Mccarthyism In The Crucible

McCarthyism is defined as the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence. It also means "the practice of making unfair allegations or using unfair investigative techniques, especially in order to restrict dissent or political criticism." This was used in the Cold War by U.S. Senator McCarthy to try and eliminate communists in the United States. It was used with little evidence, and it was in itself a witch hunt like those described in “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller. Arthur Miller was inspired directly by McCarthyism when he was writing The Crucible. The many claims of witchcraft made by characters in The Crucible--lacking sufficient evidence--share great similarities with the “witch hunts” of the McCarthy Era.

The first great example of McCarthyism in The Crucible appears in Act One when Reverend Parris first becomes a major character in the tragedy in his confrontational interaction with Abigail. On pages 915-16, Betty is in a comatose state and will not wake. Reverend Parris visits the house and questions Abigail, immediately suspecting witchcraft (with little outside evidence, most of it is to keep his good name in the village intact). Many in the McCarthy era (even just ordinary
Those involved in the McCarthy witch hunts and those in The Crucible are mainly motivated to condemn others for personal gain or out of sheer panic and hysteria. Many--if they did not share views of the general population--are openly condemned in both the McCarthy era and in “The Crucible.” In both instances, regardless of the amount of evidence present, people were suspected of witchcraft/communism and consequently condemned. The many claims of witchcraft made by characters in Miller’s “The Crucible”--lacking sufficient evidence--share great similarities with the communist “witch hunts” of the McCarthy