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Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Patsy Hamby. The Crucible. Puritans . McCarthyism. Setting 1692 Massachusetts Bay Colony Salem Characters Citizens Clergy Judges Issues Land Religion Accusations Emphasis Guilt. Setting 1954 Washington, D.C.
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Arthur Miller’s The Crucible Patsy Hamby
The Crucible Puritans McCarthyism Setting 1692 Massachusetts Bay Colony Salem Characters Citizens Clergy Judges Issues Land Religion Accusations Emphasis Guilt Setting 1954 Washington, D.C. HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee Characters Investigators Suspected Communist Conspirators Issues Questioning tactics of HUAC Accusations Emphasis False Values
Allegory • Allegory • the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence • a symbolic representation • Symbols • objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
Underlying Issues Salem, 1692-1693 U.S., 1950-54 Belief in power of the devil to give power to certain people to harm others Strain on Salem’s resources Refugees from war with France Feuds Merchants (liberals) Farmers/land (conservatives) Encouraging local people to report their neighbors Theocracy (Greek: rule of God) The civil leader is believed to have a direct personal connection with God. Red Scare Communism/Socialism gaining world power Truman’s order for dismissal of disloyal government employees (1947) Russia tests atomic bomb 1949 Department of Justice keeps list of subversive organizations FBI (Hoover) uses illegal tactics to identify, disrupt dissident political meetings Encourage people to confess and to name others Government, private industry, military, authors, Hollywood in particular "A man is ruined everywhere and forever," if found guilty of disloyalty
The Crucible as Allegory Salem Witch Trials HUAC Identify perceived social ill: Witches/Witchcraft Infringement on individual rights Person vs. Society John Proctor Excessive zeal Encouraged to confess Encouraged to name others Hysteria Identify a perceived social ill Communists/Communist sympathizers Infringement on individual rights Person vs. Society Arthur Miller Excessive zeal Encouraged to confess Encouraged to name others Hysteria
Take 3 • Propaganda: the spreading of ideas, information, or rumors for the purpose of injuring a cause, institution, or person • In what ways might Miller’s play The Crucible be considered as propaganda?
List of Main Characters • John Proctor: Miller character • Rev. Parris: Minister of local church, disliked • Betty Parris: Rev. Parris’ daughter • Abigail Williams: Rev. Parris’ niece • Tituba: Rev. Parris’ slave • Rev. Hale: Called in as witchcraft expert • Elizabeth Proctor: John Proctor’s wife • Judges Hathorne & Danforth: Preside over trials