The Crucible by Arthur Miller

The Man Who Had All the Luck – his first play (1944); Death of a Salesman (1949) – Miller’s plays often depict how families are destroyed by false values; The Crucible (1953). Miller’s Most Famous Works

The Crucible

Puritans - The Beginning  The Puritans were an English religious group who came to the U.S. to practice religion without interference from the Church of England.  It is important to understand the Puritan ways before we can begin reading The Crucible, which takes place in Salem, Massachusetts.

 The Puritans thought they were chosen by God and that they must live every moment as God-fearing.  Every man, woman, and child was expected to attend the meeting on the Sabbath without question.  If they didn’t read Bible - thought of as devil worshipers.  Hatred and persecution existed in England - all hated Puritans, so they moved to America. The Puritan Way

Let’s Go to Church!  The men sat on one side, the women sat on the other, and the boys did not sit with their parents, but sat together in a certain pew where they were expected to sit silently.  Puritans did not like music in their services. They also felt that music and celebrating were not appropriate in the church meeting house.

Don’t Ask for the Restroom  The service began with a prayer given by the preacher that usually lasted around an hour.  Sermon could last up to three hours - usually hellfire and brimstone!  Churches were unheated and terribly cold.

In 1692, the fear of witchcraft was declining in Europe. In a tiny town called Salem, Massachusetts, the fears of witchcraft were about to tear the community apart. Witchcraft

One of the ways most witches were accused was with the use of “spectral evidence.” Example: If someone said they had seen the accused with the devil in a dream, or had hurt them, it was taken as evidence that the devil was at work. 20 executed Between 175 to 200 imprisoned Witchcraft

Most of those accused of being witches were women. Many were healers, and used plants to heal people. Many were without family, and this made them easy targets. They were people who did not fit in with the mainstream for some reason. Witchcraft

Why did it happen? It began as a way for the “oppressed” girls to avoid being punished. It then became an ideal way to get revenge on anyone whom you disliked. People started accusing their neighbors of being witches so they could steal their farmland. People accused others of being witches if they wanted to steal their husbands, wives, or possessions.

If accused, usually found guilty.If accused, usually found guilty. Sometimes they were sentenced to be tied to a rock, dunked in a pond, and if they sank, they were declared innocent. If they somehow survived the dunking, they were obviously witches, and they were executed.Sometimes they were sentenced to be tied to a rock, dunked in a pond, and if they sank, they were declared innocent. If they somehow survived the dunking, they were obviously witches, and they were executed. Most of those found guilty of witchcraft were hung.Most of those found guilty of witchcraft were hung. One man was pressed to death with rocks because he refused to plead guilty or innocent, insuring that his sons still inherited his lands.One man was pressed to death with rocks because he refused to plead guilty or innocent, insuring that his sons still inherited his lands. The Death Penalty - Witch Style

Salem, Massachusetts  Most famous witch trials - Salem,  Actual events took place in Danvers and Salem Village.  Launching the hysteria was the bizarre behavior of two young girls; the daughter, Betty, and the niece, Abigail Williams, of the Salem Village minister, Reverend Samuel Parris.

 Salem is a coastal town--it lies by the Atlantic Ocean.  Its location made it accessible to the early Puritan settlers who arrived by boat from England.

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Born in 1915 in NYC. His family was ruined in the Great Depression He worked in automobile parts warehouse to earn money for college Miller saw similarities between the Salem witch trials and the McCarthy Hearings. Arthur Miller

Married Marilyn Monroe (1956), wrote screenplays with roles for his wife, and divorced her (1961). He refused to cooperate in the investigations of the House Un-American Activities Committee. As a result, he was accused of being unpatriotic, and his career suffered for it. Miller Facts

Connecting the Past to the Present

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible  Fictional  Based on Salem Witch Trials  Persecution  McCarthyism

The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller in 1953 as an allegory for McCarthyism or the so called (second) Red Scare. Miller wanted to point out the similarities between the Red Scare and the acts of the Salem Witch Trials. Allegory: Usually have a hidden meaning related to morals or politics Why Write The Crucible?

During McCarthyism, the United States was terrified of Communism's influence. Like the witches, communists were seen everywhere in society, supposedly. Miller was sent to jail for withholding information from the court; he wouldn’t give the names of those assumed to be communists. Many of Miller’s peers/friends gave names of suspected communists in an attempt to save themselves from jail. Why Write The Crucible?

People thought Communists were everywhere, and one man, Senator Joseph McCarthy, made it his personal mission to find Communists and destroy their lives by bringing them before something called the HOUSE UNAMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE. Why Write The Crucible?

Senator Joseph McCarthy  Senator Joseph McCarthy headed the House Un- American Activities Committee.  He is responsible for falsely accusing many of Communism.

Compared to witch trials - where gossip, rumors, and fear were evidence enough to convict people. “Witch Hunt” Why Write The Crucible?

The Hollywood Blacklist In the 1950’s, famous people to testify: Lucille Ball ("I Love Lucy"), Ronald Reagan (though he became a "friendly witness" and named names of those he reportedly saw at Communist meetings), Langston Hughes, and Arthur Miller.

Do you see any similarities today to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692? Please explain! You don’t need to write down the answers, but do have a few answers in your head… Reflect…