How does Arthur Miller create tension in act 3 of The Crucible?

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Amy Lange 10 Set 1

How does Arthur Miller create tension in Act Three of ‘The Crucible’?

There are many ways in which Arthur Miller creates tension, suspense and frustration in the audience throughout Act Three of ‘The Crucible’.

 The dram is based on an outbreak of Witchcraft hysteria in Salem 1692. During this, many innocent people were charged and hanged with Witchcraft due to the intensity of the Puritan beliefs and tight social conventions.

 A state of tension arises even at the very beginning of Act Three when the stage direction instructs an ‘empty room’. This emphasises the forbidding setting and straight away the audience would wonder why no-one is on stage. There would be much tension in the audience as they wait for someone to enter. This empty room also reinforces the plainness of the Puritan ethic. However, the tension is slightly broken when voices are heard through the portioning wall. A question is asked and a woman (Martha Corey) replies,

 “I am innocent to a Witch. I know not what a Witch is.”

 This would alert the audience because they are straight away informed that someone is thought to be a Witch.

 Then, when Martha Corey explains that she can not be a Witch because she does not know what a Witch is, more tension is put upon the audience. They would feel this when Hathorne then says,

 “How do you know, then, that you are not a Witch?”

 This really puts Martha Corey on the spot because Hathorne is obviously doing all he can to charge her with Witchcraft. Here is a good example of how many people were telling the truth but no justice was done and they were not believed.

 At this point in the scene the stage is still empty, encouraging the audience to pay more attention to what the characters are saying.

 The powerlessness of people in this era is again shown when Giles Corey stands up and announces that he believes Thomas Putnam is simply trying to gain land. He shouts,

 “Your hearing lies, lies!”

 We can feel his tension and frustration as Danforth and Hathorne will not listen to him.

 Many lines in this scene are shouted to show the frustration, anger and strict orders in the room. This gains the audience’s interest even more and really shows how the Court had very high authority even in the 17th Century.

 Furthermore, on many occasions characters are interrupted in the middle of their speech. For example, Parris says,

 “Giles Corey, Sir, and a more contentious-”

Then Giles interrupts Parris, which shows he is being quite brave doing this to the Reverend, who is of higher authority than him. This would create tension in the audience because you were at risk of getting in trouble for ‘undermining the court’ by doing this. It also often leaves the truth unsaid which keeps the audience in suspense.

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 Next we see that the stage directions instruct Giles to be “half carried in to the Vestry room by Herrick”. This would definitely alert the audience as it shows how physical force was more accepted in those days.

  There is then a contrast shown between the townspeople’s reaction to Giles and their reaction to the entrance of Danforth. On the appearance of Giles there is uproar, but on the appearance of Danforth the crowd falls silent. This silence not only creates tension in the audience but it shows how people had much more respect for those of a ...

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