The Crucible Final Essay
The Crucible Final Essay
Widely interpreted as an allegorical testament to the hysteria of the 1950s ‘Red Scare’, The Crucible, a renowned playwright by Arthur Miller, depicts the troubled state of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. During this time period, New England has become notorious for conducting witchcraft trials against members of their own Puritan communities, hanging many people who were likely innocent, but given unfair trials. In plain context, the panic is started when a few girls are discovered dancing in the woods by a Puritan minister. While this would be dismissed as a childish means of fun by today’s standard, Puritan lifestyle and culture likely contributed to the amounting hysteria surrounding the suspected witchcraft, as Puritans valued their religious devotion and conservative way of life significantly more than most people do today. Some people believe that the author, Arthur Miller, drew upon his experiences during the McCarthy ‘Communist Espionage’ hearings as an inspiration to the themes and events in this playwright. In his play notes, Miller informs his audience and readers early on that the main conflict between the characters actually would have nothing to do with witchcraft. Instead, he states examples of reasons that are what really turned these Puritan colonists against each other including greed, lust, envy, and pride. While it seems everyone had an alternative motive behind supporting the witch hunts, people would often times contribute to the hearings out of fear or simple prejudice and mistrust. Among the victims who are accused of witchcraft are women, the poor, the elderly, African slaves, and other types of social classes that are allowed little representation in Puritan Society. One girl, Abigail Williams, does not hesitate to seize the chance to play the role of the victim, when her cousin, Betty, falls into a coma and is thought to be bewitched. Many other girls follow Abigail’s lead, setting up the main conflict in the
Widely interpreted as an allegorical testament to the hysteria of the 1950s ‘Red Scare’, The Crucible, a renowned playwright by Arthur Miller, depicts the troubled state of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. During this time period, New England has become notorious for conducting witchcraft trials against members of their own Puritan communities, hanging many people who were likely innocent, but given unfair trials. In plain context, the panic is started when a few girls are discovered dancing in the woods by a Puritan minister. While this would be dismissed as a childish means of fun by today’s standard, Puritan lifestyle and culture likely contributed to the amounting hysteria surrounding the suspected witchcraft, as Puritans valued their religious devotion and conservative way of life significantly more than most people do today. Some people believe that the author, Arthur Miller, drew upon his experiences during the McCarthy ‘Communist Espionage’ hearings as an inspiration to the themes and events in this playwright. In his play notes, Miller informs his audience and readers early on that the main conflict between the characters actually would have nothing to do with witchcraft. Instead, he states examples of reasons that are what really turned these Puritan colonists against each other including greed, lust, envy, and pride. While it seems everyone had an alternative motive behind supporting the witch hunts, people would often times contribute to the hearings out of fear or simple prejudice and mistrust. Among the victims who are accused of witchcraft are women, the poor, the elderly, African slaves, and other types of social classes that are allowed little representation in Puritan Society. One girl, Abigail Williams, does not hesitate to seize the chance to play the role of the victim, when her cousin, Betty, falls into a coma and is thought to be bewitched. Many other girls follow Abigail’s lead, setting up the main conflict in the