The Crucible Title Analysis

“The Crucible” is a strange yet thrilling play by Arthur Miller. Crucibles were tolls made to crush things, purify, and make them new again. The title, “The Crucible” connects the reader to a scary part of our nation’s history. The title gives the reader and idea as to the play’s content, creating interest and curiosity. “The Crucible” contains three separate metaphors, the violent hysteria of an entire town, a test of good versus evil, and an insight for the anti-communist craze of America’s Red Scare. One metaphor within the title, “The Crucible,” relates to the violent hysteria that spread within the town of Salem. After committing the sin of adultery with a young woman named Abigail, John Proctor watched his life and an entire town turn upside down. The result of John’s affair with Abigail causes a domino effect. Abigail’s obsession with killing John’s wife, Elizabeth, results in accusations and horrifying witch hunting. The town is in peril. The hanging of so-called “witches” were due to the belief that, when all the bad is destroyed, the Holiness of Salem will be returned, hence, “The Crucible.” Another metaphor for “The Crucible” is Salem’s struggle with good and holy, versus evil. The crushing of evil to make it pure again relates to the title “The Crucible.” The people of Salem believed that by destroying the “evil” people, the …show more content…
The violent hysteria of an entire town, a test of good versus evil, and an insight for the anti-communist craze of America’s Red Scare, was three metaphors for this time in history. The title of his play has meaning. It not only conveys what happened in Salem, but also throughout the history of the 1900’s. Many terrifying events happened during Arthur Miller’s lifetime. The title, “The Crucible” and the metaphors, relate to an attempt to destroy and make something’s new and pure again, but the reality is it may not succeed in doing