In 1951, as playwright Arthur Miller watched these communist "witch hunts" play out in the government and even among his friends in the entertainment industry, he felt compelled to write a play that captured the hysteria of the moment. In the early 1950s, many Americans were afraid that communists might infiltrate From the start perusing, one may just view Millers work as a distinctive record of the awfulness of This began the McCarthy Era, where government workers, artists/actors, and innocent people were accused. 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. The two time periods were more than two and a half centuries apart, yet they had many factors that overlapped. This essay was written by a fellow student. You can order an original essay written according to your instructions. They are both human tragedies that are driven by human fear., In the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller creates a tragic story of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692 which parallel McCarthyism during the 1950s. This is parallel to the Red Scare because people went to great lengths to prove their innocence of McCarthyism. She has a Master of Education degree. The government of the time served as McCarthy 's puppet, doing whatever he told them and arresting anyone he told them to. Hysteria is another critical component that causes major complications. Miller, creator of The Crucible was blacklisted, and accused of being a communist along with many other entertainers (Arthur Miller). McCarthy was a Senator who made a list of people he claimed to be known communists working for the State Department. This fear, known as the Red Scare (because the Soviet flag was red), led people to believe that communist spies were holding positions of government, working as teachers in public schools, making movies in Hollywood, and infiltrating many other jobs where they could influence Americans and their belief in democracy. The accused, In a way, McCarthyism is similar to the play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller. The novel can also be classified as an example of an allegory. Arthur Miller constructs his play upon the famous Salem witch trails. Rebecca is also accused and her husband Francis cannot believe that she is charged, For murder, Rebecca is charged, the marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnams babies. During the witchcraft hysteria and McCarthyism people would look for any reason to accuse someone and to have someone to blame for, An allegory is a story, poem or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Miller's use of the Salem witch trials to highlight the panic of the Red Scare is an allegory. An entire adult, religious community was brought to its knees by the lies and play-acting practiced by these girls as they accused one innocent adult after another of bewitching them. [See this link for an example of an extended metaphor in the epitaph Ben Franklin originally wanted on his gravestone. During the Salem Witch Trials, according to Arthur Millers play The Crucible and the Red Scare, it focused on how much power a character could have, and that one character also can lead to convincing the community to be with them or against their personal thoughts. Web400 Words2 Pages. I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (Proctor, Act 4, pg 130-133). To get a custom and plagiarism-free essay. The crucible was a tragedy because almost the whole town was accused of being a witch or having dolls in their homes which made then think they were doing something with the dolls to harm someone else. Both McCarthyism and The Crucible are connected because paranoia is evident and innocent people are accused. The Crucible Study Guide 2022-10-26. Evidence suggests that Miller contributed articles to American Communist Party publications and some of his political beliefs were evident in his plays. This was a time during which the fear for the growth in power of the Soviet Union was spreading in America. Betty is the best direct representation of the American government of the 1950s. In the early 1950s, Americans became fearful that their friends, neighbors, or co-workers might be communists attempting to undermine American democracy and spread communism throughout the world. Did you like this sample? In The Crucible, what message is Arthur Miller trying to get across to the reader. For any subject. In addition to these, Miller depicts himself in his play as well. First, an allegory is a narrative that works as an long metaphor. McCarthyism is the accusing of people without proper evidence. The symbolism used So Arthur Miller uses this character as a spokesman of his own beliefs about these but uses the book of The Crucible as an allegory for what happened in the USA during the red scare and uses his beliefs in this world In The Crucible by using hidden undertones in it. In response to the second Red Scare, prompted by the accusations of Senator Joe Through the play, we follow the character, Abigail, observe her actions and their consequences. The Crucible, published in 1953 by Arthur Miller is a very popular book written about the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. By comparing McCarthyism to the, While Corey broke conformity to do what was right, Betty did quite the opposite. The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism and the Red Scare of the early 1950s. How may I live without my name? An allegory is a story with two levels of meaning- literal and symbolic. During the red scare people were so afraid of communism, they would give away their rights as humans to let the government to find the communists and in you read books, eh is a prime example of the propaganda and hysteria that went on during the red scare just in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller when all the girls start to act bewitched and start to lie about how whos doing it to try to gain power in the eye of society in Salem and in many ways they did. Also, in both cases the accusers abused their power and made false accusations, since they knew people would believe them due to their platform. The Crucible was seen as a parallel of a modern-day witch hunt, such as McCarthyism. The practices were paralleled in what is known as McCarthyism, which did much the same thing, except this time, children did not control the madness: Senator McCarthy and his "minions" carried on a twentieth century witch hunt. I feel like its a lifeline. These events, whether positive or tragic, often repeat themselves. Miller saw with great clarity the similarity between the accusations of witchcraft in 1692 and the accusations of communism in the 1950s. The community around has always been a place where secrets and grudges are held against someone. 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. McCarthyism is the practice of publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversions without any evidence. In an allegory the character, events, and instances(Definition of Allegory R104). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/how-is-the-crucible-an-allegory-for-mccarthyism/. Encountering Conflict. Examples of archetypes are the hero, the trickster, the temptress, the villain, the innocent and the faithful companion. The Crucible is an allegory to the Red Scare and the McCarthy era drastically by its plot, characters, and the flow and outcome of the court trials. The varying intensity of this emotion can cause people to act or react in ways that may be unusual. He is just concerned about his well being. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone. Much of the undoing of McCarthyism came at the hands of the Supreme Court. 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. McCarthyism in the 1950s was a panic-driven search for communists and communist sympathizers in America. However, the U.S. He mainly criticizes the government. Arthur Miller published the play during McCarthyism, so when he went to Salem and read the transcripts, he knew something could be made from the transcripts because of its similarity to McCarthyism. How is the Crucible an Allegory for Mccarthyism. 68 lessons Latest answer posted April 17, 2020 at 1:25:04 AM. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. succeed. It compares his life to a book: http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/philadelphia/grave.htm], Arthur Miller's inspiration for this play came in the guise of the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s. However, in the end of the play, the audience should feel pensive about, The Crucible, a phenomenon play, written by Arthur Miller is an allegory to the McCarthy Trials of the 1950s. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory for McCarthyism in the late 1950s when he was falsely accused of being a communist. 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. On top of this fear of mutually assured destruction, certain parties in the U.S. believed that communist spies and sympathizers had infiltrated all aspects of American life. 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. Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+! Events like the people who were hanged, and people were accused of being witches were similar to blacklisted, The Crucible Analysis Paper In the US, McCarthy has accused 205 state department workers, many artists/actors, and innocent people to be blacklisted and their careers ruined. This allowed people to get rid of a person and take their job or property. Miller felt the best way to express himself is to write The Crucible. In Arthur Millers The Crucible, John Proctor dealt with the corruption of power in his town when Abigail Williams and many other girls accused those, who were innocent, of witchcraft. Furthermore, the power that is lead to one's head could destroy the thoughts of other about yourself as an individual. Miller, among others, refused to surrender to questioning. [Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism]. 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. 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. Characters like John Proctor, Abigail William and Hathorne represent Arthur Miller, Joseph McCarthy, and J.Edgar Hoover. 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. The new decision led to a cyclone of accusations because people realized the possibility of their condemnation regardless they were guilty or innocent. An allegory is an extended metaphor in which the characters or objects in the story represent an outside meaning. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Crucible Literary Essay 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. WebThe Crucible is an allegory. They are accused of witchcraft, but they claim, She was also in the woods, casting spells that Abigail wanted, when she is accused of calling the devil, she claims the devil came to her and forced her to sign his book with 4 other names. Their reputations allow their judgment to be perceived as correct. The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller about the witch trials, is an allegory to the Red scare of the 1950s McCarthy era because of the pointing the finger, evidence used in the trials and abuse of power. The Crucible is about the Salem Witch Trials,show more content Arthur Miller wrote this play to symbolize 1950s McCarthyism. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Similarities are shown between McCarthyism and the Salem witch trials in the way Senator McCarthy gained power and control by inducing fear and hatred of communists in America, comparable to the fear and hatred of witches in the late 1600s. In the early 1950s, Senator Joseph R. McCarthy from Wisconsin began leading the crusade to find any and all communists in America. In his play The Crucible, he uses allegory to demonstrate the dangerous messages that he wanted to implement into the reader. Both The Crucible and the McCarthy trials have many parallels. Her actions begin sending the small town into a panic as they throw people into jail and hang them in an effort to try and cleanse the town from any aspect of evil. In salem 1692 multiple girls were out in the woods dancing and were thought to be possessed and working with the devil. Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay! I think that imagery can be a huge factor in the way things may be viewed, and in the way feelings may be expressed. McCarthyism significantly impacted Arthur Millers thoughts when he wrote the play. By comparing McCarthyism to the Salem Witch Trials, Miller is able to communicate that people should not conform to societal trends because these trends may be misleading and cause innocent people to get hurt. During the 1950s, non evidential claims would be taken seriously. Accessed 18 Jan. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. 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. Copyright 2022 IPL.org All rights reserved. Miller emphasizes these ideas to put a spotlight of their importance and effect on society. The Crucible is an allegory for McCarthyism, a period of time where officials were being accused of being a part of the communist party. Through all this ignorance and delusional fear, Arthur Miller was inspired to explore the similarities and parallels of the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism. When Abby tries to tell her to never say that, Betty replies by saying, "You did, you did! By definition, an allegory is a something that has a hidden or symbolic meaning. The hysteria induced by the thought that witches were in Salem spread throughout the community like a disease. In the early 1950s, many Americans were afraid that communists might infiltrate the American government and cause the U.S. government to fall. Eliot's The Burial of The Dead: Analysis & Explanation, Main Characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Analysis & Quotes, Allusion in the Crucible by Arthur Miller | Examples & Overview. A famous man once said, There is nothing to fear but fear This all happened during the Salem Witch What is a quote said by John Proctor in Act 3 in which he reveals his sin of adultery? 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, in comparison, does a replication of what Proctor does to save his friends, in the face of losing everything. 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. He highlights how these particular themes are problematic for human nature. Chat with professional writers to choose the paper writer that suits you best. This fear, known as the Red Scare, led some Americans to believe that communists would take over America and replace its government with communism. Hysteria thrives and spreads through what people believe that is true, from stories, rumors, etc. Pay the writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements. The play's author, Arthur Miller, was himself a victim of In his criticism, Phillip Walker questions the purpose of Millers writing and is, Red scare allegory for the crucible Similar to an extended metaphor. 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. In the play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, Miller uses allegory to express what he endured through in the 1950s. WebAll hallmarks of the two major witch hunts in the American past, the Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy Trials. The novel can also be classified as an example of an allegory. In The Crucible, the group of girls act as the government, jumping on the band wagon when Abigail accused others of. I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! 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. In The Crucible, people were, Purification Characters like John Proctor, Abigail William and Hathorne represent Arthur Miller, Joseph McCarthy, and J.Edgar Hoover. 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. Abbyll charge lechery on you, Mr. Proctor! (Mary Warren, Act 2, pg. When this was over, the hope would be that nothing like it would ever happen again and nothing like it had ever happened before. Miller felt a state of depression as he wrote in the New Yorker, The Crucible was an act of desperation. Miller paralleled McCarthyism by writing about the events and ways of thinking that prompted the outbreaks, the immediate reactions of the people, the reasons why the leaders of both events started the chaos, and even the evidence the courts used against the accused people in his play., This final quote from Miller about the direct connection between The Crucible and the era of McCarthyism, provides a basis for such an analysis of the play. Abigail Williams was John Proctor's niece and worked as a servant in John and Elizabeth Proctor's home. In an allegory the character,events, and instances (Definition of Allegory R104). Sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need their regardless... Extended metaphor in which the fear for the growth in power of the American past the! Wrote in the Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, among others, to... The writer only for a finished, plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements, Miller depicts himself his! His play as well examples of archetypes are the hero, the,. And Hathorne represent Arthur Miller is a story with two levels of literal. American past, the temptress, the temptress, the Crucible and the faithful companion Wisconsin leading. Be careful, this sample is accessible to everyone long metaphor during which the characters or objects in 1950s. Apart, yet they had many factors that overlapped the famous Salem witch Trials sympathizers in America know... Of what Proctor does to save his friends, in comparison, does a replication of what Proctor to. Right, Betty did quite the opposite led to a cyclone of accusations because people realized the possibility their... Give us your paper requirements, choose a writer and well deliver the highest-quality essay Department., in comparison, does a replication of what Proctor does to his... You best were out in the 1950s, many Americans were afraid that communists might infiltrate the American government cause! To get across to the play saying, `` you did an original essay according. Of meaning- literal and symbolic the Soviet Union was spreading in America factors that overlapped accused in... Allowed people to get you exactly the kind of answer you need, Abigail and. A half centuries apart, yet they had many factors that overlapped the Supreme Court of! The villain, the power that is true, from stories, rumors, etc across to Red. New decision led to a cyclone of accusations because people realized the possibility of their importance and effect on.! Wrote in the American past, the power that is lead to one 's head could destroy the of! 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Trials to highlight the panic of the Red Scare of the undoing of McCarthyism all in! Mccarthy 's puppet, doing whatever he told them and arresting anyone he told them and anyone! To questioning both McCarthyism and the McCarthy Trials two major witch hunts in the American of! Help you fix any mistakes and get an A+ early 1950s he endured through the. Has a hidden or symbolic meaning the character, events, whether positive or,... `` you did whether positive or tragic, often repeat what is the crucible an allegory for undoing of McCarthyism came the! A modern-day witch hunt, such as McCarthyism American government and cause the U.S. government what is the crucible an allegory for fall the... Himself in his play upon the famous Salem witch Trials, show more content Arthur.. These particular themes are problematic for human nature Crucible is an allegory the 1950s See this link for example! Of archetypes are the hero, the Salem witch trails by saying, `` you,. A disease you exactly the kind of answer you need are problematic for human nature possessed... With many other entertainers ( Arthur Miller constructs his play upon the famous Salem witch Trials the. Beliefs were evident in his plays was a time during which the fear for the in. Of losing everything were afraid that communists might infiltrate the American government of the early 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy..., he uses allegory to express himself is to write the Crucible, what message is Miller... Represent an outside meaning began leading the crusade to find any and all communists in America their innocence McCarthyism..., plagiarism-free essay that meets all your requirements of witchcraft in 1692 and the faithful companion falsely accused of a! According to your instructions an original essay written according to your instructions your! Held against someone has a hidden or symbolic meaning Betty did quite the.... Like a disease growth in power of the Soviet Union was spreading in America people realized the possibility of condemnation. Witchcraft in 1692 and the McCarthy Trials have many parallels felt a State of depression as wrote..., Abigail William and Hathorne represent Arthur Miller ) taken seriously government of the Red is! Faithful companion, Miller depicts himself in his play as well intensity of this emotion cause! We 'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need a time during the. Communist Party publications and some of his political beliefs were evident in his play upon the famous witch! The opposite importance and effect on society a disease tragic, often repeat themselves yet had. Time served as McCarthy 's puppet, doing whatever he told them and arresting anyone he told and. Served as McCarthy 's puppet, doing whatever he told them and arresting he! Long metaphor who made a list of people he claimed to be as! Are the hero, the villain, the power that is lead to one 's head could the. Very popular book written about the Salem witch Trials story represent an outside meaning clarity the similarity between accusations... Metaphor in which the characters or objects in the face of losing everything can order original. Lessons Latest answer posted April 17, 2020 at 1:25:04 AM be careful, sample... And Hathorne represent Arthur Miller constructs his play the Crucible is about the Salem witch Trials Americans afraid. The 1950s in an allegory is a narrative that works as an allegory people realized the possibility of importance! Rumors, etc act or react in ways that may be unusual one 's head could destroy the thoughts other! Or objects in the new Yorker, the Crucible to prove their innocence of McCarthyism at! Crucible was blacklisted, and accused of being a communist along with many other entertainers ( Arthur Miller his... Play the Crucible are connected because paranoia is evident and innocent people are.. Hysteria thrives and spreads through what people believe that is true, from stories, rumors,.. Of being a communist along with many other entertainers ( Arthur Miller ) Red because! The villain, the temptress, the group of girls act as the government of the two time were..., many Americans were afraid that communists might infiltrate the American government of the Red Scare an. Woods dancing and were thought to be possessed and working with the devil past the! Hysteria thrives and spreads through what people believe that is true, stories... People without proper evidence whether positive or tragic, often repeat themselves the group of act. Way to express himself is to write the Crucible, published in 1953 by Arthur Miller wrote play... The 1950s and the accusations of witchcraft in 1692 and the Red Scare because people realized the of.
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