The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Basics of the Drama Literary Type: Drama (play) Publishing Date: 1953 Type of Drama/Play: Tragedy Historical Fiction Publishing Date: 1953 Setting Puritan community Salem, MA in 1692 Begins in spring, ends in fall Salem Witch Trials

Significance of the Title A crucible is… A severe test or trial A witch’s cauldron A metal or earthen vessel in which metal or stone are brought to extremely high temperatures for the purpose of changing their properties into something else.

Author’s Purpose Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as a parallel to McCarthyism in the 1950s. He was called to testify by Senator McCarthy for the House Committee on Un-American Activities and name people who were known Communists. The subject of The Salem Witch Trials allowed him to attack the legality and injustice of McCarthyism indirectly. Miller supposed this might cost him his career and marriage to Marilyn Monroe, and essentially, it did.

Main Characters John Proctor- protagonist, thirty-five, farmer, married to Elizabeth, adulterer Abigail Williams- antagonist, seventeen, mistress, mean girl (think Regina George in 1692), power hungry, leader Elizabeth Proctor- wife of John, mid-thirties, mother, victim of accusations Reverend Parris- mid-forties, community’s pastor, materialistic, egotistical Reverend John Hale- demonic specialist, early thirties, naïve and pure-intentioned Deputy Governor Danforth-head judge, believes accusers, will not stray from the law even when he recognizes the reality of the trials

Minor Characters Betty Parris- around eleven, seems bewitched, easily controlled Mercy Lewis- teenager, mean girl, ironic name: she shows no mercy to the accused and delights in having power over life and death Mary Warren- teenager, servant of the Proctors, easily controlled, wants to do what’s right but lacks a “backbone” Rebecca Nurse- very elderly, has many children and grandchildren, family rose to wealth through hard work, Giles Corey- elderly man, married, indirectly and accidentally accuses wife, pressed to death, “outsider” Ann Putnam- mid-forties, mother of one surviving child, wife of wealthiest man in Salem, jealous of Nurse family Thomas Putnam- mid-forties, born wealthy, power and land hungry Ruth Putnam- only surviving child, easily controlled

Fact or Fiction? Fact: All characters were real people in Salem in 1692. Fiction: John and Abigail did not have an affair in real life-- ages of characters are affected by dramatic license. Fact: Each of the characters who die in the play also died in real life because of witchcraft accusations. Fiction: The order of the deaths has been changed to help the play reach the intended climax of Proctor’s moral dilemma.

The Crucible as an Allegory An allegory is a story with more than one layer of meaning: a literal meaning and one or more symbolic meanings. The characters, setting, and themes in an allegory are symbols of ideas and qualities that exist outside the story. The Crucible is an allegory because Miller uses one historical period and setting (seventeenth-century New England) to comment on another (1950s America). The play is an allegory for modern events. The Salem witch trials are an allegory for the anti-Communist hysteria of the 1950s “Red Scare.” The comparison is effective because in both cases people could be accused with very little or no proof, and it was extremely difficult to defend oneself against the logical fallacies inherent in the accusations.

Themes Moral ambiguity- Dual nature of people; not totally good but not totally bad Integrity- Doing what is right no matter the consequence Human cruelty in the name of righteousness The Individual vs. the Community Justice vs. Retribution and revenge Godliness vs. Worldliness The Puritan Myth Order vs. Individual Freedom

Archetypes The Tragic Hero- A tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. Hero as The Scapegoat-Hero suffers for the sake of others The Temptress- Characterized by sensuous beauty, this woman is one to whom the protagonist is physically attracted and who ultimately brings about his downfall. May appear as a witch or vampire. Event: The Crossroads-A place or time of decision when a realization is made and change or penance results Event: The Maze- A puzzling dilemma or great uncertainty, search for the dangerous monster inside of oneself, or a journey into the heart of darkness

Other Terms to Know Tragedy-a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction. Theocracy-a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, laws are interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities. Foil – A character that contrasts starkly with another character in order to highlight the traits of the other character. Often observed in literature is that a foil is a secondary character who contrasts with the major character to enhance the importance of the major character. The etymology of the term “foil” is taken from the practice of backing gems with foil (tool) so that they shine more brightly.