The Crucible Part I: Overview

Part I: Overview American play Written in the 1950s Playwright: Arthur Miller Focuses on residents of Salem, Massachusetts Written as an allegory of the red scare Themes: hysteria, repression, morality We will focus on each of these bullets as we go through the slideshow

Overview: Arthur Miller Born in 1915 in New York City Attended University of Michigan Returned to NYC after graduating college No luck writing! Finally had a play of his on Broadway “All my Sons” (1947) Married Marilyn Monroe Divorced after a few years Had three wives altogether Wrote “The Crucible” in the early 1950s Was accused of being a Communist Died in 2005 Communism: a type of government that believes everyone should chip in equally and get equal benefits (from each according to his ability, to each according to his need). Why bad? Russia and China; also, execution of ideal is difficult

Overview: Salem, Massachusetts Located on the coast of Massachusetts Settled mainly by Puritans in 1626 A group of people who left England so they could practice religious freedom Often let their religious beliefs guide their daily lives Most known for the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Nickname: “The Witch City” Witch museums, etc. as tourism industry Puritans want to “Purify” the church of England. They believed that idol time was the work of the devil. Very strict with their children (couldn’t play hide or seek, tag or other childhood games). Reading was a popular pastime and there was an interest in books about prophecy and fortune telling. Some girls formed small, informal circles to practice the divinations and fortune telling they learned from their reading to help pass the cold months. Couldn’t sing or dance. Believed in predestination already set going to heaven or hell. Forest is the devil’s domain.

Overview: Themes Hysteria – How can fear control your life? Repression – What factors may lead someone to feel repressed? Morality: List your top three “moral rules.” How do these fit into our ideas of America? Remember, this class is about American literature as much as possible! Be thinking about this question every time we read a text. Morality: A person's standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do. Hysteria: Defined elsewhere Repression: Restrain or prevent (the expression of a feeling).

The Crucible vs. Communism

Salem Witch Trials Occurred from June through September of 1692 in Salem Group of people involved were the Puritans Townspeople were in a state of hysteria about witches/evil Look at your notes from yesterday to remind yourself what a Puritan is. Hysteria: an uncontrollable outburst of emotion or fear, often characterized by irrationality, laughter, weeping, etc. 2. Psychoanalysis . a psychoneurotic disorder characterized by violent emotional outbreaks, disturbances of sensory and motor functions, and various abnormal effects due to autosuggestion. Puritans believed in witches and their ability to harm others. They defined witchcraft as entering into a compact with the devil in exchange for certain powers to do evil. Witchcraft was considered a sin because it denied God’s superiority and a crime because the witch could call up the Devil in his/her shape to perform cruel acts against others.

The Salem Witch Trail Facts Young girl named Betty Parris became ill Fever, extreme pain, running around the house More children in Salem became ill Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott Doctors were called in to find the reason for this sickness 9 year old Betty Parris and 11 year old Abigail Williams began to exhibit strange behavior such as blasphemous screaming, seizures, trance like states and mysterious spells. Within a short time, several other Salem girls began to demonstrate similar behavior (43 became afflicted throughout the trials) Betty was the daughter of Rev. Samuel Parris and Abigail was her cousin, who lived with her. Betty and Abigail and two other friends formed a circle. Tituba, Rev. Parris’ slave from Barbados, would often participate in the circle. She would entertain the others with stories of witchcraft and demons. They would tell their fortunes by dropping an egg white in a glass of water. However Betty and Abigail began to be upset and frightened with the results of their fortunes. Possibly why they started?

But… (Witch Trials) Doctors couldn’t explain illness, so they defaulted to “witchcraft” Townspeople were easily convinced A servant in town was suspected of witchcraft Townspeople decided to arrest the servant, Tituba, and an older woman for witchcraft. In an effort to expose witches, a witch cake made with rye meal and the afflicted girls’ urine and fed to a dog. It was meant to expose the identities of the “witches” to the afflicted girls. They named three people, Tituba, Sarah Osborne – an elderly lady who had not gone to church in over a year and poor church attendance was a Puritan sin and Sarah Good – a homeless woman who begged door to door. If people failed to give her alms, she would utter unknown words and leave. At the hangings the Rev. Nicholas Noyes asked Sarah Good to confess. “I am no more a witch than you are a wizard and if you take away my life God will give you blood to drink.” 25 years later the Rev. died of a hemorrhage, choking on his own blood. At another hanging, George Burroughs recited the Lord’s Prayer flawlessly. This achievement was important because it was believe that a wizard could not recited this prayer without making a mistake. Even with such an act of innocence, it was not enough to save his life. Why is witchcraft in “ “?

It continues… (Witch Trials) More and more people were arrested and charged with witchcraft The punishment for witchcraft was DEATH by HANGING In order to live, some people “confessed” to practicing witchcraft. In colonial American witchcraft was considered a felony punishable by death by handing. However in Europe witchcraft was considered heresay and punishable by burning at the state. 140 were charged altogether. Testimony was often based on spectral evidence – accused person’s spirit or spectral shape appeared to the witness in a dream at the time the accused’s physical body was in another location. Discuss how some people confessed in order to live.

The Salem Witch Trials Casualties Nineteen men and women were put to death for witchcraft. One man, Giles Corey, was also pressed to death. 13 may have died in prison. Giles Corey – refused to answer the questions asked by the court. Due to his refusal, the court exercised its legal right an ordered the sheriff to pile rocks on him until he co-operated. His hands and legs were bound and rocks were piled on his chest. Even with the increasing weight he refused to answer the court’s questions “More weight” would be his response when asked. After two days he was crushed to death.

Why did this happen? Witch Trials People were suspicious/fearful A book about witchcraft had just been published by Cotton Mather People were at war with Native Americans Death/evil were on the mind of many (because of fighting and disease) Puritan culture easily accepted the devil as the source of evil/wrong in life Students respond to the question on their guided notes: What is the benefit of blaming something/someone like the devil (or even God)? What is the problem with this? Small pox outbreak, revocation of the Mass. Bay Colony Charter by Charles II and constant fear of Indian attacks created anxiety among the early Puritans that believed God was punishing them. Created an atmosphere where witchcraft could be interpreted as God’s wrath. Add in economic, political, imaginations and fear of the people, family feuds and religious factors of the time – easy to see why there was an outbreak.

Other Explanations for the Witch Trials Teenagers in town were bored and got carried away Dancing, flirting, etc. not allowed at all! All of the accusers were teenage girls Some of the accusers were jealous people An easy way to get rid of people they didn’t like! General sense of depression in town Not a lot of wealth/happiness/freedom Respond to question: Which of these explanations is the most believable to you? Why? If you were angry at a neighbor or wanted their land you could accuse them. Did Witches really exist in Salem? Bridget Bishop was found to have “poppets” with pins stuck in them in the cellar walls of her house. Martha Carrier was known to tell people’s fortunes. Both were considered forms of black magic during the time.