In the year 1953‚ a fresh young talent on Broadway released his latest dramatic tragedy known as The Crucible to the public. Arthur Miller‚ praised by critics since 1947‚ spun a thrilling tale of a village in Salem whose concept of reality was blinded by a threat -sometimes to the point of mental insanity- that did not actually exist. The plot surrounds an unforgettable series of deaths due to the witchcraft trials of the Puritans in 1692. Miller used his characters in the play to manipulate‚ lie
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How could two epidemics that happened hundreds of years apart be similar? The Salem Witch Trials and AIDS hysteria compares in many ways‚ especially fear. Both events were exaggerated to the extreme by everyone‚ started in a small group of minorities‚ and had severe consequences during the crisis. The Salem Witch Trials and AIDS hysteria was exaggerated by everyone that knew or was involved with the cases. One elementary school in New York found out one kid was diagnosed with AIDS so that fall
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because of Arthur Miller‚ a man who believes that past events are connected to present realities through a strong moral logic. The trial’s motives and themes seemed to parallel those of a major movement in the late 1950s—McCarthyism. In his play‚ The Crucible‚ Miller retells the story of the witch trials and relates themes that were prominent in Salem to those prominent during McCarthyism. In doing so‚ he creates a character who nearly exemplifies Joseph McCarthy himself—Deputy Governor Danforth. As the
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Throughout Arthur Miller’s The Crucible‚ there are a series of prevailing questions: “Who was conspiring against you? Might you be a witch and not know it? Can an innocent person be guilty? Could anyone think themselves safe?” (Schiff 4). These questions are evidence of the hysteria that swept through Salem‚ Massachusetts during the winter of 1692 and again during the peak of the anti-communist revolution in the 1950’s. In The Crucible‚ innocent people were in danger of being accused of witchcraft
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Abigail is the main catalyst of Millers play The Crucible. She is presented by Milller in a powerful‚ "strikingly beautiful girl" yet malicious with an "endless capacity for dissembling" which is stated in Act 1 when she is first introduced to the play. This portrays and gives the reader an indication immediately‚ that Abigail has an everchanging personality and can manipulate people in such a way that they "fall apart". As the play progresses this is brought to light‚ especially with characters
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What is the significance of the title in The Crucible? The title of The Crucible effectively helps us to understand the play in a deeper and more thorough way as the definitions of the noun ‘crucible’ reflects the themes of the play such as moral‚ reputation‚ courage‚ righteousness‚ hysteria and truth. It also foreshadows the severe and unjust persecution of the upright characters who hold on to their beliefs and moral values‚ as the word ‘crucible’ comes from the Latin word ‘crucibulum’‚ which derives
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Betrayal‚ hysteria‚ intolerance and death are all themes portrayed through out the movie adaptation of The Crucible. Converted from a play to movie by director Nicholas Hytner and released in 1997 The Crucible has continued to interest teenagers due to its witchcraft content and it’s setting in Salem. Through out the production of this movie (as mentioned in the opening statement) Betrayal‚ hysteria‚ intolerance‚ persecution‚ repression and death are major themes in the movie. Hysteria is evident
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“It is better to die with integrity than it is to compromise a principle in order to live.” There are several characters in Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible”‚ that despite their accusation of witchcraft‚ choose the truth before lying and going against their morals‚ knowing it would claim their lives. The quote can relate to characters like Rebecca Nurse‚ Giles Corey‚ and to some extent‚ John Proctor. They believe that honesty should come before conformity and that you should never betray your
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------------------------------------------------- The Crucible: Act I Characters Reverend Parris Abigail Williams Mary Warren Betty John Proctor Thomas Putnam Mrs. Putnam Rebecca Nurse Reverend Hale Tituba A small upper bedroom in the home of Reverend Samuel Parris‚ Salem‚ Massachusetts‚ in the spring of they year 1692. There is a narrow window a the left. Through its leaded panes the morning sunlight streams> A candle still burns near the bed‚ which is at the right. A chest
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witchcraft fill the air in the small Salem town. Throughout the story‚ the author uses hysteria to evoke chaos‚ doubt of one’s neighbor to create fear in the townspeople. When the minister’s daughter falls into a coma‚ it cannot be explained. “the town’s mumbling witchcraft‚” this quote is just the beginning. Arthur Miller knows human nature creates its own stories for the unexplainable. In The Crucible‚ neighbors accuse people that they have known their entire life of practicing witchcraft
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