Introduction to The Crucible By: Arthur Miller

What does “crucible” mean? a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high degree of heat a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development a severe test

Arthur Miller Background Born in New York City 1915 – 2005 Began writing plays in college Wrote 19 radio plays, 4 screenplays, & 36 stage plays Regarded as one of the best 20th century dramatists

Arthur Miller Background cont. His father, Isidore Miller, was a ladies-wear manufacturer & shopkeeper Was ruined in the depression This sudden change in fortune had a strong influence on Miller Studied journalism entered the University of Michigan in 1934 won awards for playwriting

Arthur Miller Background cont. 3 marriages Married Marilyn Monroe (actress) in 1956 They divorced in 1961

Arthur Miller’s successes 1st successes All My Sons (1947) Death of a Salesman (1949) Condemned the American ideal of prosperity Thought few can pursue it without making dangerous moral compromises Awards Tony award for Best Author (twice) Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The Cold War in America The US & the USSR emerged as the world’s major powers at the end of WWII became involved in the Cold War [a state of hostility (short of direct military conflict) between the two nations] Many Americans feared Communism around the world & even disloyalty at home Suspicion about Communist infiltration of the government A lot of Americans thought the Soviets got the atomic bomb by using spies. People thought that secret agents had stolen our secrets & gave them to the enemy these spies were actually often average American citizens [not Russian spies]

Joseph McCarthy (Senator of Wisconsin) Gained power by accusing others of subversion Claimed to have a list of 205 Communists who worked in the State Department (in 1950) unsupported accusations but helped him win a national following a Senate committee labeled them “a fraud and a hoax” Branded the Democrats as a party of treason Denounced his political foes as “soft on Communism” Called Truman’s secretary of state, Dean Acheson, the “Red Dean”

McCarthyism September 1950 Congress passed the McCarran Internal Security Act goaded (provoked/incited) by McCarthy established a Subversive Activities Control Board to monitor Communist influence in the United States “McCarthyism” came to mean false charges of disloyalty

End of McCarthy’s career McCarthy’s influence continued until 1954 Senate censured him for abusing his colleagues. His career collapsed Fears of subversion continued Communities banned books teachers, academics, civil servants, and entertainers lost jobs unwarranted attacks ruined lives

HUAC = House Un-American Activities Committee Sought to expose Communist influence in American life Created in 1938 Congress wanted to investigate suspicions of disloyalty Called witnesses & investigated the entertainment industry Result of the HUAC investigations: the entertainment industry blacklisted/refused to hire artists & writers suspected of being Communists Over 300 people, including Arthur Miller

3 options of the accused Could claim they were not and never had been members of the Communist Party this would have meant perjuring themselves Could admit or claim membership & then be forced to name other members this would have meant losing their jobs both because of their former membership and their dubious position as informers could refuse to answer any questions what the Hollywood 10 did

Huac in Hollywood Prominent film directors and screenwriters who refused to cooperate were imprisoned on contempt charges Some, including film director Elia Kazan, testified for the committee to avoid prison sentences The Hollywood Ten, a group of entertainers, refused to testify/answer any questions were convicted of contempt sentenced to up to one year in prison

Miller’s involvement He admitted to the HUAC that he had attended meetings, but denied that he was a Communist Had attended, among others, 4 or 5 writers’ meetings sponsored by the Communist Party in 1947 Had supported a Peace Conference at the Waldorf-Astoria in NY Had signed many appeals and protests. He refused to name others who had associated with leftist or suspected Communist groups Was cited for contempt of Congress

Why miller wrote the crucible Response to McCarthyism It’s not simply a straight historical play detailing the Salem witch trials A lot of the information in the play misrepresents the literal events of the trial example: at the time of the trial, John Proctor was 60 old & Abigail Williams only 11 The play is a parable for the McCarthy era similar “witch hunts” occurred targeting citizens as communists, rather than disciples of the devil