Consider how Miller creates and maintains tension in Act 3 of The Crucible?

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Consider how Miller creates and maintains tension in Act 3 of The Crucible

 The play, “The Crucible” which Miller published in 1953 is about the Salem witch trials which occurred in the late 17th Century. Salem was a town in America, where the emigrant Puritans from England settled. Miller had many intentions when writing “The Crucible” one of which is to show us how accusations from regular citizens, who are in the grip of hysteria, resulted in the hanging of many innocent people. Many critics think that the reason Miller wrote this play was in response to McCarthyism, which was when the US government blacklisted accused communists in the 1950’s. Miller himself was on this list and was eventually questioned by the House of Representatives. The play was also written to convey to the outer world the controversy, mayhem and confusion which would have scarred the innocent victims for life. In Act 3 of the play, Miller creates and maintains tension throughout, to keep the audience engaged. One of the tensest scenes is in Act 3, the dialogue between John Proctor and Mary Warren. We see Proctor eventually jailed, he was portrayed by Miller as the character that gave hope to others to solve this scandal in the community. The playwright uses many literary devices to evoke such awe in the audience and to enhance tension. The playwright uses many different techniques to do this for example setting, dialogue, characterization and action to convey the events to follow.

        In Salem, where life is hard and humble we find the scene is set in the courtroom where Judge Hawthorne is questioning Martha Corey, an accused witch, like Miller was an accused Communist. The first scenes of Act 3 show us how Miller embarks on his way to create hostility by setting the scene in a very serious and enclosed environment. The first insight of suspense for the audience is the start of the Act when Miller is describing the room, “As the curtain rises, the room is empty, but for sunlight pouring through two high windows in the back wall.” This sunlight could suggest the light of Heaven falling onto the proceedings, however as an audience we know the light brings nothing of the sort, and we are lulled into a false sense of security. This is one example of many where there are different meanings in the language.  This description of the set creates an unsettling, mysterious tone at the start of the Act as there are no actors or actresses in view yet you are told you can hear their voices making a sound, demonic and ghostly, “we hear a prosecutor’s voice, Judge Hawthorne’s, asking a question; then a woman’s voice, Martha Corey’s, replying”. The setting of this Act provides a lot of tension to keep the audience engaged. Another device that establishes unease is the stage directions. “The door opens and Giles is half carried into the vestry room by Herrick”. This sparks tension as some physical action is being used to get Giles to leave the room. The stage directions later in the scene shows how Giles is getting more and more agitated over his wife’s court case, “Beginning to plead”, “Beginning to weep” and finally when he realizes he will not be able to persuade the court to clear her of all charges he bursts out in “helpless sobs”. These stage directions have a crucial effect on the audience as they make them feel sympathetic with Giles and his wife, this creates tension as the audience want to know the decision of the court. I think Miller includes a character such as Giles to make the audience feel guilty that he has to receive such vile treatment and Miller also makes him seem helpless as he sobs uncontrollably. Overall the dramatic tension created in the first scene of Act 3 grips the audience which the playwright maintains throughout the scene.

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        The start of Act 3 begins with off-stage acting which is unusual and gives the audience something to think about, they may be wandering what is going on, which creates suspense. This is then followed by Giles being ushered onto stage as if he had forgotten when he was meant to enter creating some confusion in the audience and keeping them engaged. Another clever scene by Miller is when all the attention is on Abigail, when Proctor is testifying that his wife is innocent and she lied to keep his name clear. Abigail quickly gets her out of a tight ...

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