The Crucible By Arthur Miller

The Crucible Have you ever been falsely accused and punished? No one believed you?

The Crucible Well, what if the punishment were DEATH?

The Crucible “I believe that the reader will discover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history.” “I believe that the reader will discover here the essential nature of one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history.”

The Crucible Arthur Miller wrote this of his classic play about the witch hunts and trials in 17 th century Salem, Massachusetts.

Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials Shortly after the end of World War I, a “Red Scare” took hold of the nation. Named after the red flag of the USSR (now Russia), the “Reds” were seen as a threat to the democracy of the United States. Fear, paranoia, and hysteria gripped the nation, and many innocent people were questioned and then jailed for expressing any view which was seen as anti- Democratic or anti-American. Shortly after the end of World War I, a “Red Scare” took hold of the nation. Named after the red flag of the USSR (now Russia), the “Reds” were seen as a threat to the democracy of the United States. Fear, paranoia, and hysteria gripped the nation, and many innocent people were questioned and then jailed for expressing any view which was seen as anti- Democratic or anti-American.

Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials In February of 1950, a Republican senator from Wisconsin named Joseph McCarthy claimed to have a list of over 200 card-carrying members of the Communist party. By 1951, a new flourish of accusations began and a new wave were subpoenaed to “name names”—to snitch on those who were Communists or believed to be Communist sympathizers. Later, the terms McCarthy Trials and McCarthyism were coined, which described the anti- Communist movement and trials of the 1950s. In February of 1950, a Republican senator from Wisconsin named Joseph McCarthy claimed to have a list of over 200 card-carrying members of the Communist party. By 1951, a new flourish of accusations began and a new wave were subpoenaed to “name names”—to snitch on those who were Communists or believed to be Communist sympathizers. Later, the terms McCarthy Trials and McCarthyism were coined, which described the anti- Communist movement and trials of the 1950s.

Miller’s troubles began in After directing a production of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, Miller began getting negative attention for his very public political and social commentary.

Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953, after witnessing first-hand the modern witch-hunt that had taken place in the United States. Miller wrote the controversial play as an allegory, a play which represents something much deeper. In this case, the story is about the Salem witch trials of the 1690s but also warns of history repeating the tragic events of the 1950s.

In 1953 The Crucible opened on Broadway, depicting a deliberate parallel between the Salem Witch Trials and the Communist Red Scare that America was experiencing at the time. This production brought more suspicion onto Miller at a very unstable time in American history. In 1953 The Crucible opened on Broadway, depicting a deliberate parallel between the Salem Witch Trials and the Communist Red Scare that America was experiencing at the time. This production brought more suspicion onto Miller at a very unstable time in American history.

Arthur Miller That same year, he divorced his wife and married actress and American icon Marilyn Monroe; however, his marriage to Monroe did not last long— they divorced in That same year, he divorced his wife and married actress and American icon Marilyn Monroe; however, his marriage to Monroe did not last long— they divorced in 1961.

Arthur Miller Arthur Miller died of heart failure in February of 2005 at his Connecticut home. He was 89 years old. Arthur Miller died of heart failure in February of 2005 at his Connecticut home. He was 89 years old.

What Do I Need to Know? Why did Arthur Miller write “The Crucible”? What is an allegory? A story, picture, or poem which has a hidden meaning What is a crucible? A place or occasion of severe test or trial

The Crucible Based on historical people and real events, Miller’s drama is a searing portrait of a community caught up by hysteria. Based on historical people and real events, Miller’s drama is a searing portrait of a community caught up by hysteria.

Hysteria a state of mind, one of unmanage- able fear or emotional excesses.

The Crucible In the rigid theocracy of Salem, rumors that women are practicing witchcraft stirs up the town’s most basic fears and suspicions. In the rigid theocracy of Salem, rumors that women are practicing witchcraft stirs up the town’s most basic fears and suspicions.

THEOCRACY Government by religious leaders in accordance with divine law. Government by religious leaders in accordance with divine law.

The Crucible When a young girl accuses Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch, self-righteous church leaders and townspeople insist that Elizabeth be brought to trial. When a young girl accuses Elizabeth Proctor of being a witch, self-righteous church leaders and townspeople insist that Elizabeth be brought to trial.

The Crucible The ruthlessness of the prosecutors and the eagerness of neighbor to testify against neighbor shows the destructive power of socially sanctioned violence. The ruthlessness of the prosecutors and the eagerness of neighbor to testify against neighbor shows the destructive power of socially sanctioned violence.

The Crucible Written in 1953, The Crucible is a mirror Miller uses to reflect the anti-communist hysteria inspired by Senator Joseph McCarthy’s “witch-hunts” in the United States. Written in 1953, The Crucible is a mirror Miller uses to reflect the anti-communist hysteria inspired by Senator Joseph McCarthy’s “witch-hunts” in the United States.

TERMS OF COURSE THERE ARE TERMS! GET YOUR HANDOUT!! OF COURSE THERE ARE TERMS! GET YOUR HANDOUT!!

TERMS McCarthyism: The extreme opposition to communism shown by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and his supporters in the 1940s and 1950s. McCarthyism: The extreme opposition to communism shown by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy and his supporters in the 1940s and 1950s.

MCCARTHYISM : McCarthyism has become a general term for the of a or the of accusations evidence to support the charges. Note : McCarthyism has become a general term for the hysterical investigation of a government's opponents or the publicizing of accusations against these opponents without sufficient evidence to support the charges.

A CITY ON THE HILL

City upon a hill is a phrase from the parable of Salt and Light in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:14, he tells his listeners, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden". City upon a hill is a phrase from the parable of Salt and Light in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:14, he tells his listeners, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden".parableSalt and Light JesusSermon on the MountparableSalt and Light JesusSermon on the Mount

A CITY ON THE HILL John Winthrop used the phrase "City upon a Hill" to describe the new settlement, with "the eies of all people" upon them. And with those words, he laid a foundation for a new world. These new settlers certainly represented a new destiny for this land.

CHARACTERIZATION

CHARACTERIZATION All of the techniques that writers use to create characters.

CHARACTERIZATION Terms Associated with Characterization: 1. character trait: a character’s personality; a trait is not a physical description of a character.

CHARACTERIZATION 2. direct characterization:

CHARACTERIZATION the author directly states a character’s traits or makes direct comments about a character’s nature.

CHARACTERIZATION 3. indirect characterization:

CHARACTERIZATION the author does not directly state a character’s traits; instead the reader draws conclusions and discovers a character’s traits based upon clues provided by the author.

CONFLICT

CONFLICT The tension or problem in the story; a struggle between opposing forces.

CONTEXT The whole situation, background, or environment relevant to a particular event, personality, creation, etc. The whole situation, background, or environment relevant to a particular event, personality, creation, etc.

IRONY

IRONY A contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens. THERE ARE THREE!!

POINT OF VIEW

Perspective from which a story is told. There are three types…

THEME TONE

THEME The main lesson of the story. The main lesson of the story.TONE The author’s attitude towards the material.

DIALOGUE The words characters speak. Advances the plot and reveals the characters’ personalities and backgrounds. The words characters speak. Advances the plot and reveals the characters’ personalities and backgrounds.

STAGE DIRECTION Indicates where a scene takes place, what it should look like, and how the characters should move and speak. Usually set in italic type to distinguish them from dialogue. Indicates where a scene takes place, what it should look like, and how the characters should move and speak. Usually set in italic type to distinguish them from dialogue.

Credits ingecenter.org oddpod.com commons.wikimedia.org ​ Theocracy.aspx ​ Theocracy.aspx westwardcoc.com punditkitchen.com goliathflores.blogspot.com dictionary.reference.com/browse/ ​ McCarthyism dictionary.reference.com/browse/ ​ McCarthyism classiclit.about.com/cs/articles/a/aa_ ​ cityuponhill.htm classiclit.about.com/cs/articles/a/aa_ ​ cityuponhill.htm en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_upon_a_Hill en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_upon_a_Hill ​ characterization ​ characterization Webster’s New World Dictionary ​ elements.htm ​ elements.htm The Crucuible Penguin classics The Crucuible Penguin classics Prentice Hall, pg 1232

Sources The Crucible Literature Guide. Secondary Solutions, The Crucible Literature Guide. Secondary Solutions, The Crucible. Latitudes. Perfection Learning, The Crucible. Latitudes. Perfection Learning, Christopher Bigsby’s Introduction in the Penguin Books version of The Crucible, Christopher Bigsby’s Introduction in the Penguin Books version of The Crucible,