In 1692 in the little town of Salem‚ Massachusetts tragic events took place that would alter this miniscule town forever (Conforti par. 1). Specifically‚ the witch trials that spring made it one of the most famous towns in American History. Being accused of witchcraft‚ many people met their deaths and were hung. The witch trials were started and ended by the actions of one man‚ John Proctor. This is illustrated in The Crucible‚ a book written to depict the events of these trials. It would seem
Premium Salem witch trials The Crucible John Proctor
parallels between the Salem witch-hunts and accusations of communism during the McCarthyism era. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in response to the unwarranted persecution of many Americans‚ who were accused of communist ties or associating with Communist governments. Two of the themes presented throughout The Crucible are Witchcraft and Personal Integrity. Miller sets up the parallel between The Crucible and McCarthyism by presenting Salem to be a puritan society and a theocracy‚ which would make
Premium Salem witch trials The Crucible
this system as indicated by the juxtaposition of Miller’s stage direction “Hale in a fever of guilt and uncertainty” with his words “Proctor‚ the court is just”. This demonstrates that he was not able to instantly relinquish his connection to the Salem community‚ despite the moral ramifications. He loses all sense of self-respect as he encourages Proctor to “give his lie”‚ which directly contradicts one of the Ten Commandments reiterated throughout the play “Thou shalt not bear false witness”. The
Premium The Crucible Salem witch trials John Proctor
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
Premium The Crucible Salem witch trials John Proctor
dealing with people who are hypochondriacs. In The Crucible‚ Arthur Miller displays how hysteria is used to cover the truth‚ but can cause suffering for many of those who are innocent. The play strongly illustrates the hysteria that brushed through Salem because of the fear that Satan had haunted the town. When you have an entire society in an uproar it is usually because of false information being spread and people who are just reacting without thinking about what could possibly be happening. There
Premium The Crucible Salem witch trials
Salem during that time was governed as a religious theocracy. Sarah E. Jones wrote in her article “Holy Hysteria” that‚ “The Massachusetts Bay Colony had been founded as a sort of Puritan utopia free from heretical interference‚ and Salem‚ like all Massachusetts settlements‚ enforced religious law” (19). Hawthorne family history of Puritanism is very prominent in his
Premium Nathaniel Hawthorne Romanticism
the city of Salem where witch trials and corruption have apprehend the people. In the novel Frankenstein‚ a man name Victor Frankenstein narrates his life‚ the struggles and success‚ and how he ends up in his current situation. Miller and Shelley
Premium The Crucible Salem witch trials Frankenstein
Although the 1692 Salem Witch Trials were a minor event in American history‚ the names of those who were hanged are not forgotten. Their names are remembered today 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
Premium Salem witch trials The Crucible
Title- The Crucible Author- Arthur Miller Date of First Publication- 1953 John Proctor-summary of his role in the book * John Proctor as the play’s tragic hero. Honest‚ upright‚ and blunt-spoken * Proctor is a good man‚ but one with a secret‚ fatal flaw. His lust for Abigail Williams led to their affair (which occurs before the play begins)‚ and created Abigail’s jealousy of his wife‚ Elizabeth‚ which sets the entire witch hysteria in motion. * Realizes that he can only stop the
Premium Salem witch trials The Crucible
“hot blood”. The dancing plague didn’t have much of an effect on the course of history‚ but it is still talked about today. The actual cause is unknown but it is suspected to be MPI due to bad crops and cold winters. The Crucible is the story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during 1692 and 1693. Miller wrote the play as an allegory of McCarthyism‚ when the U.S. government blacklisted accused communists. Miller himself was questioned by the House of Representatives’
Premium Salem witch trials The Crucible