1. The Crucible by Arthur Miller

2. Bio Born October 17, 1915 Middle-class upbringing in Jewish faith
Studied as little as possible – school was an interruption
Great Depression – needed an education

3. Bio
Did not go to college until 19 – University of Michigan – wanted to write
Playwright
All My Sons; Death of a Salesman
1953 – The Crucible >>> lukewarm reviews
1958 – successful revival

4. Crucible Earthenware pot or bowl used for melting
Whatever is in a crucible is subject to intense heat
Metaphysical – a severe, even, agonizing test

5. McCarthy Era Senator Joseph McCarthy (R, WI)
House Un-American Activities Committee, 1953
Communist hunt
America in danger from a Communist conspiracy to take over the world
“witch hunt”
Black listed – ended careers

6. Salem Witch Trials v McCarthyism
Climate of fear
Wholesale suspension of rational judgment   
People who challenged the authority of the court found themselves under suspicion of guilt
“Notion that conscience was no longer a private matter but one of state administration
People’s questions of authority found themselves under suspicion
Disregard for legal rights: no counsel, guilty by association

7. Causes for the Outbreak of Witchcraft Hysteria in Salem
Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world
“The invisible world”: disease, natural catastrophes, and bad fortune attributed to work of the devil
Belief that Satan recruits witches and wizards to work for him.
Prior witchcraft cases in N.E. and Europe
Belief that a person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain symptoms
Cotton Mather’s Memorable Providences
Most symptoms can be feigned

8. Time of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active
Smallpox
Congregations strife in Salem Village
Frontier wars with Indians
Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba – charismatic
Convulsion ergotism, disease caused by eating infecting rye (ergot) that can produce hallucinations, causing strange behavior (interesting theory – but likely?)

9. Teenage boredom
No forms of entertainment (CD, TV, etc) – lots of Bible reading
Strict and humorless Parris household (as well as Puritan households)
Magistrates and judges receptive to accusations of witchcraft
Seen as way to shift blame for their own wartimes failures
Admission of “Spectral” evidence – spectral means spirit

10. Confessing “witches” adding credibility to earlier charges
Old feuds (disputes within congregation, property disputes) between the accusers and the accused spurring charges of witchcraft

11. Why the Hysteria Ended
Doubts grow when respected citizens are convicted and executed
Rebecca Nurse (jury first acquits, then told to reconsider)
George Burroughs (recites Lord’s Prayer perfectly at hanging)
Giles Corey (81 year-old is pressed to death)
Accusations of witchcraft include the powerful and well-connected
Wife of Governor Phips
Mary and Philip English (and others)

12. The educated elite of Boston pressure Gov
The educated elite of Boston pressure Gov. Phips to exclude “spectral” evidence
Rev. Samuel Willard and others
Increase Mather points out the Devil could take the shape of an innocent person: “It were better that 10 suspected witches should escape than one innocent person should be condemned.”
Gov. Phips bars spectral evidence and disbands the Court of Oyer and Terminer

13. Lessons Learned from Salem?
Hysteria happens
Children (especially) can be influenced by suggestion and peer pressure to say things that are not true.
We should be skeptical of confessions when the confessions are the result of torture or when the person has a self-interest in confession.
A cooling off period can sometimes prevent injustices

14. Lessons Trials should be fair Evidence introduced should be reliable
Witnesses should be subject to cross- examination
Defendants should have legal assistance and be allowed to testify on their own behalf
Judges should be unbiased

15. Modern-day witch hunts?
HUAC/McCarthy “Communist hunts of early 1950s (events that inspired The Crucible)
Day care abuse trials of 1980s (child witnesses, accusations multiply, people afraid to support accused, unbelievable charges, hysteria)
McMartin Preschool Abuse Trial (longest and most expensive criminal trial in American history)

16. The Crucible – Literary Terms
Style
3 ½ months time frame
1 week between acts
Action in 4 places – all around Salem
POV
John Proctor – victim
Feel his suffering
Good, honest but not perfect

17. Allegory – expended metaphor>>>persons and objects in story represent meaning outside of the story
Surface>>>>Salem Witch Trials
Allegorical>>>>McCarthy Era
Exposition – part of the play which is not presented dramatically
Direct statements
Set stage
“Greek Chorus”

18. Antecedent Actions – action that occurs before the play opens (i. e
Antecedent Actions – action that occurs before the play opens (i.e. dance in the woods)
Symbolism – something that stands for or represents something else
Conventional – widely known or accepted (universal)
love, heart
no, not 

19. Personal – developed on a personal level
Symbols
Candlesticks, title to house, firewood – Parris’ materialism
Dancing – pleasure (forbidden)
Strength – John Proctor’s resolve
Voice of reason – Rebecca Nurse
Evil - ????????????????
Self-sacrifice – Giles Corey
Abuse of authority – Judge Danforth
What is “right” – Rev. Hale

20. Form and Structure 21 characters Act I – sets up terrible possibility
Act IV – brings terrible thing to pass
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Act I – Will town leap to witchcraft?
Act II – Will the Proctors get caught up in the witch hunt?
Act III Will Abigail foil John’s attempt to discredit her?
Act IV – Will John Proctor hang?

21. Themes Individual conscience and guilt by association
Individual commitment to the society in which one belongs
No man can live his own personal life, ignoring the events around him
Hypocrisy
Revenge

22. Themes
Abuse of authority
Guilt
Hysteria
Integrity and courage

23. Theme Statements
It is possible for human beings who appear to be agreeable and normal to be knowingly fully committed to evil.
A mounting tide of evil within a society can gain ascendancy disproportionate to the evil in any one member.
Truth has no meaning when men believe only what they want to believe.
Honest common sense is impotent against unyielding fanaticism.

24. Theme Statements
Men can insulate themselves from truth and rationality by a chauvinistic confidence in their own judgment.
The infection of evil may spread by ordinary people who are both the mindless agents and victims.

25. Theme Statements
Long-suffering may instruct that moral integrity, human dignity, and spiritual freedom are of more value than a life without them.
All evil needs to succeed is for good men to stand by and do nothing.