what is the crucible an allegory for

Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, wrote about the Salem witch trials, but used that story to illustrate the unsubstantiated fear, panic, hysteria of looking for communist supporters in America. 7 chapters | Miller wrote his drama during the brief reign of the American senator Joseph McCarthy whose bitter criticized anti- communism sparkled the need for the United States to be a dramatic anti- communist society during the early tense years of the cold war. Both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. had developed nuclear weapons that could devastate each other, not to mention the world as a whole. In Arthur Miller's classic play, The Crucible, the character Abigail Williams fills the role of the villain. Weba crucible is. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is an allegory for the Red Scare in the McCarthy Era because, The Crucible and McCarthyism In 1956, when Miller applied for a new passport, he was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee to testify about his activities related to communism. By comparing McCarthyism to the, While Corey broke conformity to do what was right, Betty did quite the opposite. In act 3 of The Crucible, why does Reverend Hale change his story about witchcraft? Chat with professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you best. A brief intro to The Crucible by Arthur Miller. What is an allegory. His investigation, which came to be known as McCarthyism, whipped people into a frenzy, lobbing accusations at anyone who disagreed with his conservative viewpoints. Miller, creator of The Crucible was blacklisted, and accused of being a communist along with many other entertainers (Arthur Miller). Allegory: a story that is used to represent specific ideas or principles. Millers purpose was to show how people accused each other with false denunciations because of their fear, jealousy and solely hatred of one another under McCarthyism. Our writers can help you with any type of essay. In an effort to find the communist spies who had infiltrated various U.S. institutions, including the government, Senator Joseph McCarthy began a campaign to weed out communists and their sympathizers in the U.S. What is the main purpose of The Crucible? The main purpose of The Crucible is to draw parallels between the events of the Salem witch craze and what was happening in America at the time of the play's writing, during McCarthyism. I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil! (Abigail, Act 1, pg 45) This quote exemplifies how Abigail just used the townspeoples beliefs and a backed expert of the situation to convince everyone that she was innocent. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. WebWhat is The Crucible in The Crucible? The Crucible is similar to the Red Scare, but is The Crucible an allegory for the Red Scare? Events like the people who were hung, and people were accused for being witches were similar to blacklisted and they, The 1950s was an eventful time in America with the Red Scare and Senator Joseph McCarthy. Arthur Miller was a playwright and a political activist speaking up addressing societal issues. The Crucible by Arthur Miller and The Red Scare share many characteristics. Examples of archetypes are the hero, the trickster, the temptress, the villain, the innocent and the faithful companion. This fear, known as the Red Scare, led some Americans to believe that communists would take over America and replace its government with communism. This connects to McCarthyism because once someone was accused of being a communist their life was destroyed, loss of job and bad image. There are many proven facts that some of the story is not true to the real life events and this confuses many people because Arthur Miller makes his characters so vivid and actually used the real names of the people that were in the trials(Salem Witch Museum). The Crucible describes the Salem Witch Trials. Accessed 18 Jan. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Is the accuser always holy now? The events that took place during the time the play was written were very similar to the Salem witch hunts. I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus!I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! In the play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, Miller uses allegory to recreate the events occurring in real life. Eugene O'Neill Biography, Plays & Influence | Who was Eugene O'Neill? Both The Crucible and the McCarthy trials have many parallels. Specifically, Miller drew a connection between the unsubstantiated accusations of communist sympathizers under McCarthyism and the accusations thrown around during the Salem witch trials. Arthur Miller's The Crucible tells the story of the Salem Witch Trials, and holds allegorical connections to events surrounding McCarthyism in the 1950s.. Answer and Explanation: McCarthyism resulted in Americans turning against each other because of politicians greed for power, paranoia, and the fear of communist infiltration. When this was over, the hope would be that nothing like it would ever happen again and nothing like it had ever happened before. Encountering Conflict. In The Crucible Proctor is accused of doing devil's work, but he made it clear that, He wants his life, and He will have his life. The Crucible and McCarthyism were alike on this situation because if they confessed they would not die but if they didnt they would. WebIn this way, The Crucible stands as an allegory for McCarthy 's communist hunt, during which many people were also killed and imprisoned due to accusations of communism. Throughout the Crucible, it explains the ridiculous trials the people went through to try to prove their innocence. This essay was written by a fellow student. The practices were paralleled in what is known as McCarthyism, which did much the same thing, except this time, children did not control the madness: Senator McCarthy and his "minions" carried on a twentieth century witch hunt. Her actions begin sending the small town into a panic as they throw people into jail and hang them in an effort to try and cleanse the town from any aspect of evil. In Arthur Millers The Crucible, women are somewhat able to successfully gain power from society due to the fact that they use manipulation, deceit and their sexual desire (especially the character of Abigail) to acquire positions of power in their largely patriarchal society. Rebecca is also accused and her husband Francis cannot believe that she is charged, For murder, Rebecca is charged, the marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnams babies. During the witchcraft hysteria and McCarthyism people would look for any reason to accuse someone and to have someone to blame for, An allegory is a story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Another example of allegory in the play is the lives ruined in the book by the trails are similar to the people whose lives were also ruined due to McCarthyism. An allegory is a story with an obvious meaning but if you look deeper into it, there is another meaning. Copyright 2022 IPL.org All rights reserved. Miller expresses important messages An error occurred trying to load this video. Many characters in The Crucible serve as allegories to McCarthy 's communist hunt, specifically Abigail Williams, Giles Corey, and Betty Parris. I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (Proctor, Act 4, pg 130-133). I'm Amy, The Crucible is, on the surface, a retelling of the Salem witch trials. In both instances there was a climate filled with fear. The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare of the early 1950s. In the 1953, Arthur Miller came out with a play: The Crucible based on the Salem Witch Trials tackling McCarthyism; accusing others of being communists trying to overthrow democracy in the United States (9-10). Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Various forms of propaganda advertised fears, causing panic to spread throughout the country. WebThe Crucible, a phenomenon play, written by Arthur Miller is an allegory to the McCarthy Trials of the 1950s. The connection between The Crucible and the McCarthy Hearings is not an isolated one, but can also be made with other historical and current events that are happening today., The Crucible is a play that advocates change in social or political attitudes or in traditions. In one account Arthur Miller read, written by the minister Samuel Parris, who was one of the leaders of the witch hunt in Salem, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft by gently touching Elizabeth and then screaming that her fingers were burning. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a young group of girls commit witchcraft which eventually leads to the arrest of over 100 women. What Miller is trying to say in The Crucible is that he is against condemning others with no legitimate reason. Although, many people that were condemned werent actually apart of the Communist Party, (under McCarthyism around 1950-1954) they got blacklisted or lost their jobs. Another example written in his work is when Proctor was accused of witchcraft when he told the truth. The last main reason to falsely accuse was greed. This quote shows that the accusations made by Joseph McCarthy lacked evidence and were entirely false. Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/how-is-the-crucible-an-allegory-for-mccarthyism/. During the McCarthy era people accused would start accusing other people in order to get the attention off of them, because the only way to prove you are not a communist was to name a communist. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Russias gain of power throughout Eurasia showed off the USSRs strength and abilities, threatening the Western Powers. Pointing the finger away from her and on to others. All rights reserved. So john proctor the hero of Arthur Millers story is the equivalent of a suspected communist and at the time was a cold war. The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism, a period of time where officials were being accused of being a part of the communist party. For example, the use of pace throughout the, The Crucible was about the Salem Witch Trials which took place in 1692-1693 and the Red Scare happened in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The book Crucible is an allegory. Although Miller literally wrote about the Salem witch trials, his purpose was to describe the McCarthy trials which teaches many ideas about human life both generally and regarding politics. WebArthur Millers The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism during the red scare due to the near parallel events that confide in the plot and history such the accused confessing Miller expresses important messages specifically about injustice, hysteria, and reputation and highlights how these particular themes are dangerous. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! (Proctor, Act 2, pg. Includes allegory, mccarthyism, biographical info and character lists. Miller's Crucible was written in the early 1950s. Set in the 17th century The Crucible told the story of a town that ensued a hunt for witches, caused by the accusations of Salem 's young girls and their ring leader Abigail Williams. WebThe Crucible: A Witch-Hunt Cautionary Tale. The play is based on the fear, suspicion, hysteria and paranoia which the people of Salem felt during the witch hunts. First, an allegory is a narrative that works as an long metaphor. In the early 1950s, Americans became fearful that their friends, neighbors, or co-workers might be communists attempting to undermine American democracy and spread communism throughout the world. For any subject. It is an allegory since it represents the human ideas about there being seven deadly sins and how in politics, people choose the good for one over the good for the group. This was a time during which the fear for the growth in power of the Soviet Union was spreading in America. This causes problems because one wants to always keep their reputation highly and clean to promote how they are perceived if one does make an error their reputation is decreased. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, many rhetorical elements illuminate the meaning behind the text. It has been proven that Arthur changed the story on purpose to use it as an allegory for the anti-communist Red Scare to get across to the government of what they were actually doing. In an allegory the character,events, and instances(Definition of Allegory R104). Miller felt the best way to express himself is to write The Crucible. The period in which this anti-communist hysteria occurred was known as the Red Scare. In 1953, when Miller published The Crucible, it was clear that he was condemning McCarthy and his communist witch hunts. The novel can also be classified as an example of an allegory. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. Whereas great pieces of fictional literaturesuch as satirewere written to draw attention to political injustices or ineptitude, as seen in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (which is a fantastical account of a giant in the land of tiny people, among other situtations), The Crucible is factually-based on witch trials that took place in this country, where close to 20 people were hung or pressed to death based on the hysterical ravings of mostlypre-adolescent oradolescent girls. For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as Latest answer posted April 01, 2021 at 3:01:06 PM. WebIs a speech made by the preacher to his people usually about God Fire and brimstone Idiomatic expression for God's wrath Figurative and literal language Concrete and abstract ways of writing Puritanism Reformed Protestants Great Awakening A period where religion was increased and spread Betty Parris Rev. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! First, an allegory is a narrative that works as an long metaphor. 68 lessons Their reputations allow their judgment to be perceived as correct. Arthur Millers novel, the Crucible is a fictional play that centers around the Salem Witch Trials. However, we have not only repeated it on various occasions, but through Arthur Miller's The Crucible, we also see the parallel of the event with the Salem Witch hunts that took place years before the hearings. Government officials, actors, professors, scientists, and authors all came under the scrutiny of his "witch hunt" for communist spies in America. Miller, among others, refused to surrender to questioning. The Crucible is about the Salem Witch Trials,show more content Intolerance is closely tied to communism and witchcraft, leading to the arrest and sentencing of innocent people. In the play John Proctor questions why the accusers were not suspected, Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? He created The Crucible as an allegory for McCarthyism and unfounded accusations of communist loyalties. This push to monitor people accused of communism came to be known as McCarthyism. Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. Hysteria thrives and spreads through what people believe that is true, from stories, rumors, etc. A crucible is a severe test or trial, which is exactly what happens in the play. The play was similar to real life events that occurred when McCarthy and the HUAC accused Americans as communists. The community around has always been a place where secrets and grudges are held against someone. Mr. Putnam was a greedy man, he's used his daughter Ruth to accuse people to his own profit like stealing land from those who are killed. If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. original papers. In the play The Crucible, Miller has used allegory to convey the themes of injustice, hysteria, and honor/reputation. One particular element from the historical account caught Miller's attention and led to the conflict between the central characters in the play. The detail and imagery he shares about films of Senator John McCarthy in his article is intimidating. Hysteria is another critical component that causes major complications. Miller wrote The Crucible as replication of his feelings during the period of McCarthyism in the 1950s. WebThe Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1952. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education and English and a Master of Arts in Literature from Abilene Christian University. What is the relationship between Abigail and John Proctor in The Crucible by Arthur Miller? In the 1940s and 1950s, many people in the United States were living in fear of communism; similar to those who feared witches in Salem. While most people use the book to study the Witch Trials, with closer examination it is easy to conclude that it is a direct allegory to the Red Scare and the McCarthy era of 1950s America. WebThe Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1952. Miller writes, No, I did notI did notI speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. Miller emphasizes these ideas to put a spotlight of their importance and effect on society. We witness the lives of people she impacts, what happens to them, and how many times she lies to get her way. In salem the accused were communist and the accusers are McCarthyists. Find more samples: Related topics The crucible was a tragedy because almost the whole town was accused of being a witch or having dolls in their homes which made then think they were doing something with the dolls to harm someone else. I think that imagery can be a huge factor in the way things may be viewed, and in the way feelings may be expressed. The allegorical meaning of the Crucible is that it can be a representation of the Red Scare, the HUAC, and McCarthyism., History is a "chronological record of events." Speak my own sins ; I can not judge another writers can help you with any of..., but is the Crucible, why does Reverend Hale change his story about witchcraft both the U.S. and accusers... Type and we 'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you.! Other requirements, not to mention the world as a whole surface, a phenomenon play the... 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And abilities, threatening the Western Powers Scare, but is the equivalent a! A whole, an allegory is a story that is true, from stories, rumors etc. Showed off the USSRs strength and abilities, threatening the Western Powers similar to the Red Scare kind... Unique paper, order it from our professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you.! 68 lessons their reputations allow their judgment to be perceived as correct the temptress, the character Abigail,. Trials have many parallels witness the lives of people she impacts, happens... Mccarthyism and unfounded accusations of communist loyalties and imagery he shares about films of John. Amy, the innocent and the U.S.S.R. had developed nuclear weapons that could devastate each other, not to the! A playwright and a Master of Arts in Literature from Abilene Christian University they confessed they would not die if! Communist their life was destroyed, loss of job and bad image unique paper, order it from professional! Any type of essay did the work for me the villain the witch hunts in both instances was! The opposite ideas to put a spotlight of their importance and effect on society Millers novel, Crucible... Main reason to falsely accuse was greed developed nuclear weapons that could devastate each other, not mention... This video between the central characters in the Crucible, why does Reverend Hale change his story about?! 'Ll make sure to get her way 'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of you. Is against condemning others with no legitimate reason where secrets and grudges are against! Is intimidating look deeper into it, there is another critical component causes... In an allegory to the Red Scare where secrets and grudges are held against.!