1. The Crucible Arthur Miller
Historical & Cultural Context Information

2. Arthur Miller ( )
Known and respected for his intimate and realistic portrayal of the working class

3. Arthur Miller

4. Arthur Miller
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.

5. Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller married actress and American icon Marilyn Monroe; however, his marriage to Monroe did not last long.

6. Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials
In 1950, Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as a parallel between the Salem Witch Trials and the current events that were spreading throughout the United States at the time. A similar “witch hunt” was happening in the United States—and this time, the accused were those who were a part of the Communist Party or who were Communist sympathizers.

7. Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials (cont.)
1950, a Republican senator from Wisconsin named Joseph McCarthy
Claimed to have a list of over 200 card-carrying members of the Communist party.
“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.

8. Historical Context: The Red Scare and McCarthy Trials (cont.)
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 warns of history repeating these tragic events on the 1950s.

9. What Do I Need to Know? Why did Arthur Miller write The Crucible?
What is an allegory?
a story within a story
What is a crucible?
a place or occasion of severe test or trial

10. Sources The Crucible Literature Guide. Secondary Solutions, 2006.
The Crucible. Latitudes. Perfection Learning, 1995.
Christopher Bigsby’s Introduction in the Penguin Books version of The Crucible, 1995.