Introduction to Introduction to The CrucibleThe Crucible

Arthur Miller

Author – The Crucible - Arthur MillerAuthor – The Crucible - Arthur Miller

Born in New York City, Oct. 17, 1915

Attended University of Michigan

Originally achieved fame with plays:

All My Sons (1947) Death of a Salesman (1949)

History - The Cold War in AmericaHistory - The Cold War in America

Following World War II, Cold War between USA and USSR.

Massive fear of Communist ideas and infiltration.

Panic grew as Cold war continued. Americans soon feared not just foreigners, but anybody.

Atomic bomb.

By the early 1950’s, accusations and concern reached high point.

The House Un-American Activities Committee

Congress investigates disloyalty.

Committee designed to protect American and determine how prevalent Communism is.

In the late 1940s, committee focuses on entertainment industry.

Writers and directors who refuse to cooperate are jailed or blacklisted.

Arthur Miller one of the writers blacklisted.

The HUAC and HollywoodThe HUAC and HollywoodHUAC investigated communism within Hollywood, calling a number of playwrights, directors and actors known for left-wing views to testify.

The Hollywood Ten, a group of entertainers, refused to testify and were convicted of contempt and sentenced to up to one year in prison.

The HUAC and HollywoodThe HUAC and Hollywood

HUAC investigated communism within Hollywood.

Called for important figures with left wing ties to testify.

One group (known as The Hollywood Ten) refused to testify and was sentenced to prison.

Those who were called to testify had only three options.

1. They could claim they were not and never had been members of the Communist Party (often led to perjury charges)

2. They could admit or claim membership and then be forced to name other members (This led to losing their jobs because of their former membership and their position as informers)

3. They could refuse to answer any questions (the choice they made).

The HUAC and HollywoodThe HUAC and Hollywood

Miller admitted to the HUAC that he had attended meetings, but denied that he was a Communist.

He had attended, among others, four or five writer's meetings sponsored by the Communist Party in 1947, supported a Peace Conference at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, and signed many appeals and protests.

Refusing to name others who had associated with leftist or suspected Communist groups, Miller was cited for contempt of Congress

Arthur Miller TestifiesArthur Miller Testifies

Many who testified had no ties with communism, but knew someone who did.

“Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist Party?” No. “Do you know anyone who is or was a Communist?” No.

“We have the names of these people who have already confessed and we have proof you have had contact with them.”

Fair or Foul?Fair or Foul?

Some of those testifying cracked under the pressure, and began to feel guilty.

The smallest connections to communism were used to make defendants feel uneasy.

With a court room full of people who presumed guilt, the prosecutors told these people they must make up for what they had done.

They start to mention anything strange about anyone that they can think of, just to appease the court.

No one wanted anything to do with them. They lost friends, jobs, and sometimes even family connections.

Fair or Foul?Fair or Foul?

Joseph McCarthy

Senator Joseph McCarthy (Wisconsin) rises to power by accusing others of Communist ties.

In 1950 he claims to have a list of 205 Communists who worked for the government.

The senate calls the accusations false, but McCarthy gains a national following.

McCarthyismMcCarthyism In September 1950, goaded by McCarthy, Congress

passed the McCarran Internal Security Act.

Another committee to monitor Communist activity in America.

McCarthyism came to mean false charges of disloyalty.

McCarthy’s influence continued until 1954, when the Senate censured him for abusing his colleagues. His career collapsed.

Fears of subversion continued. Communities banned books; teachers, academics, civil servants, and entertainers lost jobs; unwarranted attacks ruined lives.

McCarthyismMcCarthyism

•The Crucible is not simply a straight historical play detailing the Salem witch trials.

•The play is a parable for the McCarthy era, in which similar “witch hunts” occurred targeting citizens as communists rather than disciples of the devil.

Author MotivationAuthor Motivation

What does What does ““cruciblecrucible”” mean? mean?

1.1. a vessel used for melting a a vessel used for melting a substance at high substance at high temperatures.temperatures.

1.1. a severe testa severe test

1.1. concentrated forces concentrated forces interacting to influence interacting to influence change or development change or development

Fact vs. Myth?Fact vs. Myth?The Crucible is based on actual events The Crucible is based on actual events

and people, but is NOT a history of the and people, but is NOT a history of the event.event.

Miller takes many liberties telling his story Miller takes many liberties telling his story and changes many factual details about and changes many factual details about events and people.events and people.

The Salem Witch TrialsThe Salem Witch Trials A series of hearings and prosecutions of people A series of hearings and prosecutions of people

accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts, accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693.between February 1692 and May 1693.

Commonly known as The Salem Witch trials, the Commonly known as The Salem Witch trials, the preliminary hearings were actually conducted in a preliminary hearings were actually conducted in a variety of towns across the province: Salem variety of towns across the province: Salem Village (now Danvers), Ipswich, Andover and Salem Village (now Danvers), Ipswich, Andover and Salem Town.Town.

How it started . . .How it started . . .Betty Parris became strangely ill. She dashed about, dove under furniture, contorted in pain, and complained of fever. The cause of her symptoms may have been some combination of stress, asthma, guilt, boredom, child abuse, epilepsy, and delusional psychosis.Talk of witchcraft increased when other playmates of Betty, including eleven-year-old Ann Putnam, seventeen-year-old Mercy Lewis, and Mary Walcott, began to exhibit similar unusual behavior.

A doctor called to examine the girls, suggested that the girls' problems might have a supernatural origin. The widespread belief that witches targeted children made the doctor's diagnosis seem increasingly likely.

-Douglas Linder

1.  Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world. 1.  Strong belief that Satan is acting in the world. --"The invisible world": disease, natural catastrophes, and bad fortune --"The invisible world": disease, natural catastrophes, and bad fortune

2.  A belief that Satan actively recruits people to do his will (2.  A belief that Satan actively recruits people to do his will (““witcheswitches”” and and ““wizardswizards””) ) --Prior witchcraft cases --Prior witchcraft cases

3.  A belief that a person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain symptoms.3.  A belief that a person afflicted by witchcraft exhibits certain symptoms.

44.  .  A time  of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active. A time  of troubles, making it seem likely that Satan was active. --Congregational strife in Salem Village --Congregational strife in Salem Village --Frontier wars with Indians --Frontier wars with Indians

5.  Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba (slave). 5.  Stimulation of imaginations by Tituba (slave).

6. Teenage boredom. 6. Teenage boredom.

7. Confessing "witches" adding credibility to earlier charges.7. Confessing "witches" adding credibility to earlier charges.

8.  Old feuds (disputes within congregation, property disputes) between the accusers and the 8.  Old feuds (disputes within congregation, property disputes) between the accusers and the accused spurring charges of witchcraft. accused spurring charges of witchcraft.

Causes of Witchcraft Hysteria in SalemCauses of Witchcraft Hysteria in Salem

Tituba, a slave from Barbados, makes a witch Tituba, a slave from Barbados, makes a witch cake, drawing suspicion on herself.cake, drawing suspicion on herself.

A witch cake is composed of rye meal mixed A witch cake is composed of rye meal mixed with urine from the afflicted children. It is then with urine from the afflicted children. It is then fed to a dog. The person is considered fed to a dog. The person is considered bewitched if the dog displays similar symptoms bewitched if the dog displays similar symptoms as the afflicted.as the afflicted.

Witch CakeWitch Cake

Spectral EvidenceSpectral EvidenceSpectral Evidence: Evidence based on dreams and visions.Spectral Evidence: Evidence based on dreams and visions.

““The girls contorted into grotesque poses, fell down into frozen postures, and complained of biting and pinching sensations. In a village where everyone believed that the devil was real, close at hand, and acted in the real world, the suspected affliction of the girls became an obsession.” Douglas Linder

The TrialsThe TrialsBy the end of 1692, over 200 people were jailed and standing accused of witchcraft.

Nineteen men and women were hanged, all Nineteen men and women were hanged, all having been convicted of witchcrafthaving been convicted of witchcraft

Another man of over eighty years was pressed to Another man of over eighty years was pressed to death under heavy stones for refusing to submit death under heavy stones for refusing to submit to a trial on witchcraft chargesto a trial on witchcraft charges

Many waited in jail for months without trialsMany waited in jail for months without trials At least four died in prisonAt least four died in prison

Hysteria StrikesHysteria Strikes

1.  Doubts grow when respected citizens are convicted and executed. 1.  Doubts grow when respected citizens are convicted and executed.

Rebecca Nurse (jury first acquits, then told to reconsider) Rebecca Nurse (jury first acquits, then told to reconsider) George Burroughs (recites Lord's Prayer perfectly at hanging) George Burroughs (recites Lord's Prayer perfectly at hanging)

2. Accusations of witchcraft include the powerful and well-connected. 2. Accusations of witchcraft include the powerful and well-connected.

Wife of Governor Phips (and others) Wife of Governor Phips (and others)

3.  The educated elite of Boston pressure Gov. Phips to exclude spectral evidence. 3.  The educated elite of Boston pressure Gov. Phips to exclude spectral evidence.

Increase Mather points out the Devil could take the shape of an innocent person: "It Increase Mather points out the Devil could take the shape of an innocent person: "It were better that 10 suspected witches should escape than one innocent person were better that 10 suspected witches should escape than one innocent person should be condemned." should be condemned."

4.  Gov. Phips bars spectral evidence and disbands the Court4.  Gov. Phips bars spectral evidence and disbands the Court

Hysteria EndsHysteria Ends

The CrucibleThe Crucibleby Arthur Millerby Arthur Miller

Set in colonial America, 1692.Set in colonial America, 1692.

Group of girls caught dancing Group of girls caught dancing in woods with Titubain woods with Tituba

Among the group is the Among the group is the Daughter of Rev. Parris and the Daughter of Rev. Parris and the daughter of Thomas and Anne daughter of Thomas and Anne PutnamPutnam

Girls feign sickness and Girls feign sickness and possessionpossession

Both families demand that the Both families demand that the possessors be found and possessors be found and punishedpunished

Setting/Intro BackgroundSetting/Intro Background