One definition of a “crucible” is a container utilized to heat and melt metals at extreme temperatures. This process divides the more valuable metals from the less valuable ones. In Arthur Miller’s infamous novel, The Crucible, metals are not being tested, but people. He sets the scene in Salem, Massachusetts, an isolated and puritanical community where the citizens’ interest in other people’s actions, an opportunity for vengeance, and strict laws causes tension in society. The court officials put many characters to a test such as Mary Warren, Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey, John Proctor, and many others to determine who is conjuring with the spirits. Arthur Miller entitles his play The Crucible to portray the harmful effects of intense scrutiny
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Miller reveals that John Proctor witnessed girls dancing around in the woods. In the Puritan beliefs, the forest is a wild and spiritual place, and it is home to the Devil. Reverend Parris decides to bring in an expert on witchcraft, Reverend Hale, to help cleanse the town. When Hale and Parris put the girls on trial, Tituba says that when she talked to the Devil, he told her “I have white people belong to me” (Miller, Act I, 47). Tituba, a slave from Barbados, utilizes her race to prove her innocent nature. Although it is a risky move, it saves her life. As a result, Abigail Williams along with many others follow her lead and accuse other women they dislike to protect themselves. Regardless of Abigail’s involvement in the woods, she also committed adultery with John Proctor, a married man that she was a servant for. Despite her cognizance of Proctor’s marital status, Abigail desired Proctor’s affection and she wants Elizabeth Proctor out of the picture. Abbotson mentions that Abigail’s character is “borderline psychotic, possibly out of her irrepressibly desire for Proctor” (Abbotson 123). This illustrates that many critics agree that Abigail’s behavior reflects strong compassion for John Proctor.This will translate into her behavior in future trials because she will do anything to reach those desires. Overall, the girls handle the test by blaming others which portrays their unwillingness to …show more content…
Although the affair between John and Abigail is not historically accurate, Miller uses it because it “ignites a sexual flame, one with echoes in his own life” (Bisby). Before Miller wrote this play, he strayed from his wife and felt a sense of guilt, so he includes since it “deeply implicated his own life” (Bisby). Therefore, the reason why he includes the affair to utilize a personal situation since it deeply influenced his life and left him in a state of confusion, like John Proctor. Most importantly, The Crucible reflects Arthur Miller’s life because he relates the ideologies of McCarthyism to the witch trials by discussing the fears of those involved, but not the actual proceedings. The witch-hunt is depicted as a way to “express publicly his guilt and sins, under the cover of accusations against the victims” (Miller, Act I, 7). Therefore, Miller’s purpose was not to explicitly describe what happened, but to scrutinize the town’s ideologies. Some of Miller’s inspiration comes from the “alienation among friends and strangers as they turn on each other to save their professional careers from the Communist blacklists” (Polster). Miller uses this experience because it is similar to the factors that contributed to the witch trials. Polster believes that Miller believes that “the world was deeply coded, structured, and manipulated by aggressive dominating powers that
Miller reveals that John Proctor witnessed girls dancing around in the woods. In the Puritan beliefs, the forest is a wild and spiritual place, and it is home to the Devil. Reverend Parris decides to bring in an expert on witchcraft, Reverend Hale, to help cleanse the town. When Hale and Parris put the girls on trial, Tituba says that when she talked to the Devil, he told her “I have white people belong to me” (Miller, Act I, 47). Tituba, a slave from Barbados, utilizes her race to prove her innocent nature. Although it is a risky move, it saves her life. As a result, Abigail Williams along with many others follow her lead and accuse other women they dislike to protect themselves. Regardless of Abigail’s involvement in the woods, she also committed adultery with John Proctor, a married man that she was a servant for. Despite her cognizance of Proctor’s marital status, Abigail desired Proctor’s affection and she wants Elizabeth Proctor out of the picture. Abbotson mentions that Abigail’s character is “borderline psychotic, possibly out of her irrepressibly desire for Proctor” (Abbotson 123). This illustrates that many critics agree that Abigail’s behavior reflects strong compassion for John Proctor.This will translate into her behavior in future trials because she will do anything to reach those desires. Overall, the girls handle the test by blaming others which portrays their unwillingness to …show more content…
Although the affair between John and Abigail is not historically accurate, Miller uses it because it “ignites a sexual flame, one with echoes in his own life” (Bisby). Before Miller wrote this play, he strayed from his wife and felt a sense of guilt, so he includes since it “deeply implicated his own life” (Bisby). Therefore, the reason why he includes the affair to utilize a personal situation since it deeply influenced his life and left him in a state of confusion, like John Proctor. Most importantly, The Crucible reflects Arthur Miller’s life because he relates the ideologies of McCarthyism to the witch trials by discussing the fears of those involved, but not the actual proceedings. The witch-hunt is depicted as a way to “express publicly his guilt and sins, under the cover of accusations against the victims” (Miller, Act I, 7). Therefore, Miller’s purpose was not to explicitly describe what happened, but to scrutinize the town’s ideologies. Some of Miller’s inspiration comes from the “alienation among friends and strangers as they turn on each other to save their professional careers from the Communist blacklists” (Polster). Miller uses this experience because it is similar to the factors that contributed to the witch trials. Polster believes that Miller believes that “the world was deeply coded, structured, and manipulated by aggressive dominating powers that