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

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

"The Crucible" is a play centred around morals, guilt and good and evil. It portrays these themes through witchcraft and an intensely religious society, set in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692. The acrimonious and joyless community full of petty jealousies and fear if attack from Native Americans, actually symbolises events in America during the 1950s, of which Arthur Miller was a part of. He wrote "The Crucible" as an allegory, running parallel with what happened in 1950s America, controlled by Senator Joseph McCarthy and here represented by Salem judge, Danforth. McCarthy was head of the 1950s accusations of communism, making 205 public charges and blacklisting many playwrights, directors and actors from Hollywood Studios, including Arthur Miller. Miller could not directly write about his experiences so instead chose to represent them in Salem. The fact that it is set further back in history also emphasises the stupidity of the situation, and that this kind of modern day witch-hunt belongs in the past.

Right from the symbolic title, Miller makes a statement as to the themes of the play. The scientific meaning of the word "crucible" is a small