Analysis of 'The Crucible'

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The Crucible

Explore the methods Miller uses to create dramatic tension for an audience in the ‘The Crucible’.

Arthur Miller was born in Harlem, New York, on October 17th 1915 and died February 10th 2005, aged 89. Miller was a playwright and essayist and was a prominent figure in American literature for over 61 years, writing a wide variety of plays, including The Crucible. The Crucible was written in the 1950’s, amongst the time of marrying Marilyn Monroe in 1956, however the play is set in 1692.

The Great Depression had a huge affect on his family and life. Miller struggled through his childhood and adolescence, all the way to college – having had no money to go there after graduating. His family lost everything.

“There were three suicides on the little block where we lived. They couldn’t cope.” (A. Miller)

This left Miller influenced by the tragedy during his formative years. As well as this he was also influenced by the horror at the strength of the anti-communist movement in America during the 1950’s – people were imprisoned and hunted down, and there were also a lot of mysterious disappearances.

Miller was concerned with the battle between responsibility to ‘self’ and ‘society’. In The Crucible, his main character John Proctor has to make this decision at the end of the play.

The word ‘Crucible’ has a definition of a place or occasion of severe test or trial and can also have the meaning of a ceramic or metal container in which substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperature. This relates to the storyline of the play clearly.

The play is set in the Puritan New England town of Salem, Massachusetts. The play begins with a group of young girls dancing in a forest with a black slave named Tituba. While they are dancing, they are caught by the local minister, Reverend Parris. One of the young girls, Parris’ daughter Betty, falls into a coma-like state. Town people gather in the Parris household, as rumours about witchcraft spread through the town. Abigail Williams, the girls’ ringleader and Parris’ niece admits to nothing beyond just dancing. She tells the rest of the girls to not admit anything.

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John Proctor, a local farmer then enters and speaks to Abigail alone. Secreted from the knowledge of the rest of the town people, while working in Proctor’s home the previous year, she engaged in an affair with him, which led to her being fired by his wife Elizabeth. Abigail however still desires Proctor, but he wards her off.

“Give me a word John, a soft word” (Abigail)

“No, no Abby. That’s done with” (Proctor)

Betty then wakes, and everything gets out of hand, as many arguments arise. After interrogation, Tituba confesses to communicating with the devil, and ...

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