The Crucible inevitable Essay Example for Free

The Crucible inevitable Essay The Crucible was written in 1953 by the American playwright, Arthur Miller. It is a historical play, which takes place in the small theocratical Puritan village of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. However, Miller wrote the The Crucible not just as a straight historical play detailing the Salem witch trials; the play in fact acts as a political allegory based on the situation in America during the Cold War in which Miller wrote the play. The allegorical story relates back to the Salem witchcraft trials and connects them to their contemporary equivalent in Millers time, the McCarthy trials. Just as the people in Salem believed that witchcraft threatens their village, many Americans during this time saw Communism as a threat too. Arthur Miller himself was called in front of the committee, when he refused to give the names of friends who might have believed in Communism he was fined for contempt of court. The political witch hunt of McCarthyism becomes clear in Millers play, which was written to illustrate how fear and hysteria mixed with an atmosphere of persecution may end tragically. The Salem witch trials took place from June to September of 1692, during which time nineteen men and women were hanged, including a man named John Proctor, at Gallows Hill near Salem, while another man was pressed to death. Hundreds of other people were accused of witchcraft and many more suffered in jail without trials. The tragedy shows how over imaginative minds can lead to disastrously unjust consequences and represents the village as a paradox as usually Puritans were extremely religious and never committed sins as like as those that went on during the time of the witch-hunt. The actual word, crucible, has a few meanings. It can be a container which is able to resist heat; a melting pot, this could be a pot in which all of the characters in the play melt into individuals. It also has a connection with witches, as this melting pot could symbolise a cauldron. It can be the hollow at the bottom of an ore furnace, representing the hollowness and dishonesty of the villagers in Salem. As a result, the title does not immediately make the audience believe that John Proctors death be inevitable as the villagers of Salem are represented as being hollow and shallow so are expected to willingly admit to witchcraft if it means that their lives will be spared. To reinforce the theme of religion, the word crucible can mean the bearing of a cross, which relates to a crucifix. In the Act, the importance of religion is immediately introduced as John Proctor is illustrated as being a very sinful man as it is revealed that he has not been at Sabbath recently, this was a serious issue as religion was so important to the Puritan society and he is therefore suspected of witchcraft. Proctor claims that there is no need to go to church, for he feels Reverend Parris is too obsessed with hell and never mentions God anymore. Parris warns that there must be obedience or the church will burn like Hell, but Proctor asks if he can speak one minute without mentioning Hell. This expresses how deeply religious Proctor is and also gives a glimpse of goodness in him as he cares for his family as he says I never knew that I must account to that man for I come to church or stay at home. My wife was sick this winter. This also shows that Proctor is an individual, as he does not go with the majority of the village by not working on the Sabbath day. He despises hypocrites; he had a sharp and biting way with hypocrites, and even seems to hate the hypocrisy of religion even though he had a deep spiritual belief in God. John Proctor is introduced as being harsh, unkind, and extremely powerful. This does not make his death foreseeable, as he seems to be an obvious sinner. His insensitive nature is shown in the way that other members of the village of Salem are scared of him, afraid of him and strangely titillated, and more importantly it is expressed by the heartless treatment he gives Abigail Williams, a former servant of his family. Proctor patronises her by calling her a child and as Abby is relatively unknown at this point, we can relate to her as she is a around our age. Abby is obviously deeply in love with him as she is extremely flirtatious and speaks affectionately and to him; tauntingly, but Proctor is numb and aggressive towards her, this is shown in his actions; setting her firmly out of his path, beginning to anger, do you look for a whipping? and shaking her. This makes the audience disrespect him and empathise with her. Abby talks of the affair she had with Proctor, it is this affair that seems to be the catalyst to the witchcraft accusations, as it seems to be the reason why Abigail starts condemning people of witchery and the key element that starts the witch hunt. She is very sensual and tries to seduce him by saying I am waiting for you every night but he just states that he will cut off his hand before he will ever reach for her again. His dismissive actions further create the audiences disgust towards him and make the audience sympathise with Abby, as she appears to be a victim, John, pity me, pity me. However at this point in the play, Proctors true personality has been hidden beneath the outer appearance of a cruel, immoral, insensitive man which does not make the audience believe that his death will be inevitable as when faced with the accusations of witchcraft, the audience feel that he would easily admit to them if it would re sult in him preserving his life.