned from The Crucible are still quite applicable today.
The Crucible is a 1953 play by Arthur Miller. Initially, it was known as The Chronicles of Sarah Good. The Crucible was set in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts. It talks of McCarthyism that happened in the late 1600’s whereby the general public and people like Arthur Miller were tried and persecuted. The Crucible exemplifies persecutions during the Salem Witch Trials. The people were convicted and hung without any tangible proof of committing any crime. Persecutions were the order of the day. When a finger was pointed at any individual as a witch, the Deputy Governor Danforth never looked for evidence against them or evidence that incriminated them; he ordered them to be hanged. This can be seen through his words “Hang them high over the town! Who weeps for those, weeps for corruption!” (1273), the people were persecuted aimlessly. The four main characters in the play, John Proctor, Abigail Adams, Reverend Hale and Reverend Parris, are caught in the middle of the witchcraft panic in the religious Salem, Massachusetts in late 1690’s. Persecution is the most important theme in the Crucible, the leaders and citizens of Salem attacks and persecutes one of their own without any tangible evidence against them.
The Crucible is a play which brings to our attention many timeless issues. The nature of good and evil, power and its corruption, honour and integrity and our tendency to create scapegoats for all manner of problems are all brought up through the course of the play - sometimes in very dramatic fashion.
The Crucible is a play with many underlying messages and themes. One of which is the idea of power. Power is a very important term in this play in that whoever holds the power, holds the fates of others. The hysteria within Salem has directly effected society. Everything has turned upside down and has gotten distorted. Arthur Miller is telling us that all the power in Salem is given to those who are corrupt and their abuse of it is directly shown through: the actions of Abigail throughout the play, the corruption and desires of Parris, as well as the witch trials held by Judge Danforth.
The Crucible is a famous play written by Arthur Miller in the Early 1950’s. It was written during the “Red scare, when McCarthyism was established. Many anti-communists wanted to prevent communism from spreading just like in The Crucible many wanted to get rid of witchcraft. Many would accuse others of witchcraft in order to not be accused just like many would accuse people of communism. In The Crucible witchcraft would be punishable by death. Many were scared to be accused; therefore many would admit practicing witchcraft in order to save their lives. The Crucible is considered a good play because it is based on real life events during the Salem witch Trials and shows how fear played a role in the individual’s life just like during the “Red” scare.
Arthur Miller cleverly picked the title "The Crucible" for his play about the Salem witch hunts of the 1660's because of the word's many meanings. Throughout the play, Miller has characters face severe tests that make them question their own self. A crucible is also an earthen pot that is used for melting metals. In a way the town of Salem was a crucible as people were brought before the court and blasted with allegations from others as being witches. They were either forced to give in and live a lie or be hanged.
Nineteen forty-seven. The House Un-American Activities Committee has instituted a “Hollywood blacklist,” condemning many of those in the business of motion picture as Red, or communist, making it impossible for them to land jobs or roles. Rewind two-hundred fifty-five years to the Salem witch trials, a similar series of events motivated by religion instead of politics. In The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts, Arthur Miller uses the group of young girls led by Abigail Williams to draw a comparison between those trials and the convictions of the Second Red Scare, and to evince how a single person can ruin a society through the effects of mass hysteria.
The capacity to separate insight from testing encounters recognizes effective pioneers from their broken or wore out companions. Troublesome and, at times, profession or perilous occasions are called authority crucibles. They are trials and tests purposes of profound self-reflection that power you to address your identity and what truly matters. Portrayed by an intersection of undermining scholarly, social, financial or potentially political powers, crucibles test your understanding, conviction frameworks and center esteems. When you're interested in gaining from errors, issues and disappointments, you turn into a more grounded pioneer. You pick up supporters trust, and they're anxious to create their best work. Straightforward, legit pioneers
Imagine being afraid for your life because of a rumor going around in your town. In Salem, Massachusetts there was a group of girls with Abigail being the voice of the group, but would accuse people of doing witchcraft. The community would be afraid of this issues that they would be more bias towards the situation and only took the church in an opinion on how to settle the issue. The view of American history the filmmakers are trying to get across is how the state and church were not separate in Salem, Massachusetts. The community in Salem had the same laws, rules for both church and state, they believed that they needed to compile towards what God’s laws were. It was a big issue in the 1692’s when the witchcraft trials happened in Salem,
The word "crucible" signifies a ceramic container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures or a place of severe test or trial. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, each element; whether it be a person, place or thing, is exposed to the form or is involved with a different crucible. A crucible, tests each individual across the village determining their breaking point. By one's actions, it shows their true character, and how much they are capable of. Throughout the piece, the entire community of Salem has been effected by a crucible. This tension is quickly created when accusations and confessions are made throughout the drama. This can be seen, when Mr. Parris
In order to understand The Crucible, you have to know a little about McCarthyism. This belief dated back to the 1950’s where the term referred to senator Joseph McCarthy. During this time there was communist influence spreading across America and the American’s were getting lied to. McCarthyism is a term
A crucible, as defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, is a severe test. In his play, The Crucible, Arthur Miller conveys the message of McCarthyism by writing an allegory to the Puritan times and the Salem witch trials. However, there are many more hidden messages that Miller weaves in to the plotlines of the play. These messages surface as themes that illuminate the purpose of the author, which was to show flaws in Society and McCarthyism. Throughout the play, some of the major themes that are in the play are that theocracy makes the whole of society worse, that people try to save their reputation by committing act of crime and sinning, and that mass-hysteria causes people to stop listening to the voices of reason.