I have also seen that throughout the play the contrast between light and dark is a prominent feature. In the footnote at the beginning of act, one Miller has used the image of light “There is a narrow window at the left. Through its leaded pains the morning sunlight streams. A candle still burns near the bed… The room gives of an air of clean spare-ness.” This symbolises that everything is OK, there are no bad things happening. Light throughout the play is use to symbolise good. As the story line continues the atmosphere and even the scenes themselves become darker and more sinister, even the weather becomes more glum and depressing. Dark is used throughout the play to symbolise bad. For example, the courtroom is always dark; there are no open windows and no candles. In some cases, certain characters bring light into a scene that was dark, like John Proctor. However, when he is accused of witchcraft the light that accompanies him became a lot dimmer.
Apart from the themes, the storyline also helps to engage the audience. I have found that the way the plot unfolds is really interesting, Miller manages to engage the audience throughout the play.
At the start, Parris finds his niece and daughter with a group of friends dancing naked in the forest, an offence for which they are likely to be seriously punished. He questions Abigail and it becomes clear that she left the Proctor’s house under a cloud and has a dubious reputation in the village, but she denies any misconduct. Betty’s panic causes her to fall into a trance like state. The Putnam's daughter is in a similar state.
It is clear from the start that Abigail is prepared to lie and top blame others to avoid facing the consequences of her actions. This arouses the audience’s concern that she harms others without conscience in order to attain her own ends. A sense of anticipation and suspense is created and it engages the audience and makes them want to read on.
In order to escape punishment the girls, led by Abigail, blame Tituba. Shortly afterwards they begin to accuse other members of the community, starting with less important characters. As the girls’ stature grows, they accuse more, soon pointing fingers at respected individuals such as Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor.
At this stage, the audience is appalled that girls are given so much credence and their words carry so much weight in condemning others. It is clear that matters are likely to deteriorate and the audience wonder's how much worse things will become.
Proctor and Nurse try to make the court see the truth but it is easier to believe Abigail, who continues to control the girls. When Mary Warren is persuaded to tell the truth she receives little support from Danforth, cannot stand against the other girls, and soon rejoins them
It seems as if the truth will prevail and the audience's hopes are raised. We wait for Abigail’s deceit to be revealed, but this does not happen. Although we partly anticipated it, we are still angered by the continuing injustice, and appalled at the gullibility of the court.
Desperate to reveal the truth and save his wife, whose honesty he praises, Proctor admits his adulterous relationship with Abigail. The court officials do not tell Elizabeth what her husband has said and ask her to confirm he is a ‘lecher.’ Loyal to Proctor and determined not to sully his good name, she denies that he is a lecher, thus condemning both of them.
At this point, the audience sympathises completely with the Proctor's. Their love and self-sacrifice gives them warmth and humanity. Their fate is inevitable and we feel anger at the injustice and their suffering. Even after the text has finished, the audience is still engaged and we still want to know what will happen.
The way the story is revealed also keeps our interest. At the end of each act, Miller leaves the play in a state of climax. At the end of act, one Miller draws the curtain on the girl’s firing frenzied and false accusations of witchcraft against many women in Salem, act three ends with the dramatic exit of Mr Hale “I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” Through this approach it always keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Leaving the audience with a climax at the end of each act allows the audience to toy with their emotions and the ones portrayed in the play.
It is also interesting to see how different relationships develop as the plot unfolds. For example, the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor goes through almost unrecognisable changes. At the beginning of the play we see their relationship very frosty and cold. On the first introduction of the two characters together, this coldness is portrayed to us with Proctor's declaration of his only intent to please Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s cold acceptance. However at the end of act four we hear the warm and passionate exchange between the two characters as Elizabeth opens her heart to John and although not wishing for him to testify to Witchcraft desperately wanting him to live so he could bring up there unborn baby together. We can see and sympathise with how each of the relationships are being affected by the pressure they are being put under. This, as with the characteristics of the characters, allows us to become even more involved in the plot and helps to maintain our attention. Their relationship holds our attention because this is a likely a situation that still occurs today, as people still have problems in their married
I believe that through extensive character detail Arthur Miller has made it possible for us to understand exactly how the different characters are feeling, and why they behave the way they do. Miller also plays on our emotions by amplifying our own faults through the characters, as in the case of Abigail using the whole situation to her advantage, and being very manipulative and cunning, all of which are characteristics that we don't like in ourselves. For example, Abigail was using the whole situation to get back at John Proctor, she wanted him but he did not want her, and in trying to gain his affections, she involved all of the people of Salem. During the play, Abigail had one goal (John Proctor) and she did not care how she achieved this. Many people may see a modern day parable to Abigail as sympathize with her because she was doing everything for love.
Arthur Miller has also portrayed John Proctor’s character quite well in The Crucible. In Proctor’s explanatory introduction, Miller tells us that Proctor is a ‘respected and even feared’ character in Salem. Miller tells us that Proctor is not easily led and does not like hypocrites and has a sharp tongue for them so they resent him. However, Miller also describes proctor as a ‘Sinner’ and we learn later on that Miller was talking about proctor’s affair with Abigail. Miller uses the phrase “ In Proctor's presence a fool felt his foolishness” This makes the audience feel that Proctors is very noble and respected and also hints the idea that he will have problems and people won’t like him. This keeps our attention, as we want to learn more about this character. In the play, Miller displays many sides of Proctor. He shows Proctor to be weak when he has an affair with Abigail, “I’ll not be comin’ for you more” However he also shows proctor to be strong & determined; when he challenges the court and stands by his beliefs and does an honourable thing. Proctor is also shown willing to be practical. This is when he confesses to be a lecher & when he decides to confess of partnership with the devil only to save his wife. This shows that when needs be, he can do the right thing. The affair with Abigail seems to be the only thorn in Proctor's character. I think that the character of John Proctor and the way he changes also keeps us interested in the story. Overall, we can see that Miller presents him as an honourable man, aware of his own faults and willingness to accept the consequences of his actions. Miller’s portrayal of Proctor arouses our sympathy, and we watch his fate in anger. This makes us connected to the character and it further helps to maintain our attention.
The way that the play is written and the language that Miller uses also helps to maintain the audience’s attention. I have seen that before the play Miller comes in and talks directly to the audience and gives us an expeditionary introduction of character and gives us background information. I think that this is a brilliant technique to use. This is because it creates the effect that Miller is alive and talking to us. It also gives us the impression that the characters and the place have existed for time and we have just come into the story. At first, I found this technique to be quite bizarre because I have never come across it before, but I have seen that it is really effective and it really helps to maintain the audience's interest. The stage directions that Miller gives are also quite important because, when someone is recreating this piece it really helps to set the original scene, which gives it an even more effective touch. The stage directions help to create the right atmosphere, and Miller improves this through the language & detail that he uses. Miller uses the language in a very effective way. He starts with a descriptive piece, which helps to set the scene. In the first act, he describes the room. He writes;
“There is a narrow window”- After reading the background, one instantly gets the idea that ‘Narrow Windows’ suggests that there is little light, it gives the meaning that this is a dark place in a dark town. In the first few words, the audience is already gripped.
“The room gives a clean sense of spareness. The roof rafters are exposed, and the wood colours are raw and unmellowed.” This description tells us the room is empty and has no felling and it is cold. Again, the reader gets the warning that something bad it happening. Miller gives the impression that something has been through the room. The rafter are exposed and the colours are raw harsh. As we can see that even though the play has not started, the audience is already starting to get involved in the text.
Before the play starts Miller says “Betty Parris, aged ten, is lying on the bed, inert” and he says that Parris is discovered “Praying” Instantly the audience is curious, why is this child inert/motionless? Why is Parris praying? At this point, the play begins, we can see that Miller already had captured the audience’s attention before anything starts and this is what he does at the start of every act. This further helps to increase the effectiveness of Miller’s Play.
I think that Miller succeeds in engaging the audience throughout the play. This is because The Crucible contains dramatic devices that keep the audience hooked to the play. Miller also used preoccupation that are still relevant and that will still be relevant and engaging in the future. Miller uses a range of dramatic devices in The Crucible that combine to engage the audience. These include the shocking events in the storyline, his fascinating portrayal of characters, especially Jon Proctor and his effective use of language. We watch in horror as events unfold and we admire proctor’s integrity and accept the warning that such witch hunts happened and can still happen today.
