Transcript The Crucible

Historical Context
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cru·ci·ble (kro̵̅o̅′sə bəl)
noun
a small earthen pot,
used to heat metals to
high temperatures
the hollow at the
bottom of an ore
furnace, where molten
metal collects and is
purified.
A test of the most
decisive kind; a severe
trial; as, the crucible of
affliction.
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The Crucible is a play by the
American playwright Arthur Miller
that incorporates all three denotations
of the noun.
It is the story of a man who, under the
heat of tremendous scrutiny, endures
a personal test or trial of his
convictions.
In the end, our protagonist, like a
metal that undergoes an intense fire,
is drastically, unalterably changed,
perhaps oddly purified, by the
experience.
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Like the protagonist John
Proctor, America in the
1950s, the decade in which
Miller wrote the play, was
also undergoing its own
fiery test; on trial were
some of the most basic
tenets of American life:
• Basic human liberties as
defined in The Bill of Rights
• A basic sense of security
• A basic sense of decency.
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The Crucible then, draws
from two widely dissimilar,
seemingly unrelated
historical contexts.
But Miller warns in the
preface to The Crucible that
“this play is not history,”
but it is certainly
dependent on historical
events for its story.”
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The primary period of
this play is the 17th
century, specifically the
time of the Salem Witch
Trials.
Running thematically
and symbolically
parallel to these early
events in American
history are those that
took place in Miller’s
own time, the era of
McCarthyism 19481956.
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In the 1600s, Puritans settled on the East
coast of the United States. They brought
with them the hope of religious freedom.
The Puritans aimed to establish a sort of
heaven on earth, a religious utopia for
believers. At the same time, they were
keenly aware that this experiment in
theocracy was not a solitary pursuit.
Puritan John Winthrop alerted Puritans to
their duty in his 1632 sermon “A Model of
Christian Charity”, saying
“For we must consider that we shall be a
city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are
upon us....”
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In essence, the Puritans faced their own
crucible even as they stepped foot upon the
new land. If they followed God’s will, they
would prosper, if they defied him, they
would fail.
The idea of morality tied to survival and to
the goals of a higher cause, created in
Puritan society a sense of vigilance, a
constant and uncompromising watch for
signs of sin.
So ultimately and ironically, instead of
extending even an ounce of the tolerance
denied them in England – rather than
setting an example for the world - the
Puritans became disparaging, nosey, rigid,
even cruel in their estimation of others
The Puritans traded idealism for what they
perceived as obedience and loyalty. They
created a society that aimed to control,
judge, and punish its citizens.
Nowhere is this idea more in evidence then
when the Puritans became embroiled in
hysteria over the existence of witches.
 Early
in the year 1692, in the small village of
Salem, MA, a group of girls fell ill - victims
to hallucinations and seizures.
 In
extremely religious Puritan New England,
frightening or surprising occurrences,
known as “spectral events” were often
attributed to the devil or his cohorts.
 The
sickness spurred fears of witchcraft. It
was not long before the girls, and many
other residents of Salem, began to accuse
other villagers of witchcraft.
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It began as a way for the oppressed girls to enjoy a bit
of freedom and control.
It then became an ideal way to get revenge on anyone
whom you disliked, or whose presence posed a threat.
People started to accuse their neighbors of witchcraft
so they could steal their farmland.
People accused others of witchcraft if they wanted to
steal their husbands or wives or possessions.
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Old grudges and jealousies
spilled out into the open, fueling
the atmosphere of hysteria and
paranoia.
The Massachusetts government
and judicial system, heavily
influenced by religion, rolled into
action.
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Most of those accused of being
witches were women.
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Many were healers, and used
plants to heal people.
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Many were without family, and
this made them easy targets.
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They were people who did not fit
in with the mainstream for some
reason.
Within a few weeks, dozens were
in jail on charges of witchcraft.
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By the time the fever had run its
course in late August 1692, 150
people had been accused; 19
people (and two dogs) were
hung, and one pressed to death
for witchcraft.
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Arthur Miller
recognized disturbing
similarities between
the political climate of
the 1950’s and Salem.
The same mood of fear,
suspicion, and
intimation that ruled
the New England town
in 1692 was very much
in evidence in the mid
20th century.
Historical Contexts
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Miller uses the Salem
Witch Trials, to criticize
• McCarthyism and
• the RED SCARE of the
1950s.
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He states that history is
cyclical; we need to
recognize that history, in
this case, is repeating
itself.
He claims that
McCarthyism was
nothing more than a
modern-day
• WITCH HUNT
witch hunt: noun
1 : a searching out for persecution of persons
accused of witchcraft.
2 : the searching out and deliberate
harassment of those (as political opponents)
with unpopular views
3: a political campaign launched on the
pretext of investigating activities subversive
to the state.
Factors Leading to McCarthyism:
Harry s. Truman
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33rd President of the United
States in office from April 12,
1945 – January 20, 1953
Although the Soviet Union and the United States had
been allies during World War II, their alliance quickly
unraveled once they had defeated their common enemy.
In the U.S., after WWII, many Americans felt that China
and Eastern Europe had been “lost” to the Soviets.
Russia acquired the atomic bomb; some people believed
by stealing the plans from America. Many Americans
feared that Russia would use the bomb. They thought
Communism posed a great threat to America and that
the Truman Administration was not vigilant enough in
eliminating this threat.
The political unrest of a post-war society, a rising
uneasiness with a change in “American values” and a
fear of moral DECADENCE, and widespread intolerance
were all factors leading to THE GREAT SCARE of
communism.
 Widespread
fear – even paranoia – took
root in the United States, creating an
atmosphere of vigilance, extreme
nationalism, and mistrust.
 American
Anti-Communism Propaganda Film

He Might Be a Commie
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Joseph McCarthy, a republican
senator from Wisconsin, spent his
first three years in office
“undistinguished.”
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Some described him as a “lazy
and easily corrupted
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He sought fame and power.
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His political career was fading,
until he used the charged
political climate to boost that
career.
He was the most expedient of
politicians
On February 9, 1950, Republican
senator Joseph McCarthy dropped a
political bombshell. McCarthy gave a
speech at the Republican Women's
Club of Wheeling, West Virginia, in
which he attacked the Truman
administration and claimed to have a
long list of Communists in the State
Department. No one in the press
actually saw the names on the list,
but McCarthy's announcement made
the national news.
McCarthy and the House UnAmerican Activities Committee
(HUAC) worked to root out all
Communist sympathizers in the
country, thus creating a
Modern Day Witch Hunt
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It is widely accepted that McCarthy made up these accusations solely to
enhance his political power.
Many people were willing to believe his charges without evidence
because people wanted to feel protected; they would exchange liberty
for security.
McCarthy became the most sought-after public speaker in America. He
was named one of Washington’s most eligible bachelors. His office was
flooded with donations to help his cause of eliminating the Communist
threat. At one point, he received an average of $1000.00 a day in the mail.
Eventually, he had to escalate his accusations and not just speak generally
of government officials, but actually NAME NAMES. He branched out to
intimidate and attack private citizens– usually the most vulnerable
members of society or people in professions considered liberal
(journalists, professors, artists, etc.)
Insufficient tolerance for human diversity
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 Prejudice/Bias
 Scapegoating
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Persecution of unpopular minority groups
Overblown fear of the unfamiliar
Heightened Emotions
 Irrational Fear and Paranoia
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Self-Righteousness and Moral Judgment
Blind Idealism
 Moral Absolutism and a STRINGENT concept of Purity/Morality
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Mob Mentality
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Hysteria
 Corruption of Power
 Self-Absorbed Authority Figures
 Greed for AGGRANDIZEMENT
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Through intensive interrogation by
Senator Joseph McCarthy, using tactics of
distortion, a modern witch hunt began.
Those who were sympathetic to the
Communist cause, or those who had
connections with Russia, however distant,
could be summoned before the
committee to explain their involvement.
People were told to recant Communist
beliefs and name their former friends and
associates in the communist cause. When
people denied allegations or refused to
name names, they were punished.
Citizens were blacklisted, unemployed,
and in some cases, isolated from this
country for over 30 years.
Howard Lawson Testimony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7W3XbDZqO4
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Joseph Welch Testimony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO2iiovYq70
Of particular interest to the House UnAmerican Activities Committee were
those practicing communists in the
artistic community.
The reasoning was that the most
dangerous methods for converting
Americans to communist beliefs
would be through the films, music,
and art that they enjoyed.
McCarthy prosecuted a great many
playwrights, screenwriters, and other
artists. In a number of cases,
McCarthy was successful in
“blacklisting” these artists – which
meant no one would purchase their
services for fear of being linked to
Communism.
NOTE: Arthur Miller, author of The
Crucible, was directly connected to
the world of Hollywood. He even
married Marilyn Monroe.
The first enacted
Hollywood blacklist
was initiated the day
after ten writers and
directors (known as
THE HOLLYWOOD
TEN) were cited for
contempt of Congress
for refusing to give
testimony to the
House Un-American
Activities Committee.
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The very people McCarthy aimed
to silence were the very people
society looks to for revelation and
framing of truth.
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But how does the artist
communicate when the attempt
could cause them to lose their
jobs, maybe even their freedom.

If you don’t feel safe criticizing
the US Government, you create a
fictional work that dramatizes a
similar situation.
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Arthur Miller commented on these
times through the use of
Allegory – (noun)
•
a representation of an abstract or
spiritual meaning through
concrete or material forms;
figurative treatment of one subject
under the guise of another.
(dictionary.com)
•
The rhetorical strategy of
extending a metaphor through an
entire narrative so that objects,
persons, and actions in the text
are equated with meanings that lie
outside the text. (about.com)
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The journalist Edward R. Murrow
tirelessly exposed the exploits of the
Wisconsin Senator in his evening
program See it Now, in which he
showed McCarthy speaking and
exposed McCarthy’s techniques of
interrogation. Murrow’s life is
chronicled in the film Good Night And
Good Luck staring Robert Downy, Jr.
In 1954, McCarthy was censured by
both Democrats and Republicans in
the Senate. He served two more
undistinguished and largely anemic
years in the Senate.
In 1957, at the age of 48, McCarthy
died of cirrhosis, likely caused by
acute alcoholism.
Edward R. Murrow
See It Now
March 9, 1954
See It Now – Edward R. Murrow
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Other Artists also developed allegories that represented
the McCarthy Trials. Marvel Comics had a whole series
that covered McCarthyism.
These panels
include a direct
paraphrase of the
speech by Senator
Joe McCarthy that
launched his career
as a Communisthunting
demagogue.
NOTE: Marvel
replaces the fear of
communism with the
fear of alien life
forms.
)
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Miller used the true, actual events of the
Salem witch hysteria in the 1600s to
parallel the McCarthy’s “witch hunt” of the
1950s! However, he employed artistic
license to deliver his message. Characters
are not actual representations, rather they
are composites of the historical figures.
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Drawing on research on the witch trials he
conducted while an undergraduate, Miller
composed The Crucible in the early 1950s.

The Crucible was Arthur Miller’s way of
protesting the House Unamerican Activities
Committee hearings. He compared the
Communist hearings to the witch hunts of
Salem, where gossip, rumors, and fear were
evidence enough to convict people – a time
in history that everyone accepts as morally
and legally unjust.
 The
term “witch hunt”
now applies to any
activity where people are
looking for a scapegoat
or where they are using
accusations to get
revenge or to get
personal gain or
attention.
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Modern Day Witch Hunts:
• The Holocaust
• Japanese American
•
•
•
•
Internment Camps
Hispanics in Arizona
Proposition 8
Racial Profiling
 Muslims
 African Americans
Stereotyping
 So
demoralizing, so spiritually and
profoundly traumatized, was this nation
that even today, over 60 years later, the
accusation of Communism remains an
common scare tactic and a particularly
stigmatizing form of attack on an a
citizen’s patriotism and values.
 Watch: Glen
Beck:
For Further Inquiry
 McCarthyism: The
Documentary
Better Dead than Red Part1