Arthur Miller was inspired to write The Crucible because of what happened in America in the 1950's. Suspicion of witchcraft and an association with the Devil had arisen in the 1600s in Salem, Massachsetts. The allegations and apprehension is comparable with the period of McCarthyism in the United States of America. Joseph McCarthy ( the senator of West Virginia) focused on Democrats in general with baseless and sweeping accusations of communist involvement, giving way for the Republicans to take over Congress and the Presidency. Miller was also taken into investigation, and was asked to name the people who he thought were communists'. He refused to, because he believed people should be given the right to believe in whatever they wanted to believe in. The Political witch-hunt and the Salem trials were quite similar because people that were accused were immediately seen as a communist or a witch, without a trial or any other form of a court In the fifties, the fear of McCarthyism was physical; the communist threat was an actual threat, from a group of people. The hysteria developed from the overreaction of the fear of the communist threat, and was soon taken out of proportion similar to the Salem trials where a large number of people were accused, of being witches who they thought served the devil.
I think Arthur Miller created Abigail to show how just one person can cause havoc and mass hysteria to a whole community.In addition Miller wanted to point out that that those who were blamed (justly or unjustly) of having Communist/Satanic links blamed others, therefore saving themselves. These people were victims too, although they caused there to be other victims in the process.
While every conflict may have more than one person to blame, after examining the play throughly I felt that in The Crucible, Abigail was the one I had to point my finger at. My reasons for taking this view were because she contributed to the deaths of many innocent individuals. I could not fathom why the need for love had led her to be deceitful and a killer. Her uncle Rev. Parris was responsible for her upbringing so I was shocked at her self-importance and ill-mannered ways. The stage directions points out that Abigail was "an orphan with an endless capacity for dissembling." This meant she lied very much, which was not what was expected for a niece of a Rev. On the contrary If I were to defend her I would say that the religious beliefs and manners were too much for her to adopt. The last page 'Echoes Down The Corridor' states that "Abigail turned up later as a prostitute." She couldn't endure the strictness of the Puritan customs, thus this made her want to rebel against the strict beliefs. To add to that when Abigail was a child, she witnessed her parent's tragic deaths . " I saw Indians smash my dear parents' head on the pillow next to mine..." When her parents died she had no one to look up to, apart from her uncle who would have been no help. The play states, " He (Rev Parris) was a widower with no interest, or talent with them." Consequently it is easy to see that Abigail received no love or attention. As a result of this she couldn't look up to a real father figuire.
I think Arthur Miller created Abigail to show how just one person can cause havoc and mass hysteria to a whole community.In addition Miller wanted to point out that that those who were blamed (justly or unjustly) of having Communist/Satanic links blamed others, therefore saving themselves. These people were victims too, although they caused there to be other victims in the process.
While every conflict may have more than one person to blame, after examining the play throughly I felt that in The Crucible, Abigail was the one I had to point my finger at. My reasons for taking this view were because she contributed to the deaths of many innocent individuals. I could not fathom why the need for love had led her to be deceitful and a killer. Her uncle Rev. Parris was responsible for her upbringing so I was shocked at her self-importance and ill-mannered ways. The stage directions points out that Abigail was "an orphan with an endless capacity for dissembling." This meant she lied very much, which was not what was expected for a niece of a Rev. On the contrary If I were to defend her I would say that the religious beliefs and manners were too much for her to adopt. The last page 'Echoes Down The Corridor' states that "Abigail turned up later as a prostitute." She couldn't endure the strictness of the Puritan customs, thus this made her want to rebel against the strict beliefs. To add to that when Abigail was a child, she witnessed her parent's tragic deaths . " I saw Indians smash my dear parents' head on the pillow next to mine..." When her parents died she had no one to look up to, apart from her uncle who would have been no help. The play states, " He (Rev Parris) was a widower with no interest, or talent with them." Consequently it is easy to see that Abigail received no love or attention. As a result of this she couldn't look up to a real father figuire.
