Web400 Words2 Pages. Miller's use of the Salem witch trials to highlight the panic of the Red Scare is an allegory. In his play The Crucible, he uses allegory to demonstrate the dangerous messages that he wanted the reader to be aware of. He mainly criticizes the government. This quote shows that the accusations made by Joseph McCarthy lacked evidence and were entirely false. I am afraid that the eNotes editors are only allowed to answer one question. He felt depressed and wrote the play as a means to express himself. 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. 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. A fire, a fire is burning! What is an allegory. The Salem Witch Trials was a witch hunt in Salem, they hung anybody who they thought were witches. Arthur Miller is a commonly-known playwright, most famous for his 1953 play, The Crucible. Due to his refusal to answer, the committee charged him with contempt of Congress and sentenced him to a $500 fine or a 30-day stint in jail. The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare of the early 1950s. WebAn allegory is an extended metaphor in which the characters or objects in the story represent an outside meaning. The Crucible, published in 1953 by Arthur Miller is a very popular book written about the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. [Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism]. In 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. WebThe Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism. Kerry has been a teacher and an administrator for more than twenty years. 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. Caught up in the frenzy of accusations, judges and ministers believed that the accused must have done something wicked or they would not have been accused at all. McCarthyism & The Crucible by Arthur Miller | History, Impact & Analysis, Symbols in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Examples & Analysis, The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Literary Themes & Analysis, Mrs. Dalloway: Analysis of Characters and Style, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man: Character & Epiphany, The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Summary, Quotes & Themes. He created The Crucible as an allegory for McCarthyism and unfounded accusations of communist loyalties. Even if the accusation was false and proven, In The Crucible after Elizabeth was accused by Abigail of witchcraft she had a warrant out for her arrest, in order to arrest her they only needed an accusation no evidence they also had arrested 16 other women with no evidence. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. He was also asked to provide the names of other people he knew who had communist leanings, but he refused, citing his First Amendment rights. Miller writes with a very strong and somewhat emotional tone. In salem the accused were communist and the accusers are McCarthyists. 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. The Crucible describes the Salem Witch Trials. They accepted that the Devil may be among them (Miller, 27) and would do anything to clean the town of such sins. In it, young girls, and residents of Salem, begin accusing other people of practicing witchcraft in order to protect themselves from the same accusation or to receive a lighter punishment. McCarthy and his committee saw communist plots where there were none. In the book, Arthur Miller succeeds in portraying the Salem witch-hunt as the apparent meaning, while McCarthyism as the hidden meaning. Arthur Miller published the play during 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Essential Quotes by Character: John Proctor, Critical Context (Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series), Critical Context (Comprehensive Guide to Drama), http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/philadelphia/grave.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism. How is the Crucible an Allegory for Mccarthyism. Like the mania of the Witch Trials, the frenzy to uncover alleged Communists forced those involved to choose between following their moral conscience and saving their own skin. You can order an original essay written according to your instructions. The allegorical suggestion of the The Crucible is that McCarthyism and the Red Scare had only as much validity as a witch hunt. He writes about a character by the name of John Proctor, a sinned man who sacrifices himself in order to save himself, just like how Miller refused to sell out his friends that were possible communists. This causes the accused to be shunned by the community, this ties in with injustice. In the Crucible there is an allusion to Good vs. Evil. In Act III Danforth says, "a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it" (Miller 1137). The town is religiously and morally based so you are either classified under a believer or someone who believes in evil. The Crucible, published in 1953 by Arthur Miller is a very popular book written about the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. These trials were during a period of time where men and women were very rancorous so others feared to speak up because they would be accused of witchcraft and killed. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. Miller wrote The Crucible as replication of his feelings during the period of McCarthyism in the 1950s. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a young group of girls commit witchcraft which eventually leads to the arrest of over 100 women. Much of the undoing of McCarthyism came at the hands of the Supreme Court. One way in [] Find Free Essays The Review Of The Crucible Essay George Orwell's 1984 as a Historical Allegory Essay that is consistently dominant, is the theme of manipulation, and how even the most overt and simplistic forms of manipulation manages to keep the citizens of Oceania so loyal so successfully. Whether its be the treatment of a person or being put in a biased situation, injustice causes people to not be regarded in a respectful, equal manner. why is the crucible an appropriate title for the play. Latest answer posted November 22, 2020 at 10:36:50 AM. He leveled charges of disloyalty at celebrities, intellectuals and anyone who disagreed with his political views, costing many of his victims their reputations and jobs. (History.com) Miller uses those events to establish a connection between real life and in his play. Characters like John Proctor, Abigail William and Hathorne represent Arthur Miller, Joseph McCarthy, and J.Edgar Hoover. 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 explains the McCarthy trials through The Crucible by teaching peoples fears, faults, and politics, making the text both a metaphor to the trials and an allegory. The community around has always been a place where secrets and grudges are held against someone. The plot of the play focuses on a man, John Proctor, and his struggle to prove his familys and his own innocence. At the beginning of the play, experts of witchcraft and holiness are brought into question the cause of the girls in the state of comas. Their evidence was, at worst, completely made up, and at best it was vague. How may I live without my name? The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953 about The Salem Witch Trials of 1692.McCarthyism was the witch hunt for the communist in 1953.the parallels between The Crucible and McCarthyism are naming names,lack of proof ,and reststance. 13) This quote emphasizes how later when he asks questions to the suspects, the testimony they give will be backed by him since he is an expert. In addition. Evidence suggests that Miller contributed articles to American Communist Party publications and some of his political beliefs were evident in his plays. 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. Amelia Emery has taught high school English Language Arts for 9 years and University level writing courses for 3 years. In an allegory the character,events, and instances (Definition of Allegory R104). In 1692, a fear of witchcraft led to the accusation of over 200 townspeople. An allegory is a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically being either moral, used in The Crucible is allegory. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! In this case, the obvious meaning is the Salem witch-hunt and the hidden meaning is McCarthyism. People take advantage of hysteria when holding onto grudges by spreading lies that will benefit the accuser. Abigail Williams was John Proctor's niece and worked as a servant in John and Elizabeth Proctor's home. He testified that he had signed pro-communist documents and attended four or five meetings for Communist Party Writers. This essay is available online and might have been used by another student. This quote shows how when Proctor was asked to confess and name others to save his life, he confessed himself but refused to accuse others so he could live, his wife understood his noble sacrifice and fulfilled his wish to be an honorable man. The demand to name other collaborators is a direct reference to the Red Scare and McCarthyism. The Red Scare quickly spread across the States as American people feared that communism would take over their country one day. On its surface, The Crucible is a play about the Salem witch trials of 1692. McCarthy was a Senator who made a list of people he claimed to be known communists working for the State Department. He took some creative license with the storytelling to make a stronger impact on the audience. These events, whether positive or tragic, often repeat themselves. McCarthyism resulted in Americans turning against each other because of politicians greed for power, paranoia, and the fear of communist infiltration. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 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: In The Crucible, people were, Purification The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare of the early 1950s. Their reputations allow their judgment to be perceived as correct. In Arthur Miller's classic play, The Crucible, the character Abigail Williams fills the role of the villain. I feel like its a lifeline. Eventually, the fear of communism faded, and President Eisenhower shut McCarthy and his communist witch hunt down. We witness the lives of people she impacts, what happens to them, and how many times she lies to get her way. Danforth s statement of a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it , there be no road between clearly demonstrates the Puritans prospective of seeing everything in black and white. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Miller depicts this in the play as In 1692 nineteen men and women and two dogs were convicted and hanged for witchcraft (Introduction, pg vii) The quote symbolizes how the accused of both events suffered extreme consequences because of mere accusations that were taken too far. Senator McCarthy took advantage by using his status to back up his accusations, McCarthy used hearsay and intimidation to establish himself as a powerful and feared figure in American politics. Chat with professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you best. This connects to the 1950s, when to be accused of a communist Or a communist sympathizer all you needed to do is not report a communist. The hysterical rantings and ravings of McCarthy and his supporters, lost support when people got tired of the national upheaval, the black listing and investigations. The Crucible reveals the similarities between The Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s and McCarthyism of the 1950s because it demonstrates how a society can be tremendously impacted by the feeling the fear. 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