Language is needed to portray the period and the place of the play. It would be most probable that through various different ways Miller would have researched into the language of that time in order to make the play authentic. It was also important for Miller to research into the historical background of the setting so that there would be no flaws to the words used in the script. By researching the history of Salem we discover that there would not have been inhabitants in that part of America for very long so it would have been difficult for Miller to have gathered much information about the language. Therefore Miller has used words and phrases to suggest a period different from modern day that’s believable but that has a historical feel. Some examples of language used to this effect could be rustic language and dropping the ‘g’ off the end of some words eg. Dreamin’, another could be the use of archaic language such as ‘Aye’ and ‘Nay’ and the unfamiliar word ‘Goody’ meaning ‘Mrs.’ In sentences Miller uses double negatives such as ‘he cannot discover no medicine’ to enforce an archaic tone to the language.
There are many characters in The Crucible and each one has a particular way of speech that reflects their characteristics. Miller has used much more complex and well spoken dialect for those who are more educated than others for example Parris is a worldly gentleman. He conveys a sense of stature by the way he talks about the people of the town and where he places himself among them. His main purpose is to maintain a high reputation in the town this is clearly portrayed by his accusations in the court, ‘They’ve come to overthrow the court, sir!’ John Proctor is another example of someone who can be depicted well by his use of language. By the end of the play he is thoroughly developed, his relevance in the play is very much apparent through the way that he speaks for example he uses strong and meaningful sentences that hit the reader and are very much believed, eg. ‘Let them that never lied die now to keep their souls’.
Language in the court is similar to that of in the town and of the townspeople; this is probably because the people in the court are likely to have come from the town or near. The servants use a dialect similar to the characters of a higher status but sometimes it can be slightly simpler and less wordy compared to that of Mr. Hale for example. We are aware that Mary Warren is a servant and has slightly less of an education by some of the phrases and words she uses and those that other characters address her with, ‘I’ll whip the devil out of you’ John Proctor shouts this at Mary when she does not respond to John, this shows his higher status over her and his willingness to exercise his authority over her. Other ways of which the Servant status is shown though the language is the slang used in conversation between some of the young girls; ‘Its weirdish’.
Some of the stage direction also gives away a lot about the character for example when first introduced to Mercy Lewis we are told that she is a ‘fat, sly, merciless girl of eighteen’ not only does this explain to the reader the appearance and main characteristic of the servant, it also aids the actor playing that part on how Miller would want her personality and physical appearance to be portrayed when acting the play. The outcome of the play shows that the status of the character and the language which they use has little relevance to the final decisions made by the judges.
There is a lot of detail and thought in the language. Miller uses alliteration, Repetition and metaphorical language within the script. There is not very much imagery in the language, although there is one memorable phrase which stands out, when Abigail accuses John of ‘sweating like a stallion’, an effective phrase including a simile, alliteration, imagery and appealing to the senses. An example of one of the repeated words throughout the play could be that of ‘God’ this is most powerful as it is used through many different contexts. Different characters use the word ‘God’ in positive and negative ways for example in anger and frustration John Procter is heard to say ‘God is dead!’ a shocking statement, especially for that period of time. This is marked against him in the eyes of the other characters and sometimes of the audience for the statement is most outrageous, especially within such a highly religious play and setting. Rebecca Nurse uses God in a pure and innocent way throughout the play. One example could be when she addresses Parris in the first scene and expresses her concern for Betty, ‘I go to God for you’. It shows her compassion towards the people in the village and to God. It is ironic that Rebecca has a lot of dialogue reflecting her love of God and religion when at the end of the play she is to die for what the court believes as ‘plotting against God’. Another word used a lot throughout the play is ‘Devil’ this is a sharp contrast to the word ‘God’ and both words used together and so frequently creates a strong sense of conflict. By enforcing these religious terms and phrases so often Miller maintains the idea of a strongly religious community and expands the form of realism.
In conclusion language is used to great effect. The language has a number of different functions, a specific one being to show conflict and tension between characters and opinions. Miller chooses to write in short sentences within the dialogue, but uses long monologues at various intervals to inform the reader on the background of some of the characters. The conversation between characters is plain, concise and realistic. Miller conveys this through not using poetry or prose in this writing and sticking to what would be a normal conversation in everyday life so that realism is always assumed. If I where to put on a play of The Crucible, I would like the Actors to speak the lines with an American accent as this reflects the historical background but also adds to the element of modern day relevance and realism.
