The Crucible a play in which Arthur Miller changes some events of the Salem witch trials of 1692 to the problems that were happening in his own society. Explain. He writes, "But by 1950, when I began to think of writing about the hunt for Reds in America, I was motivated in some great part by the paralysis that had set in among many liberals who, despite their discomfort with the inquisitors' violations of civil rights, were fearful, and with good reason, of being identified as covert Communists if they should protest too strongly." Miller relates the novel to his struggles by stating, "Should the accused confess, his honesty could only be proved by naming former confederates." (Are You Now. Americans believed the Soviet Union going to take over the government of the United States and Americans can lose their freedom. In this article, I'll provide historical background on McCarthyism, tell you about Arthur Miller's personal involvement with the investigations of alleged communists in the 1950s, and explain how and why interpretations of The Crucible are so closely tied to the political attitudes and events of that decade. This was a time of much hypocrisy in the people of the town of Salem. His greatest sin is his pride concerning his reputation. McCarthyism: Those who were accused were assumed guilty, put on trial, and expected to divulge the names of other Communist sympathizers. novel) represents something else on a symbolic level -The entire play symbolizes the Red . His arrival sets the hysteria in motion, although he later regrets his actions and attempts to save the lives of those accused. The Crucible represents a male-dominated world where the women have little power and are treated lesser and are most likely to be associated with the devil. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller alludes to this period of time by using Abigail Williams to represent Joseph McCarthy and by using the General Court of Salem to represent the Division of Security. Most respected person in Salem and a voice of reason and justice in Salem. -Tituba's confession! One of the most important themes in The Crucible involves similarities between McCarthyism. Latest answer posted April 17, 2020 at 1:25:04 AM. Discuss how Millers point of view influences the reading of the play. This meant that people were forced to either confess to the crime of witchery or shove the blame towards a different person. The puritans were a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th century. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953. Yet, Elizabeth is hurt by the fact, Many people today have read Arthur Millers great play The Crucible and believe that the real witch trials were portrayed in the play but many of the facts are not particularly wrong but might be twisted. Most of the accused in "The Crucible" can be tied back to greed, hatred, insecurities, grudges and hatred-not to actual witchcraft. This number is a sign of the huge number of victims, executed in the play. Danforth claims that there is "a moving plot to topple Christ in the country!" These investigations went on for two years, during which the questioning spread to numerous government departments, and there was a continued proliferation of communist panic. To be fair, Miller had less at stake than many others who were called before HUAC to testify. Other parallel is, lives were ruind because of accusations and punishments., In Arthur Millers, The Crucible, the Salem Witch Trials were filled with the same sins that were also shown in modern-day McCarthyism. Lechery is excessive or offensive sexual desire; lustfulness. Why were the girls dancing in the forest on the evening before the play began? The story relates to the McCarthy trials. An allegory is a story with two levels of meaning- literal and symbolic. The Second Red Scare happened between 1947-1954 and Sen. Joseph McCarthy feared that Soviet, Korean and Chinese communist spies occupied the federal government which later turned out to be false. A wealthy, influential man in Salem. The Second Red Scare happened between 1947-1954 and Sen. Joseph McCarthy feared that Soviet, Korean and Chinese communist spies occupied the federal government which later turned out to be false. The fear of witches only seems archaic because most of society no longer holds serious beliefs in the supernatural. In Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, which explores the consequences of the McCarthyism scare of the 1950s, students explore the central topics of history, community, herd mentality and truth. Abigail Williams is presented as one of the main antagonist in The Crucible. After World War II, as Cold War tensions mounted, HUAC became even more intent on investigating communist activities. These connections are important because they demonstrate that The Crucible is not merely a (highly adapted) retelling of historical events but also an allegorical reference to the timelessness of certain central human flaws. They have no proof. What are the main conflicts in The Crucible and why? The Crucible was composed during a time when a similar hysteria was sweeping through America. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. (C) an operator of machinery The entire plot of the novel is moulded by the repressive Puritan society. Hated the fact that John and Abigail had an affair. The sins of wrath and lust were shown by Abby during the Witch Trials that she started. After all, communists are real, and witches arent. The book was written as a reaction to a tragic time in our countries history. A man from Salem who acts as clerk of the court during the witch trials. In 1996, director Nicholas Hynter released a film adaptation of Miller's play. Miller was called to the House of Committee on an un-American activities which triggered him to write about the witch trials. -Arthur Miller = John Proctor? The Crucible is a metaphor for the accusations made in the 1950's during the McCarthyism era. The Salem witch trials took place in the late 1600s in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, about 260 years prior to when he wrote it. Hale is a committed Christian and hater of witchcraft. The Crucible explores the destruction of the Salem community caused by mass hysteria. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. In his memoir, Timebends, Miller sees a connection between the Salem witch trials and McCarthys campaign. In 1946 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, and in 1950 he publicly charged that 205 communists had infiltrated . The dishonesty, brainwashing and manipulation exhibited by Abigail Williams, Mary Warren and the court is ultimately what allowed the witch trials to occur and to continue., The main difference between McCarthyism and the Crucible is that McCarthyism was a real political period in the United States when Senator McCarthy tried to scare people that communism was leaking into our government but as for the crucible it was a group of people that was just accusing other people of witchcraft. Anyone deemed suspicious was issued a subpoena by the committee and subsequently questioned about their political activities and the activities of other potential subversives. Ask below and we'll reply! The Crucible: Those who are accused are assumed guilty, put on trial, expected to confess, and expected to accuse others of being witches. "An everlasting funeral marches round your heart", The opposite of what is expected occurs If not you were put to death In the case of The Crucible, but in The McCarthy Era you were denied work and many times were not able to travel out of the country. The Crucible By Arthur Miller 1355 Words | 6 Pages. Any man who has been named by a either a senator or a committee or a congressman as dangerous to the welfare of this nation, his name should be submitted to the various intelligence units, and they should conduct a complete check upon him. Those are just a couple ideas; I hope they helped. In The Crucible, Abigail's character is similar to Senator Joseph McCarthy, the biggest practitioner of political McCarthyism. (pg. The Doll: The doll found on Elizabeth Proctors shelf is a traditional symbol of voodoo and witchcraft. This lead to many accusations that people were communists. Wise, sensible, upright and is loved by most of Salem. Many of the accused were blacklisted or lost their jobs, even though most did not in fact belong to the communist party."The Crucible" by Arthur Miller, was written during the time McCarthyism took place which explains the major similarities between the two. Read this article for a list of all the most important quotes in the play, categorized by theme. Many people were brought before the government and questioned about being a communist. The hysteria was ignited by a group of young girls who were powerless individually, yet as a group, had the power to control the court. This extends to the Puritan government and church, both being entrusted to protect its citizens, yet both doing the opposite. It is a common belief that witch hunts are things of the past. The Boiling Cauldron: The controversy begins with Salem girls running wild through the forest around a cauldron of boiling water. Putnam is the single most narrow-minded, self-serving guy in the story. On February 9, 1950, he claimed to possess a list of the names of 205 people in the US State Department who were members of the American Communist Party. -The theory was created by Joseph R. McCarthy-Occurred during the Cold War (1950s) . What are the parallels between the incidents Miller dramatizes and the acts of Senator McCarthy in the 1950s? All rights reserved. What object do the girls claim to see in the rafters of the courtroom? Miller demonstrates how the Crucible represents an allegory for his conflict with McCarthyism by relating his experiences with the plot of the novel. He later filed an appeal which he won. It seems crazy that society could be fooled into believing in things like witches and deal with the events in such an extreme manner. She is a timid girl, easily influenced by those around her, who tried unsuccessfully to expose the hoax and ultimately recanted her confession. The church, the legal system, and the togetherness of the community died so that the girls and their families social status might be protected. Millers play ended with 20 people being executed while McCarthyism caused hundreds of people to be socially and politically. If patriotism is taken too far, it can transform itself into a hatred of "outsiders" rather than a love of political freedoms. Joseph McCarthy, in full Joseph Raymond McCarthy, (born November 14, 1908, near Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.died May 2, 1957, Bethesda, Maryland), American politician who served in the U.S. Senate (1947-57), representing Wisconsin, and who lent his name to the term McCarthyism. Thomas Putnam's wife. What happened between Huac and Arthur Miller? Manage Settings Why, as a nation, do we fear others? Court is backwards, Conflicts are "resolved" and they may be a win or loss with the antagonist Judge Danforth a character in The Crucible was a puritan leader who was against witches. It is said to have. Yet, one life lost in the result of millions after that seems like a sensible thought., The McCarthy Era and The Crucible can relate in many ways, in both of these times people were accused for wrong doings. Miller used Proctor and others like him to symbolize the ulterior motives that many people had for labelling people as witches, or as communists; for example, Abby was jealous of Elizabeth and so labelled her a witch. As a result of this, Arthur Miller created the character in his play, "The Crucible" who is a McCarthy-like character named Judge Thomas Danforth, who spread the fear of witchcraft among many people while encouraging his own power in 1692 during the Salem Witch Trials. This can be connected to The Crucible because of what the main character, Abigail, does to get what she wants. McCarthy, the creator of the idea McCarthyism, was a strong fighter against communism during the Red Scare. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. While a servant in John Proctor 's household, Abigail briefly became John's lover before Elizabeth found out and fired read analysis of Abigail Williams. He highlights how these particular themes are problematic for human nature. -Joseph McCarthy = Judge Danforth? Her illness and that of Ruth Putnam fuel the first rumors of witchcraft.