Arthur Miller’s theatrical allegory play The Crucible (1953), represents the individual political situations and ideas arising from the democratic Salem community; regarding to the complexity of societal pressure to conform, the power struggle amongst individuals and personal integrity that are influenced by the corrupt social justice system and the community’s moral values through the conformity of theocracy. The ideas delivered from his play challenges the Communist fears by paralleling Cold War paranoia with the Salem witch trials to provoke criticism of Senator McCarthy’s actions.
Miller represents the complexity of societal pressure to conform, by revealing a community constrained by Parris and Abigail; whom symbolises selfish initiators …show more content…
The reflection of hysteria and false accusations that characterised the McCarthy era is illustrated in the stage directions of ‘Goody Osbourne - will hang! [there is a shocked pause, while she sobs]’ this allows Proctor to reflect on his inaction and his refusal to get involved with Salem politics as he denies to conform to the political desires of an autocratic institution.It is also ironic for the condemenation, as justice has been subverted where it is guilty before proven innocent. This challenges the values of ethics, honesty and loyalty. Miller’s political perspective of the desire for an upstanding moral figure within the McCarthy era, becomes evident through his representation of Proctor, as he voices the corrupted Salem town in the diction of ‘I never knew until tonight that the world is gone daft with this nonsense’, Here, Proctor sees the witch hunt for what it truly is, and is not afraid of criticising the Salem authorities. At the end of Act two on a climax, Miller has used tension as epitomised in the stage direction where ‘Proctor [grasping her (Mary) by the throat as though he would strangle her]: Make your peace with it! Now Hell and Heaven grapple on our backs, and all our old pretence is ripped away- make your peace!’ brings forth the notion of personal integrity.The religious allusion to punishment in Hell symbolises Proctor as a person that is consistent with his integrity, without fear and an individual who is against the corrupted system established upon false premises. Juxtaposed with the stage direction that reveals Mary’s disturbing reaction ‘[He throws her to the floor, where she sobs, I cannot, I cannot]’ implies that this personal integrity comes with a price; that is the sacrifice of
Miller represents the complexity of societal pressure to conform, by revealing a community constrained by Parris and Abigail; whom symbolises selfish initiators …show more content…
The reflection of hysteria and false accusations that characterised the McCarthy era is illustrated in the stage directions of ‘Goody Osbourne - will hang! [there is a shocked pause, while she sobs]’ this allows Proctor to reflect on his inaction and his refusal to get involved with Salem politics as he denies to conform to the political desires of an autocratic institution.It is also ironic for the condemenation, as justice has been subverted where it is guilty before proven innocent. This challenges the values of ethics, honesty and loyalty. Miller’s political perspective of the desire for an upstanding moral figure within the McCarthy era, becomes evident through his representation of Proctor, as he voices the corrupted Salem town in the diction of ‘I never knew until tonight that the world is gone daft with this nonsense’, Here, Proctor sees the witch hunt for what it truly is, and is not afraid of criticising the Salem authorities. At the end of Act two on a climax, Miller has used tension as epitomised in the stage direction where ‘Proctor [grasping her (Mary) by the throat as though he would strangle her]: Make your peace with it! Now Hell and Heaven grapple on our backs, and all our old pretence is ripped away- make your peace!’ brings forth the notion of personal integrity.The religious allusion to punishment in Hell symbolises Proctor as a person that is consistent with his integrity, without fear and an individual who is against the corrupted system established upon false premises. Juxtaposed with the stage direction that reveals Mary’s disturbing reaction ‘[He throws her to the floor, where she sobs, I cannot, I cannot]’ implies that this personal integrity comes with a price; that is the sacrifice of