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Background Information: The Crucible

Background Information: The Crucible. Cooperative Activity . What do you know about The Crucible? What do you know about the Salem Witch Trials?. The Salem Witch Trials . A series of trials in which citizens were accused of witchcraft

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Background Information: The Crucible

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  1. Background Information: The Crucible

  2. Cooperative Activity • What do you know about The Crucible? • What do you know about the Salem Witch Trials?

  3. The Salem Witch Trials • A series of trials in which citizens were accused of witchcraft • Considered a tragedy because so many innocent people were accused and/or killed

  4. Why were there witch trials? • Colonial America was very religious • Government was based on religion • Witchcraft was a felony • Pact with the devil • Making or doing the work of the devil • Hanging was the sentence • In Europe witches were burned • Most dangerous crime

  5. The American Witch Trials • Started in Salem Village, Mass • March 1, 1692 • Abigail Williams and another girl were having symptoms of an unknown cause • Theories • Smallpox • Puberty • Food poisoning • Contributing factors • Fear of Indian attacks, God punishing them, economic, political, social fears and feuds

  6. The American Witch Trials cont’d • Last trial in the court of Oyer and Terminer • November 25, 1692 • Public support had waned • Unreliable evidence • Respected people were defending accused • Spectral evidence was no longer sufficient

  7. Governor Pelm • In November started the new courts • Remaining not guilty • Pardoned sentenced

  8. How many died? • 19 people hanged • 1 pressed • 13 may have died in prison • 43 were “afflicted”

  9. Arthur Miller (1915-2005) • Considered the most celebrated American playwright of the 2 decades following WWII • Specialized in commentary on American way of life, moral downfall of ordinary individual, and tragedy in modern terms

  10. Miller’s Early Life • Born in New York (10/17/1915) • Raised in Jewish middle-class family • Moved to Brooklyn in 1929 • Intense athlete in high school • Education • Graduated high school 1932 • Worked as shipping clerk and other odd jobs • U of M

  11. Miller’s Early Career • Joined Federal Theatre Project • Wrote radio scripts • Toured army camps • First Broadway play- 1944 • First novel- 1945

  12. Miller’s Mature and Later Career • All My Sons- 1947 • Death of a Salesman- 1949 • Politics • Left- wing supporter • 1953 denied passport due to The Crucible • 1956 accused of communism under House Committee on Un-American Activities • Wrote After the Fall based on marriage to Marilyn Monroe • Continued to publish, edit, and mentor

  13. The Crucible • Setting- Salem, Mass 1692 • Themes • Hypocrisy • Guilt • Revenge • Hysteria • Authority • Integrity and courage

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