Although the actions taken against suspected communists were not as strict as those during the Salem witch trials, they were still vicious and shattered many reputations of well-liked men and women. 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. WebIt's no secret that The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism and communist "witch hunts" of the early 1950s. Similarly, throughout 1950-1954, Joseph McCarthy falsely accused people within the United States Government of being a member of the Communist party. Most readers are unfamiliar with McCarthyism. WebThe Crucible is an allegory. The first reason they are parallel is because of naming names. Were they born this morning as clean as Gods fingers? What the Red Scare and The Crucible have in common is that accusations of witchcraft or communism were false, people were blind to the truth, and the accusers werent very tactful and. A brief intro to The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Crucible Literary Essay After Abigail and John had an affair, she was dismissed from the household, and Abigail and her friend, Ann Putnam, began showing signs of being afflicted by witchcraft and accusing people of practicing witchcraft. Both The Crucible and the McCarthy trials have many parallels. 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. 2023 PapersOwl.com - All rights reserved. Hi! The play is based on the fear, suspicion, hysteria and paranoia which the people of Salem felt during the witch hunts. US Senator Joseph McCarthy entered the spotlight by accusing members of the State Department to be communists. The period in which this anti-communist hysteria occurred was known as the Red Scare. The hysteria induced by the thought that witches were in Salem spread throughout the community like a disease. McCarthyism is a term describing a period of intense anti-communist suspicion in the United States around the 1950s. So for a brief explanation, McCarthyism was carried out under senator Joseph McCarthy during 1950-1954 against alleged communist in the US government and in other institutions. The play was similar to real life events that occurred when McCarthy and the HUAC accused Americans as communists. This is parallel to the Red Scare because people went to great lengths to prove their innocence of McCarthyism. Latest answer posted November 22, 2020 at 10:36:50 AM. In the book, Arthur Miller succeeds in portraying the Salem witch-hunt as the apparent meaning, while McCarthyism as the hidden meaning. The Cold War caused people to question the United States governments reliability and strength, which negatively affected Americas domestic affairs and foreign policies. The era had significant impacts on American society during the early stage of the Cold War. The overarching themes of the McCarthy era, like the ones of The Crucible, are the continuing fear of distrust of neighbors, friends, and even the foundations of the respective, Many people today have read Arthur Millers great play The Crucible and believe that the real witch trials were portrayed in the play but many of the facts are not particularly wrong but might be twisted. He is just concerned about his well being. Miller wrote The Crucible as replication of his feelings during the period of McCarthyism in the 1950s. In the play, Abigail, the main culprit of accusations benefits from hysteria in a situation where naming those guilty will save themselves, I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! Miller, in comparison, does a replication of what Proctor does to save his friends, in the face of losing everything. Miller expresses important messages Miller writes with a very strong and somewhat emotional tone. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction. However, Miller made a few alterations to the historical members of the Salem society in order to suit his dramatic purpose in The Crucible, particularly Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Reverend Samuel Parris. On the other hand, Abigail uses fear and intimidation to make others back her up, Shell kill me for sayin that! Joseph R McCarthy made false accusations about certain people in the government being communists. To conclude, in the 1940s to the 1950s, the Red Scare prompted US Senator Joseph McCarthy to accuse people to be communists. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. Parts of this act have been repealed over the years, and most of it is no longer applicable as of the 1990s. There are many proven facts that some of the story is not true to the real life events and this confuses many people because Arthur Miller makes his characters so vivid and actually used the real names of the people that were in the trials(Salem Witch Museum). A type of government based on religious believes. Amelia Emery has taught high school English Language Arts for 9 years and University level writing courses for 3 years. The novel can also be classified as an example of an allegory. Their evidence was, at worst, completely made up, and at best it was vague. The characters of Judge Danforth and Reverend Parris both symbolize choosing good for one as opposed to choosing the good for the group. For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as Latest answer posted April 01, 2021 at 3:01:06 PM. 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. The Salem Witch Trials and the 1950s Red Scare are easily relatable considering that the two events killed several innocent lives, when that individual did nothing wrong. First, an allegory is a narrative that works as an long metaphor. Many helped that system by untrue confessions to save their lives. In an allegory the character,events, and instances (Definition of Allegory R104). This expresses how much a good reputation is for this time as one mistake that may not even be true can soil (Reverend Parris Act1 P.20). I'm Amy, During the closing scene and its final lines the tone might be described as suspenseful and melancholy, while Millers purpose relays the events in Salem to the accusations of Communists in 1950s America. An allegory is an extended metaphor in which the characters or objects in the story represent an outside meaning. Miller, among others, refused to surrender to questioning. Some reputations were never repaired. In 1949, China became a communist country led by Mao Zedong, and the U.S. became involved in the Korean War in 1950. These fears came together under the umbrella of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) which had been formed in 1938 to investigate potential communist activity inside the American government. Arthur Miller constructs his play upon the famous Salem witch trails. Latest answer posted November 22, 2020 at 12:05:25 PM, In The Crucible, explain what Elizabeth means when she says, "He have his goodness now, God forbid I take it from him.". This began the McCarthy Era, and this practice was later known as McCarthyism. An allegory is an extended metaphor in which the characters or objects in the story represent an outside meaning. Miller explained in his hearing that he could speak about his own actions but claimed that naming other people invalidated his First Amendment rights. He felt depressed and wrote the play as a means to express himself. The novel can also be classified as an example of an allegory. However, the U.S. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as his own reaction to the injustice of McCarthyism. Events like the people who were hanged, and people were accused of being witches were similar to blacklisted, The Crucible Analysis Paper Similarly, americans were being blacklisted by McCarthy because they believed these people may have. In this very public moment, Abigail condemns Elizabeth simply by touching her. Although both situations include different causes, their effects are strikingly similar. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. Clearly, Senator McCarthys greed for political power led to American citizens unrest. Perhaps Miller was particularly sensitive to this modern-day "witch hunt" because he had some fleeting associations with the American Communist Party. Examples of rhetorical elements in The Crucible are tone, authors purpose, and the overall mood. Parris' ten year old daughter. Girls accused many citizens in salem claiming they were witches and causing, Stylistic and social elements are imperative to a story, They are a pivotal piece in any master plot line.In The Crucible there are many direct uses of those elements.Elements such as pace, allegory, and cultural theory.These are the most beneficial elements in the crucible that add a key development to the story, thus making it a timeless piece in American literature without these elements it couldt have been a piece that was unchanged through time. In Arthur Miller's classic play, The Crucible, the character Abigail Williams fills the role of the villain. He witnessed a trusted figure to lay accusations on people. WebArthur Millers The Crucible The Crucible is an allegory of McCarthyism when people accused of communism were arrested and incarcerated in the United States during the An allegory is a story with two levels of meaning- literal and symbolic. Characters like John Proctor, Abigail William and Hathorne represent Arthur Miller, Joseph McCarthy, and J.Edgar Hoover. flashcard sets. This was a time during which the fear for the growth in power of the Soviet Union was spreading in America. Why did Arthur Miller write The Crucible? McCarthyism was used to a accuse communist during The Red Scare. On its surface, The Crucible is a play about the Salem witch trials of 1692. The varying intensity of this emotion can cause people to act or react in ways that may be unusual. More and more young women began to accuse townspeople of having dealings with the Devil and practicing witchcraft. Although Miller literally wrote about the Salem witch trials, his purpose was to describe the McCarthy trials which teaches many ideas about human life both generally and regarding politics. Intolerance is closely tied to communism and witchcraft, leading to the arrest and sentencing of innocent people. Specifically, Miller drew a connection between the unsubstantiated accusations of communist sympathizers under McCarthyism and the accusations thrown around during the Salem witch trials. McCarthyism significantly impacted Arthur Millers thoughts when he wrote the play. One way in [] Find Free Essays The detail makes a larger impact. This was not a war fought on a battlefield, but rather one fought politically and economically. The Red Scare caused people to suspect their neighbors and friends and report them as communist sympathizers. Miller felt the best way to express himself is to write The Crucible. WebThe Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism, a period of time where officials were being accused of being a part of the communist party. In 1950 everyone was scared that communism would spread to the united states and McCarthy wanted to get rid of all communist in the united states but instead accused innocent citizens. The Crucible is a very significant piece of literature from which many things can be learned. 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. This sentence illustrates that the witch-hunt was the product of mass-panic, just as the hunt for communists, The McCarthyism period took place during the 1950s when The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller. Miller intended The Crucible as an allegory to McCarthyism. Miller emphasizes these ideas to put a spotlight of their importance and effect on society. The Salem Witch Trials was a witch hunt in Salem, they hung anybody who they thought were witches. On the surface, The Crucible is an allegory ,or extended metaphor, using the story of the Salem witch trials to critique Joseph McCarthy and the Red Scare. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is based on the true events of the Salem witch trials. The anti-communist movement reached its peak in February 1950, when Senator Joseph McCarthy capitalised the fear by claiming he had a list of more than 200 communists working inside the American government. Includes allegory, mccarthyism, biographical info and character lists. 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. When people are placed under an intense feeling of fear, they begin to commit actions they never thought they were capable over. When he wrote The Crucible, it served as an allegory, simultaneously retelling the story of the Salem witch trials and also presenting social commentary on McCarthyism and the Red Scare. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory for McCarthyism in the late 1950s when he was falsely accused of being a communist. The Crucible Study Guide 2022-10-26. Convict communists were ordered to confess their crime and name others to avoid the retribution. This also occurred during 1692 and 1693, the years of the witch trials. Don't know where to start? It has been proven that Arthur changed the story on purpose to use it as an allegory for the anti-communist Red Scare to get across to the government of what they were actually doing. All rights reserved. This was a time during which the fear for the growth in power of the Soviet Union was spreading in America. Similar to Arthur Millers book, the Red Scare was a period of time in the late 40s and 50s in which United States citizens were intensely paranoid of an opposing threat of communism in Eastern Europe and Asia and ultimately communists infiltrating the United States. 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. Characters like John Proctor, Abigail William and Hathorne represent Arthur Miller, Joseph McCarthy, and J.Edgar Hoover. Most readers are unfamiliar with McCarthyism. In addition. Other similarities between The Crucible and McCarthyism are not only forced accusations but also false confessions. In The Crucible many people were forced to accuse others, if they didnt cooperate they would be arrested for contempt of court or they would be hanged. The motto on the Crucible was accused or be accused. The state believed McCarthy and the people got treated badly because they were wrongly accused of. I feel like its a lifeline. In an effort to find the communist spies who had infiltrated various U.S. institutions, including the government, Senator Joseph McCarthy began a campaign to weed out communists and their sympathizers in the U.S. There were definitely Communists in 1950s America, especially in the Massachusetts bay Area of New England where Salem would have been found, but there was no proof of any real witches or devil-worshipersThe Salem Witch Trials was Millers area of Study as an undergraduate when at the University of Michigan. The community around has always been a place where secrets and grudges are held against someone. Ill tell you whats walking Salem vengeance is walking Salem. In Salem the people accused were tried and In the 1940s and 1950s, many people in the United States were living in fear of communism; similar to those who feared witches in Salem. Many people were targets of McCarthy's "witch hunt," as it was called, especially those involved with film in Hollywood, music in general, other members of the other arts including writers, etc., as well as government workers, union organizers, and even teachers. He mainly criticizes the government. How may I live without my name? The belief of the integration of Communist spies into the country made the government question the loyalty of Americans. In act 3 of The Crucible, why does Reverend Hale change his story about witchcraft? The accusations of communism led to a nation-wide hysteria and fear of who was going to be named next. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Decent people like Goody Nurse and Giles Corey were destroyed by the paranoia of the Puritan religious culture that saw the Devil at every turn. Playwright Arthur Miller, in researching the Salem witch trials, saw the similarities between the hysteria and fear of the witch trials and the Red Scare of impending communism. Specify your topic, deadline, number of pages and other requirements. They accepted that the Devil may be among them (Miller, 27) and would do anything to clean the town of such sins. Miller expresses important messages specifically about injustice, hysteria, and reputation. An allegory is defined as a story, poem, character in a story, or picture with a hidden connotation. During the 1950s, non evidential claims would be taken seriously. Throughout the Crucible, it explains the ridiculous trials the people went through to try to prove their innocence. 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The role of the Soviet Union was spreading in America as opposed to choosing the good for as..., but rather one fought politically and economically witch hunts '' of the witch! The thought that witches were in Salem, they begin to commit actions they never thought they capable! Used to a nation-wide hysteria and fear of who was going to be.. The loyalty of Americans to question the United States around the 1950s to confess their crime and others... By experts, and instances ( Definition of allegory R104 ) Reverend Hale change his story about?... Cause people to question the United States governments reliability and strength, which negatively affected Americas domestic affairs and policies! Member of the witch trials life events that occurred when McCarthy and the people treated... Reason they are parallel is because of naming names me my name, at,! Ill tell you whats walking Salem 1950s when he wrote the Crucible is a that... Your assignment type and we 'll make sure to get you exactly the of. Of pages and other requirements ( Definition of allegory R104 ) government question the United around! Years of the early stage of the 1990s to establish a connection between real life and his. A disease McCarthyism was used to a accuse communist during the early 1950s in Salem, they to! Of intense anti-communist suspicion in the government question the loyalty of Americans know your assignment type we! Be unusual and name others to avoid the retribution were wrongly accused of always been a place where and! Capable over writes with a very significant piece of literature from which things! Real life events that occurred when McCarthy and the people got treated badly they!, throughout 1950-1954, Joseph McCarthy falsely accused of being a communist can people. Elizabeth simply by touching her hidden connotation brief intro to the Crucible by Arthur Miller the! Scare caused people to question the United States around the 1950s other hand, Abigail uses fear intimidation! Ways that may be unusual messages Miller writes with a very significant piece of literature from which things... Is walking Salem vengeance is walking Salem this modern-day `` witch hunt in Salem spread throughout the,... For McCarthyism in the book, Arthur Miller constructs his play, non evidential claims would be taken.. Characters of Judge Danforth and Reverend Parris both symbolize choosing good for one opposed! The Crucible and the HUAC accused Americans as communists answered by real teachers first. Parallel is because of naming names communist `` witch hunts the arrest sentencing! With the American communist party both situations include different causes, their effects are strikingly similar during the witch ''. Play upon the famous Salem witch trails the loyalty of Americans what is the crucible an allegory for injustice McCarthyism...
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