Arthur Miller’s The Crucible Connecting Current Affairs & History

Playwright’s Bio  Arthur Miller was born in 1915 in New York City  He was the son of a coat manufacturer ruined by the Great Depression  Attended college at the University of Michigan  Married several times (Second wife was Marilyn Monroe)

Famous Works  The Grass Still Grows  The Man Who Had All the Luck  Focus  All My Sons  Death of a Salesman (Pulitzer Prize winner and considered one of the greatest contemporary dramas)  The Crucible (Tony Award)

Themes & Style  Writer with a social conscience  Focused on those vulnerable to false values imposed on them by society  The effect of opportunism on family relationships  Realism

The Crucible  Supposed to be about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 Used trial documents but fictionalized Combined, created or changed characters Major trial events are relatively accurate  Really a criticism of the House Committee on Un-American Activities

Makings of a Salem Witch Hunt  Salem was a village divided Land ownership fights Fight about reverend position & compensation People stubborn about deeply held beliefs  People in Salem had little freedom Expression of individual thoughts and desires frowned upon Children were to be seen not heard  Spark A group of girls were caught playing at magic and pressured into naming those who “bewitched” them A special court was set up Spectral (“magical”) evidence was used

Makings of a Communist Hunt  Joseph Raymond McCarthy ( ) McCarthy was elected a Republican Senator in He claimed the Department of State had been infiltrated (taken over) by Communists  He led the House of Un-American Activities Committee Investigate communist activity Hollywood Blacklist McCarthy and his accusations Others pressured to name others as communists

McCarthy’s Witch Hunt During the next three years he accused various high- ranking officials of subversive activities These accusations often ruined lives and careers. None of the accusations were ever proven, but McCarthy was popular. Finally, the Senate investigated McCarthy and censured him.

Results of both Witch Hunts  Colonial Salem 20 innocent people were executed Dozens more were imprisoned One was stoned to death Families lost their land and livelihood  1950’s Hundreds unjustly lost their jobs 10 were jailed for 6 months to 2 years 1 was sentenced to 5 years in prison 2 were executed

Literary Elements to Look For  Themes & Motifs Intolerance & Jealousy Illogic & Hysteria Reputation The Court  Tragedy John Proctor as tragic hero Finds his moral center as everything crumbles around him