Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, depicts a dark but important period of American colonial history. The Crucible portrays the Salem witchcraft trials of the mid to late 1600s. As the drama depicts, hysteria was rampant, and the implications of that hysteria can have major effects on the surrounding community. John Proctor, a historical figure and the protagonist of the play, is a well-regarded man who ends up being accused of witchcraft. He is faced with the choice between living a lie and dying
Mass Hysteria The Phenomenon that transmits collective illusions of threats, whether real or imaginary, through a population is society as a result of rumors and fear is called mass hysteria. The Crucible explores how the mass hysteria could devastate a community. Hysteria is most clearly seen in the villager’s irrational acceptance of the girl’s fabricated claims of witchcraft. Throughout the play, hysteria regarding witchcraft spread through the community of salem and result in the numerous deaths
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
One definition for a crucible is “a severe test,” provided by the Merriam Webster Dictionary. As illustrated in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, few communities tested the values of mankind more than 17th century Salem, a society where a citizens’ life hung on the words uttered by his neighbor. As witchcraft hysteria quickly sweeps across the town, there are essentially two options for its inhabitants: accuse or be accused. These residents’ core principles--as well as their strong Puritan faith--are
October 2017 Title In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses the characterization of Abigail Williams, Thomas Putnam, and Governor Danforth, to show how people protect themselves during times of hysteria, which helps to continue the chaos that broke throughout Salem. Miller shows the importance of maintaining values and principles in order help end the chaos. Miller connects The Crucible with the events of the witch hunts from the 1690s where citizens were accused of using witchcraft, and the McCarthy trials
The Crucibles “I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” bellowed John Proctor to Danforth in Act IV. The Crucibles was written by Arthur Miller reminiscent of McCarthyism in the 1950s. Reputation and integrity is set forward in the story, as it causes the plot to develop and advance, and it is discernible all throughout the story, especially the end. Reputation is tremendously significant in theocratic Salem. The pernicious accusations of witchcraft cause the characters
people think of a martyr their first instinct in their mind is not to think of witchcraft and the town of Salem. The play written by Arthur Miller titled “The Crucible” is based on real events that correlate with this definition. “The Crucible” depicts the 1692 Salem Witch Trials that transformed the town of Salem into hysteria. The start of the trials began way before Abigail Williams accused one of the townspeople of witchcraft, but when many girls were caught dancing and singing in the woods. The trials
that goal. This is perfectly illustrated in Arthur Miller’s allegorical play, The Crucible, in which multiple characters take various courses of action for their personal gain. These motives perpetuated the mass hysteria in the small Puritan community of Salem resulting in the inspiration for the play: the infamous Salem Witch Trials. However, the embodiment of this concept is not one that is unique to The Crucible. Similarly in modern society, people in difficult situations tend to act in a manner
The Themes of The Crucible and Parallels to McCarthyism Set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Arthur Miller's The Crucible describes the witch hunt that saw harmless people hanged for crimes they did not commit. The Crucible provides an accurate historical account of the witch hunt, but its real achievement lies in the many important issues it deals with. Miller's concerns with conscience, guilt and justice develop into significant and thought-provoking themes throughout
George Chun Feng Chen Mr. Sandoval English 3P Period 5 29 October 2015 The Crucible Salem Massachusetts in 1692 is a dark period of disseminating hysteria. As exemplified in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, witch trials took place. Members of the community claimed to have seen a person’s spirit performing witchcraft, a crime that would cause a person to be sentenced to death. A character named Abigail in the play acquired immense power, and manipulated the situations in the witch trials. At