The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Overview

• Playwright: Arthur Miller
• Premiere: January 22, 1953, at Martin Beck Theatre, NYC
• Language: English
• Genre: Tragedy
• Setting: Salem, Massachusetts during the Salem witch trials (1692-1693)
• Subject: Salem witch trials, McCarthyism

Background

• Written as an allegory for McCarthyism, reflecting the anti-Communist hysteria during the 1950s in the US.
• Miller was questioned by the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1956.
• The play dramatizes and fictionalizes events from the Salem witch trials.

Major Themes

• Hysteria: Explores the impact of mass hysteria and how it can lead to the destruction of community and justice.
• Integrity and Reputation: Characters struggle between maintaining integrity and protecting their reputation.
• Theocracy and Power: The role of religion and power dynamics during the trials.

Main Characters

• John Proctor: Protagonist. A farmer who values truth and integrity.
• Abigail Williams: The antagonist. Niece to Reverend Parris, instigator of the witch trials.
• Elizabeth Proctor: John's wife, accused of witchcraft.
• Reverend John Hale: A minister who initially supports the trials but later denounces them.
• Reverend Samuel Parris: Minister of Salem, more concerned with reputation than truth.
• Tituba: Parris's slave, accused of witchcraft.
• Giles Corey: Farmer pressed to death for refusing to plead in court.
• Rebecca Nurse: Respected elderly woman accused of witchcraft.

Plot Summary

Act One

• Setting: Salem, Massachusetts.
• Reverend Parris discovers his daughter, Betty, and other girls dancing in the forest.
• Rumors of witchcraft spread, and Abigail Williams denies involvement.
• Reverend Hale is called to investigate.
• Abigail manipulates the other girls to maintain her innocence.

Act Two

• Setting: Proctor's home.
• Elizabeth Proctor is accused of witchcraft.
• John Proctor struggles with his conscience over his affair with Abigail.
• Mary Warren, a servant, is involved in the court proceedings.

Act Three

• Setting: Salem Court.
• John Proctor presents evidence against the girls’ claims.
• Abigail manipulates the court, accusing others of witchcraft.
• Elizabeth Proctor is brought in to testify but lies to protect John.

Act Four

• Setting: Jail in Salem.
• John Proctor is pressured to confess.
• Proctor ultimately refuses to falsely confess and is executed.

Historical Context

• Salem Witch Trials: Real events from 1692 Salem, Massachusetts, reflecting the paranoia of witchcraft.
• McCarthyism: Reflection of 1950s America during the Red Scare, where accusations of communism were rampant.

Adaptations

Film

• 1957: Film titled "Hexenjagd" or "Les Sorcières de Salem".
• 1996: Film adaptation with screenplay by Arthur Miller.

Stage

• Adapted as an opera by Robert Ward, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
• Ballet adaptations by William Tuckett and Helen Pickett.

Television

• Various adaptations, including a 1968 production with George C. Scott.

Awards

• 1953: Tony Award for Best Play.
• Multiple nominations for revivals.

Legacy

• Considered a central work in American drama and taught widely in US schools.
• Continues to be relevant as a commentary on political and social issues.