Copy of Introduction to the Crucible

Intro to "The Crucible"

by Arthur Miller (1915-2005)

Committed liberal: anti-government

and pro-working class

Marriage was thought to be a

cover-up for his “communist”

activities.

Do you know why people were

concerned with communists in

the 50s? Any ideas?

1957: Miller was found guilty of contempt of Congress because he refused to reveal the names of a literary circle suspected of

Communist affiliation (reversed in 1958). Back in the 1950s there was great fear of communists. (You will learn more about this in History later in the year when you study McCarthyism.)

The Puritans

Salem Witch Trials

American settlers brought

their superstitions with them.

They saw “signs” in any natural event.

failed crops

starvation

diseases

pirates...all signs

They believed there were evil witches that harmed pigs, cattle, crops, and children because times were difficult in the New World

Two views of witchcraft:

Believed that sometimes the devil had a verbal

agreement with his witches/conspirators.

After signing, the final act required

placing the Devil’s mark on the body.

The marks could be anything

• birthmarks
• moles
• scars
• skin discolorations
• they had to be insensitive to pain

The older the person was,

the easier to find marks on her.

(age spots, warts…) Do you have a mole or a freckle? Perhaps you are a witch...

Many Puritans had a strong resentment against people

who could not work hard. Why do you think that was?

Old people usually could not work or produce anything useful for the community, so they were easy targets for suspicious neighbors.

Putting old women in jail

(where they would eventually die)

or killing them was a good way to

get rid of useless members of society.

Then they could confiscate her property.

Possession

According to Puritan belief, witches ordered demons to

enter the bodies of their victims

and torture them.

• mentally handicapped
• physically deformed
• insane

The True Story

Doctor couldn’t diagnose their illness

He proclaimed them to be bewitched

(Could they just be teenagers acting

dramatically? Nope, witches!) But who

was bewitching them? We need names!

First 3 accused

Sarah Good

A beggar

Sarah Osbourne

A bedridden old woman

And Tituba

a slave from Barbados

many more imprisoned

Eventually madness stopped

because brave people recognized

hysteria and spoke against it.

They also questioned motives of girls and spectral evidence

Queen Anne of England absolved

them of all responsibility.

"The Crucible"

Crucible (noun): a vessel that withstands

heat and does not melt; a severe test; a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development

Today a "witch hunt" is not the same as in Salem, MA. At present, a "witch hunt" is "an investigation" to uncover disloyalty, someone doing something wrong, someone against a group. It relies on weak or inconclusive evidence, capitalizes on fear and is often conducted out in the open with much publicity.

Write about a modern day "witch hunt" that has either occurred in history, or happened to you or that you witnessed. What happened? How was it unfair? What were people's motivation for accusing others?

Fluency Writing/Journal Entry

In summary:

• Believed they were chosen by God
• Required to read the Bible & attend church or they were accused of worshiping the devil
• Reserved and rigid. Work hard & repress emotion!
• Any misfortune (disease, drought...) was the direct work of the devil.
• Puritans believed witches preyed on the most vulnerable people (Who do you think might be the most vulnerable people in their society?).

Men outnumbered women in Puritan society.

What do we know about the Puritans?

Married to Marilyn Monroe (1956-1961)

Do you know who she was?

#1: Believed witches were isolated individuals that meant to help

themselves and harm others.

Believed in predestination— humans

are sinners and only the chosen

elect would be saved and go to Heaven.

Puritans had a lot of fear.

It's raining! There's a sign. She sneezed three times! There's a sign. The sunset is especially red tonight. Sign!

Prominent American playwright,

essayist, and author

Believed that God and Satan were active presences

in the natural world around them

Best known works

• "The Crucible"
• "Death of a Salesman"
• "All My Sons"

#2: Believed that witches were members of a Satanic cult,

intending to destroy the Puritan

outposts in America.

No one took responsibility

Other times, he acted formally, where

the witches had to sign a large black

book in blood.

Natural signs must be read

to see God’s will or discover

the Devil’s tricks

Brave people wrote against witch trials

Believed that God’s grace

cannot be earned—no redemption or

forgiveness for sin. Sin = going to Hell.

The Theory

1692 Salem, MA:

Betty Parris (9) and

Abigail Williams (11)

fell ill with convulsions.

The marriageable young woman

was an asset with many years of hard work in front of her.

Conflicts & themes

All participants (accusers, judges, jurors) acted not out of malice, but were controlled by the Devil

Ultimately...

20 deaths

14 women

6 men

He wanted to destroy the Puritan settlements. Therefore he made it seem as there were witches in the area when there really were none.

The individual and the community

The residents accepted the theory

Human cruelty in the name of righteousness

Justice vs. retribution and revenge

Losing integrity due to social pressures

(economic / hypocrisy / hysteria)