GCSE: Arthur Miller
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- Marked by Teachers essays 8
- Peer Reviewed essays 11
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How does Miller show the changes in Hale during the course of The Crucible?
4 star(s)Hale states he is going to "crush" the devil. The idea of crushing the Devil, seems to foreshadow the death of Giles Corey who was crushed to death later in the play. It gives the idea of crushing lies to get to the truth. This shows Hales certainty that he is right and that he will find the devil and has the ability to destroy it. At the beginning of 'The Crucible' Hale also seems to be a proud, authoritative figure in touch with the latest religious theories.
- Word count: 977
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Who was to blame for the death of John Proctor?
4 star(s)This cowardice then guides me onto the main reason why Mary Warren is responsible for Proctor's death. "Don't touch me" page 95 leads onto Mary's accusation of John Proctor to take away the pressure on her for being an apparent witch, meaning it is brought on by cowardice. Not only is this an obvious reason for Proctors death, but one could suggest that no one else in Salem would've ever accused Proctor of witchcraft. "Respected, if not feared in Salem" page 16 evokes this thought. Mary's accusation of Proctor also expresses her deep fear of Abigail as previously shown in the dialogue on page 14, when Abigail threatens to kill the girls "at the dark of some terrible night", if they breathe a word of what they did in the forest.
- Word count: 1411
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The Crucible is a study of power and manipulation." Select any two or three characters and show how they illustrate the abuse of power.
4 star(s)Clasping her arms around herself is seen as an interpretive action made by Abigail. The stage directions then tell us that her eyes fall on Mary Warren as if to say the 'cold wind' was caused by her. This can be seen as an accusation that she has become the devil or has gained devil like qualities. In my opinion, Abigail Williams is used by Arthur Miller to illustrate the way that power can lead to manipulation. With ill- concealed resentment, "Do you begrudge me my bed uncle?" This quote shows us that Abigail can turn any situation that looks bad for her around and place the blame on the character opposing her.
- Word count: 1490
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Is John Proctor a good man?
4 star(s)This is a very serious crime at this time as it is seen as breaking one of the 10 commandments. If this information that he had committed the sin of adultery were to be realised to the town or church then his name and reputation in the town would be greatly corrupted. Abigail sees this and uses it to hold a power over proctor, as she knows that she has a powerful piece of blackmail in her hands. We also learn a lot about the relationship that Abigail and proctor have in this act when proctor says to Abigail This
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Who is blame for the death of John Proctor?
4 star(s)So was she to blame for it? She didn't do it intentionally but she is to blame for, for John Proctors death because if there wasn't her there wouldn't such things as witchery and the death of John Proctor. Marry Warren is easily influence by those around her. She is scared and timid at all times. She was the one who lied to court that John Proctor is a witch. "Mary Warren [Pointing at Proctor]: You're the devils man!" Knowing that if she told the court this John Proctor will be hanged.
- Word count: 1488
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Consider the relationship between John Proctor and Abigail Williams and how Arthur Miller presents it to an audience.
4 star(s)He is described as a man in his mid-thirties, powerful of body and even tempered. We see John and Abigail in conversation together. John says, "What's this mischief here?" and Abigail replies, "Oh, she's gone silly somehow," talking of Mercy, another young girl of the town. Abigail tells him of some silly behaviour of some local young girls in response to his question about the townsfolk having been mumbling witchcraft. John replies, "Ah, you're wicked yet, aren't y! You'll be clapped in the stocks before you're twenty." The relationship between them is flirtatious. Abigail then asks of him, "Give me a word, John, a soft word."
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The Crucible act one
3 star(s)What did Parris actually see going on in the forest? Parris saw his niece and daughter dancing in the forest like heathen around a fire. 6. What is Abigail's explanation for leaving the Proctors' service for finding no work since? Abigail explains that the reason she's got no work after leaving Proctor's service is because all employers really want are slaves and she will not stand for being a slave. 7. What is Ruth Putnam's condition? Ruth Putnam's condition is excited, and some what happy that these girls may turn out to be witches.
- Word count: 791
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Joe Keller is a tragic hero, who has many qualities and one flaw.In the play 'All My Sons', Arthur Miller creates the character Joe Keller
3 star(s)Joe seems to be an ordinary person, though in the play he represents a man of 'class'. Joe is a very ordinary man, decent, hard-working, self-made and charitable, a man that no normal person could dislike. But, like the tragic heroes in the ancient Greek dramas, he has a flaw or weakness. This flaw causes him to act wrongly in a situation. He is then forced to accept responsibility for the mistake he made with the cylinder heads. His suicide is necessary to restore the moral order of the universe, and allow his son, Chris, to live free from guilt.
- Word count: 785
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Consider the end of Millers play A View from the Bridge. How effectively does the final scene conclude the drama?
5 star(s)The tale of Vinny was told by both Beatrice and Eddie, directed at Catherine. This is ironic seen as Eddie turns out to be the 'snitch' in the end and went against the law of his Italian community and faith. Another clue towards the conclusion of the play is the setting, Red hook, which was a dangerous place where its residents 'pay no regards to the law set' which could result in death for doing the right thing, therefore Eddie could be seen as the 'good guy' by laying the law, but when doing so he went against his faith and family belief.
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How does Miller succeed in making Eddie someone with whom the audience can sympathise?
5 star(s)for his niece, it is also obvious that he is very protective over Catherine and genuinely cares about her. Eddie and his wife have taken Catherine in and have given her a loving and caring home to live in. Also, Eddie seems popular within his community, is liked by Louis and Mike and is described by Alfieri as "good a man as he had to be in a life that was hard and even." (p. 26) Eddie is respected both in the house, because he is head of the household, and in the community. This shows that he is actually a noble person, with high status in the Italian-American community.
- Word count: 1373
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A View From The Bridge Essay
5 star(s)the clear line of some of the Greek tragedies." Meaning that the audience would be confronted with a situation and that the audience would be told in the beginning what the ending was. The question was not what was going to happen, but how it was going to happen. Each of the following aspects of the play contributes importantly to the build up of dramatic tension as the play progresses and the audience will slowly see how the tragedy will play out. Alfieri tells us at his opening speech that he was "powerless" and that nothing he could have done would have altered the "bloody course".
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Can 'Death of a Salesman' be Described as a Tragedy?
4 star(s)In Death of a Salesman, Willy dies just trying to live the American Dream and he never gives up on it - an indication of his extreme optimism in all things - despite how blatantly unrealistic achieving the American Dream was for him. The characterisation of Willy Loman is also quite interesting. He strives to be like a very old, successful salesman he met that worked from home, who when he died, numerous people he knew went to his funeral.
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Not only does 'Death of a Salesman' inform the audience about Arthur Miller's opinions on success, failure and dreams
4 star(s)The central character in this play is Willy Loman, Arthur Miller's representation of a working class hero. At the beginning of the play, it becomes apparent that Willy's state of mind isn't stable. After arriving back from a business trip, Willy tells Linda that 'I couldn't make it.' Not long after, Willy is in the garden talking to himself and reminiscing about the past. Biff and Willy have a unique relationship, they love each other but their different beliefs about dreams have torn them apart.
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What techniques does Arthur Miller use to highlight the conflict between past and present in Death of a Salesman? How do these techniques also demonstrate his main themes?
4 star(s)Also, the type of music sets the mood for a scene. It creates atmosphere and conveys to the audience the emotions of the characters. Also, silence can highlight a particular scene. The absence of music means that the audience focuses entirely on the conversation taking place. In Death of a Salesman, flute music is heard constantly throughout the duration of the play. It bridges the play, as it is heard both at the beginning and the end. The flute music evokes a faraway, idyllic world, representing the past. It also represents a contrast between Willy and his father. Willy's father was a pioneer; he made flutes and sold his own products.
- Word count: 1699
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This essay will examine the ideas of manliness, hostility, aggression and how these notions are explored in A View from the Bridge a play by Arthur Miller.
3 star(s)His ideologies regarding masculinity revolve around physical strength, mean attitude, being breadwinner and earning income through tough labour. He believes that the leader of the house should have control of other people's actions. Eddie also has hostile characteristics because when his masculinity is questioned he starts to threaten people verbally. Unlike before he did not mind Catherine and Beatrice's actions. This can be observed when Beatrice asks him when she is going to be "a wife again". This challenges Eddie's masculinity as he is unable to please his wife. Eddie's response to this comment is very threatening as he says that he will beat her if she does not stop asking.
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Death Of A Salesman (Charly Passage Analysis)
3 star(s)As these cries build up, spontaneous events begin to happen. 'Suddenly [Ben} comes in, trips Biff.... the point of his umbrella poised over his eye.' As the scene so quickly switches from fun to a tense atmosphere, this makes the scene dramatic. The event is out-of-the-blue that it highlights in the instability between the characters behaviours, and the pace at which the scene is moving is very swift. When Ben says he has to go, Willy bursts out saying, 'We're gonna rebuild this entire front stoop right now.' The fact that he has to show off to Ben, and go out on a complete whim to impress him, emphasises how hectic the scene is and to the extent that Willy will go to just to have Ben's approval.
- Word count: 1247
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Death Of A Salesman (Linda Analysis)
3 star(s)She also takes his coat off, and offers him an aspirin to make him feel better. Linda always refers to Willy as 'darling' and 'dear' and Willy refers to her as 'pal' and 'sweetheart'. These are the only times in the play that they refer to anybody informally and playfully. This demonstrates how much they mean to each other. When Willy doubts his abilities, she encourages him saying, 'maybe you'll do better next week,' and, 'maybe you should tell him.' When he is insecure about his physical appearance she reassures him saying, 'Willy, you're the handsomest man in the world.'
- Word count: 956
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Discuss the role and importance of the first "flashback" scene in Death of a Salesman.
3 star(s)The scene gets more and more dramatic as it gets on. At first, it shows us an idyllic, happy time; Willy is apparently a fantastic success, who is idolized by two loving sons. The eldest son, Biff, is popular with the others at school and with girls, a great sportsman, and generally "well liked". They all live in a beautiful house, surrounded by fields. But we then find about Biff stealing and then his poor academic achievement, that Willy lies about how successful he really is, and finally the affair with the woman before the whole thing spirals out of control and turns into some kind of terrible nightmare.
- Word count: 1374
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The original title for Miller's play was 'The Inside of His Head'. How does Miller's use of set, lighting and stage direction help us to understand this idea?
3 star(s)Miller uses symbolism, set, lighting and stage direction to help us to understand what is happening inside Willy's head. One of the several symbols that give us an insight into Willy's thoughts is the athletic trophy. It is placed on a shelf in the sitting room where it can be clearly seen; this demonstrates how important it is to the family. This importance then in turn shows that winning and competition are key ideas here and that this part of the American Dream is important to Willy and he prizes the achievements his son made as they show him as being superior to other people, which is what Willy is always striving to achieve, particularly in regards to Charly.
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Discuss How Tension Is Created Through Character, Language and Action in Act III of The Crucible
Proctor is not quite in control so he uses implicit threats rather than explicit threats. Even though his threats are not as direct, they still create the need for other characters to defend themselves. When Proctor loses power he says 'I have known her' which threatens both Abigail's position and reputation. Miller also uses derogatory language through Proctor in order to create tension. Proctor says 'where my beasts are bedded' which also works to undermine Abigail's purity and innocence. Miller's use of animalistic language suggests the antithesis between what she appears to be and the reality.
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What insights to Eddie's character are provided by his meetings with Alfieri?
Also, he takes honour very seriously and this can be seen when he tells Catherine the Vinny Bolzano story. This can be applied where Eddie is talking to Alfieri as well. For example, when Eddie is trying to explain to Alfieri the kind of person Rodolfo is, he "(takes a breath and glances briefly over each shoulder)". This tells us as the audience that he needs to keep things confidential otherwise if this is out into the public, people may already suspect of him doing any wrongdoings later, like snitching.
- Word count: 1562
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What do we learn of the Carbone family and their values in Act 1 of 'A View From The Bridge'?
He believes he should be the leader of his house. This can be seen as he talks to Catherine about her new job as a stenographer, 'Why didn't you ask me before you take a job?' This shows that he wanted Catherine to ask for permission and to authorise it from himself. This manly character of Eddie means that he feels as the boss of his house and that he would be insulted if not done otherwise. This is one of the cause of his collapse at the end of the story - being too masculine that he couldn't show his emotions as everything was bottled inside.
- Word count: 1858
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Write about how the relationship between Beatrice and Eddie changes as the play unfolds.
However even now, a less amiable side to their relationship is hinted at, when Beatrice says: 'if it don't turn out good, you'll be mad at me,' a fear that foreshadows the decline of the marriage. A more confrontational aspect of their relationship is revealed through their disagreements about Catherine. It soon becomes clear that she is a major source of tension, in their relationship. Eddie's over protectiveness appears to both worry and frustrate Beatrice and she is forced to challenge him about it: 'you gonna keep her in the house all her life?'
- Word count: 673
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A view from the Bridge analysis. Final Scene of Act 1
The fact that Miller chooses to use the word 'freezes' instead of just 'stops' helps to emphasise how shocked Eddie is about the situation. Rodolfo makes it clear in his next line that he is trying to be respectful towards Eddie but Catherine's insistence means they end up dancing anyway, much to Eddie's disgust. Catherine deliberately forces Rodolfo to dance out of deliberate defiance against Eddie. While she is doing it to try and prove to Eddie that he is not in control of her, little does she know that it is tearing Eddie apart, similar to the aforementioned newspaper.
- Word count: 631
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A view from the Bridge analysis. Paper Doll Scene (Page 20 line 37 Page 22 line 16) How does Miller make this an important scene?
Miller could have meant this to mean that Eddie is trying to love Catherine but she belongs to Rodolfo now and also that she was never really his since she is his niece not his daughter. The singing is also significant as it is the first of many things that cause Eddie to hate Rodolfo. Eddie despises the fact that Rodolfo is flirting with Catherine, especially since Rodolfo isn't masculine at all, has a high voice and likes to sing.
- Word count: 505
