Similarities Between Mccarthyism And The Crucible

Chuck Palahniuk once said, “Hysteria is only possible with an audience” this is seen in the historical events of McCarthyism and the allegorical play The Crucible. After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union were having tensions about who is the better country. The United States focused more on democracy and a free-market economy, while the Soviet Union is ruled by a dictator under their rule. In this time, Senator Joseph McCarthy grabbed this opportunity to make himself famous by accusing people of communism, this era was created known as McCarthyism. At that time, Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in response to both McCarthyism and the Red Scare to let people know that false accusations of people without any evidence is morally …show more content…
For example, In April of 1952, Elia Kazan stood in the courthouse to say, “I have come to conclusion that I did wrong to withhold these names” and he also pleaded, “It is my obligation as a citizen to tell everything I know” (Bentley). When Elia Kazan was being tried at court, he falsely accused the eight names of being communist members. He did this to prevent him from being blacklisted, but that will lead to false accusations one after another. Being blacklisted, during the Cinematic era meant that all of the directors or actors work will be revoked. Similarly in The Crucible, Reverend Hale, is trying to convince Tituba to confess to witchcraft, then Abigail saw this moment she frantically said, “I danced for the Devil; I saw him and wrote in his book!” after that, Abigail and her friends decided to falsely accuse random people in the village that were associated with the Devil without knowing why are they blaming on them (Miller). Abigail Williams is respected because she is the reverends niece. To prevent her reputation from being ruined, she becomes Salem’s main accuser by first naming outsiders from the village then as she gets powerful she names off other people she does not like. Just as McCarthyism both Abigail and Elia Kazan shouted off random names to prevent themselves to get in trouble. False accusations of others can lead to more people to be blamed thus …show more content…
Another example, Albert Einstein warned that all of the American people that they should not answer any questions that HUAC will ask. Pete Sagger is an American folk singer that was questioned if he knew any communist names and he did not directly answer the question but, he had the temerity to give them an American answer to show his pride (Doc.E). Albert Einstein is preventing people from answering any questions because a small problem can escalate to a dire consequence. Pete Sagger took his advice, and he was being questioned by HUAC, he gave an answer that he loves his country and believes that this hysteria is nonsense leading him to be blacklisted. In fact in Act IV, of The Crucible John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth were talking about Giles Corey, she said that he died by pressing him and spoke out his final words, “More Weight” (Doc.F). Giles Corey knew that these charges were absurd because he knows he is an innocent man by heart so he decided to die happily so his sons can inherit his land and his suffering will end. Both events relate because, Giles Corey and Pete Sagger knew that these types of charges were unjustified, but they decided to answer truthfully and die in pride. Refusing to answer anything that is not related is acceptable because answering these types of questions