Ladies and Gentlemen Welcome to the story of:

The Crucible By Arthur Miller . . . When History and Literature Collide

The Crucible is . . . Puritanism + Witchcraft McCarthyism Arthur Miller

It is the spring of 1692. The small town of Salem, MA had been established a mere forty years earlier, and had yet to make it its mark on the rest of the world. However, while not all were immediately aware, 1692 would be a year of ‘revolution’ in America. No longer was everyone willing to adhere to the strict lifestyle that had been set down by their forefathers. While the town of Salem may have appeared to be a serene and enjoyable place to live, it was about to experience an event that would change their lives forever. Little did they know, though, that their story would still have a tremendous effect on us today. Meet the people

1692 Salem Witch Trials This is the basis for Arthur Miller’s screenplay, The Crucible. Who was executed, why?

Salem, 1692

The Salem Witch Trials In 1692, twenty were executed; 150 were jailed. The Puritan culture attributed its hardships to the Devil. Several girls in the town began to have seizures and lapses of unconsciousness after seeking Tituba, a slave from Barbados, for fortunetelling.

The Salem Witch Trials (cont.) Tituba and two elderly women were accused at first; by the end, many of the community’s most prominent citizens were accused. Overall nineteen were hanged, four accused died in prison, and one was pressed to death In 1706, Ann Putnam signs a letter of apology.

Salem Witch Trials (cont.) Samuel Sewell was the only judge to apologize for actions.

Possible Causes Hallucinations from spoiled food Boredom Strict society Social cleansing? Land dispute

Connections Miller wrote The Crucible as a metaphor for the Red Scare in the 1950’s. He felt there was a “witch hunt” within the government and beyond Like the witch trials, it was easier to admit guilt than maintain innocence. The play is widely performed when social unrest is present in a culture.

20th Century Witch Hunts The Holocaust

20th Century Witch Hunts Japanese-American Internment Camps

20th Century Witch Hunts: Racial Profiling African Americans Native Americans Arab/Middle-Eastern decent

Closing Thoughts Be aware of false accusations Rumors do harm Integrity is key Not all things are as they seem

Arthur Miller: A Life Born on October 17, 1915 Attended the University of Michigan from 1934-1938 Graduated with a degree in journalism Wrote and produced five plays during college career Married three times Two daughters, one son

Miller and HUAC Investigated for possible associations with the Communist party from 1953 to 1955 In 1956, he was called to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC). Only attended meetings looking to advocate social justice and equality When brought before the committee, he refused to name any other attendees.

Miller and HUAC (cont.) Found guilty of contempt Later released

The Red Scare A time of paranoia and hysteria over communism Many government officials were involved or accused. Many writers, actors, and directors lost their jobs Many named names to save their own careers

Why wasThe Crucible written? The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller in 1953 as an allegory for McCarthyism or the so called (second) Red Scare. Miller felt many personal convictions to McCarthyism as a result of a multitude of events that happened in his life. Wanting to point out to the world the amazing parallel between the unjust Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the (second) Red Scare from 1948 to 1956, Miller wrote The Crucible to make a powerful statement about the dangers of hysteria and the dehumanization that can result.

Did you know? Marilyn Monroe Miller was married to legendary actress.... Marilyn Monroe

During McCarthyism, the United States was terrified of Communism's influence. Like the witches, communists were seen ingrained within every aspect of society. Miller was sent to jail for withholding information from the court, namely the names of those assumed to be communists. Many of Miller’s peers fearing the wrath of the court provided names of suspected communists in an attempt to save themselves.

Miller “McCarthy's power to stir fears of creeping Communism was not entirely based on illusion, of course; the paranoid, real or pretended, always secretes its pearl around a grain of fact.” -Arthur Miller “McCarthy—brash and ill-mannered but to many authentic and true—boiled it all down to what anyone could understand: we had "lost China" and would soon lose Europe as well, because the State Department—staffed, of course, under Democratic Presidents—was full of treasonous pro-Soviet intellectuals. It was as simple as that.” -Arthur Miller Speaks