Arthur Miller and The Crucible

The Crucible, a play published in 1953 by Arthur Miller

Synopsis

Based on the 1692 Salem witch hunts, a

small group of girls ‘cry out’ against other people in the town, accusing them of witchcraft, in an attempt to cover up their own dabblings in the occult. The girl’s accusations, Led by Abigail Williams, cause a court to be formed

Main Themes

What is the text saying about

• …conformity and individualism?

  • warns against conforming against dangerous ideologies

  • if you are so individualistic to protect your own pride and reputation over everyone else’s safety, that is also bad

  • The play critiques people’s ability to perform and act under the pressure to conform. One’s rationality and practical reasoning can be wavered and diminished, resulting in the destruction of personal morals, ideologies and a whole society.

  • Blind conformity can be dangerous and warns against it. Puritans are told to not diverge and explore thoughts of individualism as it is looked down upon.

  • Those accused and convicted of witchcraft were often the ones who prioritised oneself over the will of the community. As they had refused to confess on order to save their pride and name they were sent to their own demise.

  • The crucible illustrates the conflict between conformity and individualist and highlights the need to recognize and emphasize community will over an individual need.

• …mass hysteria?

  • Salem is a strict religious community where scientific backing and explanations are minimal. Superstitions had driven people’s accusations and ideologies which inflicted poor judgement throughout the play and trials.

  • When faced with education solely involve with the bible, the townspeople of Salem are particularly prone to being infected by mass hysteria. This can be seen as personal vengeance, paranoia and fear only escalates with the increased social panic.

  • A common belief that is seen throughout the play is that the things they don’t understand or can’t explain must be ‘evil’ or in line with ‘Satan

    ‘. In a society with such an unjustified mindset, an individual who acts strangely or does something slightly out of the ordinary could be sent to death without a thought.

• …authoritarianism?

• …reputation and pride?

• …patriarchy and gender roles?

• …Theocracy?

Arthur Miller presents a critical attitude towards conformity because …..

The Crucible An

Character Analysis

John Proctor

Abigail Williams

The main antagonist of the play and seventeen years old, who came to live with her uncle, Reverend Parris. She had once worked for John Proctor who she had shared a brief affair with. Elizabeth, John Proctor’s wife, fires her, and as an act of revenge and hatred, Abigail accuses her of being a witch.

Main Characteristics: Deceitful, dishonest, obsessed, insecure, vengeful, manipulative, and selfish.

Just Sum Quotes

• Act 1: ''There be no blush about my name... [Elizabeth Proctor} hates uncle, she must for I would not be her slave. It's a bitter woman, a lying, cold sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!'' Abigail begins her deceit and lies about Elizabeth Proctor. She blames Elizabeth entirely for her being fired from the Proctor's house and shows how much she hates Elizabeth, even calling her ''it'' instead of using her name.

• Act 1: ''I look for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart... You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet.'' Here, Abigail shows her obsession for John Proctor. Even after he ended the affair, she is still in love with him and is insecure about being without him. It is this obsession and insecurity that leads her to lie.

• Act 1: ''I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus: I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!'' These are the accusations that start the Salem Witch Trials. Abigail, having led a group of girls into the forest with Tituba, is caught and lies about being involved in witchcraft. Her confession leads to more accusations and the deaths of many people.

Reverend Parris

Mise-En-Scene Analysis

Scenes - the ending scene (

Act 1 - Introductory

• Opens in a "small upper bedroom in the home of Reverend Samuel Parris" in 1692

  • Provides the audience with a sense of domestic interiority; we are drawn into the home of a religious authority figure in 17th-century Salem, introducing us to the wider setting of the play and the inner lives of its characters

• "There is a narrow window to the left" through which "morning sunlight streams"

  • The tranquillity of the lighting is juxtaposed with the image of the Reverend praying beside a child's bed, which is suggestive of illness; this peacefulness is further disrupted shortly after when Abigail enters and tells Parris that "the rumor of witchcraft is all about". Moreover, the narrowness of the window limits the amount of natural light that is able to shine through, suggesting an overall darker tone to the lighting of the room

• "A candle still burns near the bed"

  • Implies the Reverend has held a vigil all night (we know that the scene takes place in the morning, and that the candle would have been snuffed at night had he slept), suggesting a piousness in his character

• "A chest, a chair, and a small table are the other furnishings"

  • Evokes a sense of verisimilitude, or true-to-life-ness, furnishing the Reverend's home in a way that is believable and appropriate to the time period

• "The room gives off an air of clean sparseness. The roof rafters are exposed, and the wood colors are raw and unmellowed"

  • Mellowed wood is wood that has been deliberately aged in order to appear less rough or course; the "clean sparseness" of Parris' home, the "unmellowed wood" of the rafters, and the low lighting from the aforementioned "narrow window" suggests a stark and sombre household that audiences would typically associate with a 17th-century Puritan minister. When considered alongside the details above, the dimly-lit Parris household provides the audience with an insight into how mass hysteria around witchcraft was able to flourish in the community, the oppressive atmosphere mirroring that of Salem itself.

Act Two

• “It is the low, dark, and rather long living room of the time.” “From above, Elizabeth is heard softly singing to the children.”

  • The “Low, dark” and ”rather long” living room allude to a somber and empty home. As Elizabeth is depicted to be solely taking care of the children, John Proctor enters, highlighting his absence in the household. Low ceilings can also suggest a caving familial bond and restricted freedom - alluding to a family with low income and/or tension between Proctor and his wife.

Act Three

• “The room is empty, but for sunlight pouring through two high windows in the back wall. The room is solemn, even forbidding.”

  • “Solemn, even forbidding” depicts an uncomfortably eerie atmosphere and setting. It suggests the idea that something bad is going to happen. Sunlight pouring from above into an empty room can be seen as a light source similar to a stage spotlight where attention is placed onto a character either for praise or execution. Most likely the latter.

Act Four

• “High barred window; near it, a great, heavy door.”

  • Stark and somber jail cell. “High barred windows” can allude to a sense of confinement with little to no escape, creating a sense of confinement and despair for the final act. Oppressive setting

• “Along the wall are two benches.”

  • Emphasises the minimalistic set design and lack of props. Shows the emotional isolation and blankness that the characters endure.

• “and nudges a bundle of rags lying on it.”

  • Costumes/Clothing consisting of worn and tattered clothing that closely resemble “rags” can further enhance the atmosphere while shaping the Act of one with hardship and suffering.

• “his wrists are chained”

  • Highlights Proctor’s current predicament and how he’s been living over the past few “days/weeks?”

• “He is another man, bearded, filthy, his eyes misty…”

  • He appears disheveled and worn-out, reflecting his inner turmoil and guilt over his affair with Abigail. His physical appearance also symbolizes his struggle to maintain his integrity and redeem himself. He has lost his sense of identity as now he is just “another man”, seemingly lost his past strengths and motivation to fight against the frauds.

• “her face is pale and gaunt” and “her clothes are dirty”

  • She appears pale and gaunt, representing her emotional exhaustion and grief. Her physical appearance also reflects her inner strength and resilience as she stands by her husband despite his past mistakes.

• “he is steeped in sorrow, exhausted, and more direct than he ever was.”

  • He appears changed and remorseful, with a disheveled appearance. This reflects his realization of the injustice and devastation caused by the witch trials. His physical transformation mirrors his moral transformation.

Acts Analysis - Thematic

ACT 4

ACT 2

Mass Hysteria / Hysteria

• Where the full extent of hysteria in Salem is initialized as Mary says that not 14 but 39 people have been thrown into jail on suspicion of witchcraft. This shows that the situation has been heightened by several confessions which seem to confirm the existence of a fraction following the devil.

• Authorities and citizens of Salem are so terrified of the existence of real witches working with the devil that the people who have been jailed are told they will be executed if they refuse to confess.

Working in Small groups

• Come to class and the schedule is given beforehand

• Arrive to class given a random extract (a few pages)

• 20 minutes - 5 minutes solo reading and 15 - minute chat with each other

• Presenting a live analysis (presenting different readings with each person)

• Roughly 10 minute long presentations 2-3 minutes per person

• close reading of extract - no question

• How to frame the analysis is up to the group

Mass Hysteria

Dangers of Mob Mentality

• Under the pressure to conform to societal norms, individuals abandon rationality and ignore evidence that contradicts their beliefs and ideologies.

• The religious fervor of a society can be manipulated in order for highly seeninstitutionsn and figures for personal gains, political agendas, and suppressions of dissent. Overall adding to the idea of Political corruption and the warning

• against blind adherence to authority.

• Characters like danforth are seen to be depicted as individuals who’d prioritize ideological purity over real justice and truth. Characters apart of the Church with authority share a common trait of disregarding individuals right and wellbeing in order to maintain their sense of power and authority. Miller uses this to bring to the light of the dangers within

• This extract depicts the erosion of trust in authority and the recognition of the court’s manipulation and abuse of power

• In conclusion, proctor’s refusal to confess in Act 4 can be seen as a representation of the rfragility of individual conscience in the face of collective pressure.

• a call for action as miller udnerscres the importance of upholding moral integrity, rationality, critical thinking and the need to challenge opressive systems rather that conforming to societal expectations

• Judge Danforth can be seen to be illustrated