The Use of Language in The Crucible

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The Use of Language in The Crucible

The Crucible is the study in the mass hysteria which led to the 1692

Salem witchcraft trials, concentrating on the fate of some of the key

figures caught up in the persecution. It powerfully depicts people and

principles under pressure, and the issues and motivations involved. At

the same time it is also clearly a parable for the events of the

McCarthy era in the USA of the 1950s when anyone suspected of left

wing views was arraigned for ‘ un American activities’

The Crucible’ consists of many dramatic acts involving a lot of

tension but Act III is significant to the whole play as it involves a

lot of dramatic irony and anxiety. Act III is opened with a build up a

tension from the previous act where Elizabeth Proctor is accused of

witchcraft and taken away by the court. This immediately builds up

tension to the next act as the audience wait for the trial.

The structural importance is an important key aspect involved in Act

III as it creates tensions and contrasts in with the next event. This

creates the right atmosphere for upcoming episodes such as the news of

Elizabeth’s pregnancy and what influence it could have on her fate.

Act III consists of many emotions such as guilt, regression, anger and

hope. Each character changes within the act depending on their

individual circumstances. Proctor is known to be a good man but then

he is forced to admit to adultery, his wife Elizabeth a very honest

woman is forced to lie for her husband and Abigail still continues the

same throughout Act III with her dramatic character unable to change

in her circumstances.

In the opening of Act III Giles, an elderly but honest farmer is being

held and forced into the vestry by Herr...

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...in the devil and knew of his powers so thought that all witchcraft

should be hunted out. They were puritans, which meant that none of

their habits and activities were very strict and no entertainment was

permitted. Miller did a lot of research into the inhabitants of Salem

then so many of the characters are based on real people their actions

however and words were not spoken as Miller made the people his own in

the play.

Miller writes Act 3 very cleverly so that the audience know

information that the judges do not, this is a way of making the

tension and intrigue in the crowd rise. This form of audience

participation is used often by great play writers such as Shakespeare

even though their styles are completely different it still has the

same effect of dramatic tension and makes their plays interesting and

exciting for all the members of the audience.

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