1. Written in 1953 by Arthur Miller
Background…
Written in 1953 by Arthur Miller
Based on true events in Salem, Massachusetts in 1693
Accounts of the witch trials came from actual court documents

2. AM and MM
Miller married the motion-picture actress Marilyn Monroe in 1956; they divorced in 1961.

3. What does “crucible” mean?
a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures.
The crucible tipped and the mold filled with liquid metal.
a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new.
Their relationship was forged in the crucible of war.

4. Allegory for “McCarthyism”
Allegory: A fictional literary work in which the characters and events represent or symbolize other (usually political) ideas or concepts
Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.

5. McCarthyism:
Communism: A social movement that aims to create a classless social structure based on common ownership and production (i.e. everyone gets equal shares)
After the Cold War in the 1940s and 1950s, Communism was spreading through eastern Europe and China
There was growing fear that Communism would take hold in the United States
Senator Joseph McCarthy announced in 1950 that Communists had infiltrated the Department of State and he had a list of known Communists working for the State Department.
The Cold War in America
At the end of World War II, the United States and the USSR emerged as the world’s major powers. They also became involved in the Cold War, a state of hostility (short of direct military conflict) between the two nations.
Many Americans feared not only Communism around the world but also disloyalty at home. Suspicion about Communist infiltration of the government
A lot of Americans thought the Soviets got the atomic bomb by using spies. It was charged that secret agents, working under cover, had stolen our secrets and given them to the Enemy. Even worse, these spies supposedly were hardly ever Russians themselves, but often American citizens, the kind of people you see every day on the street and hardly even notice.
a Communist could be anybody. It sort of makes a Communist sound like the bogey-man, doesn’t it? To many people in 1953, a Communist was just as scary as the bogey-man, and a lot more real.

6. McCarthyism
McCarthy charged many government officials, members of the media, and other prominent figures with engaging in Communist activities. Writers, actors, and politicians were summoned before Sen. McCarthy to defend themselves against accusations of Communism.
None of these accusations were ever proven, but they resulted in increased national fear of Communism and paranoia of secret Communist sympathizers.
McCarthyism came to mean false charges of disloyalty.

7. (HUAC)
Congress began to investigate suspicions of disloyalty. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) sought to expose Communist influence in American life.
Beginning in the late 1940s, the committee called witnesses and investigated the entertainment industry. Prominent film directors and screenwriters who refused to cooperate were imprisoned on contempt charges.
As a result of the HUAC investigations, the entertainment industry blacklisted, or refused to hire, artists and writers suspected of being Communists.

8. The HUAC and Hollywood
HUAC investigated communism within Hollywood, calling a number of playwrights, directors and actors known for left-wing views to testify.
Some of these, including film director Elia Kazan, testified for the committee to avoid prison sentences
the Hollywood Ten, a group of entertainers, refused to testify and were convicted of contempt and sentenced to up to one year in prison.

9. Blacklisting
Over 300 entertainers were placed on a blacklist for possible communist views and were thus forbidden to work for major Hollywood studios (many of these were writers who worked under pseudonyms).
Arthur Miller was one of those blacklisted.

10. Historical Parallels:
In the winter of 1692, tensions were running high in Salem, Massachusetts, over land, industry, and religious and political leadership.
In short, there were some folks who wanted revenge against some other folks.

11. Historical Parallels: Samuel Parris
Reverend Samuel Parris: Saw his position as a religious leader as a way to gain respect.
He made extensive demands as the head of his church and always believed he was being persecuted.
He preached often about avoiding the devil
Although he had some supporters, he was disliked by many.
What role do you think he will play in the witch hunt?

12. The Witch Hunt Starts…
During the winter of 1692, several teenage girls in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts, were caught participating in acts that were thought to be unholy and were not allowed (fortune telling, dancing, etc.)
On Jan. 20th, 1692, Elizabeth Parris, daughter of Rev. Samuel Parris, and Abigail Williams, his niece, began shaking uncontrollably, making strange sounds, and screaming that they were being tortured.
Doctors didn’t know what the cause was, so they concluded that it was witchcraft.
The girls gave the names of several women who they claimed bewitched them into acting so strangely. They also said there had been more witches they could not recognize.
These women were formally accused of being witches, and the hunt for more witches was on.

13. Results
Over the course of the next eight months, more than 150 people were accused of being witches, and 20 were killed.
One accuser, Ann Putnam, later admitted to lying.
Another accuser, Mary Warren, alluded to the girls’ false actions during the trial.

14. Putting it all together…
As a writer, Arthur Miller was concerned about the hunt for Communists in the United States in the 1950s.
In 1952, he visited Salem and read the court papers that documented the witch trials, especially a description of the most vocal accuser, Abigail Williams, and John Proctor.
Abigail worked for and lived with John and Elizabeth Proctor, until Elizabeth suddenly fired Abigail.
Abigail later accused Elizabeth of being a witch.

15. Hmmm…
Arthur Miller believed that John Proctor had an inappropriate sexual relationship with Abigail Williams, which is why Elizabeth fired her.
Note: in Miller’s play, the age of the girls in Salem is several years older than their actual ages at the time of the Witch Hunt. For example, Abigail Williams was probably 12 or 13 at the time of the Witch Hunt, but she is 17 in the play.
Why do you think he made this change? How might this establish a motive for Abigail to accuse Elizabeth of witchcraft?

16. Climax
Rising Action
Falling Action
Exposition
Resolution

17. DRAMA BASICS Exposition (introduction) Rising Action Climax
This establishes the conflict
Introduces characters, setting, tone, etc.
Rising Action
Action that leads to a crisis or conflict
Climax
The turning point
Point of highest emotion or tension
Falling Action
Resolution of character’s conflict
Resolution
All loose ends tied up