Historical Context + Arthur Miller links to play The Crucible
Historical Context - The Crucible
At the time of the Crucible’s first performance, audiences perceived the play as a parallel to McCarthyism, led by Joe McCarthy, whose job was to hunt down Communists and root them out. Many public figures—including actors and film directors—were brought before the committee and asked if they were Communists and to name anyone they thought was a Communist. If they refused to do so, they were presumed guilty. There is also a parallel to what was going on in the play, with the Salem Witch Trials—people who were presumed to be guilty of witchcraft were forced to confess. Mccarthy ensured that any actors/directors that were found guilty would never work in Hollywood again.
There are still difficulties found when interpreting The Crucible as a strict allegorical representation of the 1950’s McCarthyism. There were definitely Communists in 1950’s America, especially in the Massachusetts bay Area of New England where Salem would have been found, but there was no proof of any real witches or devil-worshipers—The Salem Witch Trials was Miller’s area of Study as an undergraduate when at the University of Michigan. The general outline of the play corresponds to the events of the Witch Trails of Salem in 1692.
Parallels between Arthur Miller’s history and the novel:
In 1956, Miller divorced his first wife Mary Slattery who he had two children with, and married Marilyn Monroe. Monroe was one of the most famous actresses in America and her love life was thrust onto every tabloid. Shortly after their marriage, Miller was called before the HUAC (House of Un-American Committee), which could have potentially ruined both his and Monroe’s career.
There are links between the characters. John Proctor as Miller, and Elizabeth as his first wife Mary Slattery. Monroe is represented by Abigail, the woman he and also John Proctor, has an affair with.
At the time of the Crucible’s first performance, audiences perceived the play as a parallel to McCarthyism, led by Joe McCarthy, whose job was to hunt down Communists and root them out. Many public figures—including actors and film directors—were brought before the committee and asked if they were Communists and to name anyone they thought was a Communist. If they refused to do so, they were presumed guilty. There is also a parallel to what was going on in the play, with the Salem Witch Trials—people who were presumed to be guilty of witchcraft were forced to confess. Mccarthy ensured that any actors/directors that were found guilty would never work in Hollywood again.
There are still difficulties found when interpreting The Crucible as a strict allegorical representation of the 1950’s McCarthyism. There were definitely Communists in 1950’s America, especially in the Massachusetts bay Area of New England where Salem would have been found, but there was no proof of any real witches or devil-worshipers—The Salem Witch Trials was Miller’s area of Study as an undergraduate when at the University of Michigan. The general outline of the play corresponds to the events of the Witch Trails of Salem in 1692.
Parallels between Arthur Miller’s history and the novel:
In 1956, Miller divorced his first wife Mary Slattery who he had two children with, and married Marilyn Monroe. Monroe was one of the most famous actresses in America and her love life was thrust onto every tabloid. Shortly after their marriage, Miller was called before the HUAC (House of Un-American Committee), which could have potentially ruined both his and Monroe’s career.
There are links between the characters. John Proctor as Miller, and Elizabeth as his first wife Mary Slattery. Monroe is represented by Abigail, the woman he and also John Proctor, has an affair with.