Why Is The Crucible So Called Essay - 2263 Words

How is The Crucible appropriately titled? The word crucible is used by Arthur Miller in his play as a metaphor. The first definition of the word crucible is: a melting pot especially for metals. In the play this is first acknowledged during the first act, as we gradually piece together the information concerning the girls dancing. The kettle viewed by Reverend Parris mirrors a crucible. We are told that the girls had made a brew which contained a little frog and blood is therefore viewed by the characters involved as a potent, fearsome mixture and this signifies the beginning of the Salem tragedy. It seems that from this brew a more sinister force is released. The dancing and the contents of the little pot seem to fuel the†¦show more content†¦The Salem community was rife with latent hostilities and the witch trials provided an outlet for the expression of those hostilities in a society which had little opportunity for speaking out. The society was so confined and ordered so when people had a small chance to experie nce freedom they went to far to the other extreme and suspicions and envy burst into revenge. Individual disputes were considered immoral because they meant breaking charity withs one neighbours. There was much unexpressed, unexpiated guilt in the community. For example Abigail had a grudge against Elizabeth Proctor because Elizabeth fired her after she discovered that Abigail was having an affair with her husband, John Proctor. Abigail used the witchcraft craze to accuse Elizabeth and have her sent to jail. The purpose of a crucible is to melt things in and for this you need very high temperatures. This is illustrated in the play, when the judge Danforth says to Proctor in Act Three We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment. The court scenes were times of tension, intensity, pressure and conflicts between powerful authority refusing to realise they have signed away innocent lives on the strength of a lie. Also things are permanently and physically changed in a crucible, they are turned from one thing into another. This is reflected in the play by the fact that many things in the play are exertedShow MoreRelatedWhy Is the Crucible so Called Essay2321 Words   |  10 PagesHow is #8216;The Crucible#8217; appropriately titled? The word #8216;crucible#8217; is used by Arthur Miller in his play as a metaphor. The first definition of the word crucible is: a melting pot especially for metals. In the play this is first acknowledged during the first act, as we gradually piece together the information concerning the girls dancing. The #8216;kettle#8217; viewed by Reverend Parris mirrors a crucible. We are told that the girls had made a brew which contained aRead MoreArthur Millers The Crucible And The Second Red Scare1293 Words   |  6 Pages In Arthur Miller’s â€Å"Why I Wrote The Crucible†, Miller connects The Crucible and the Second Red Scare by highlighting his process of writing which in return displays the two different time era’s similarities. He states, â€Å"[W]hen I began to think of writing about the hunt for Reds in America, I was motivated in some great part by the paralysis that had set in among many liberals who, despite their discomfort with the inquisitors’ vio lations of civil rights, were fearful†¦of being identified as Communists†Read MoreEssay On The Red Scare Allegory For The Crucible878 Words   |  4 PagesRed scare allegory for the crucible The salem witch hunts and the Red Scare caused big problems and death in the U.S. 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. In salem 1692 multiple girls were out in the woods dancing and were thought to be possessed and working with the devil. Girls accused many citizens in salem claiming they were witches and causingRead More McCarthyism versus The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay example1174 Words   |  5 Pagesschools, and other areas. This was called the Red Scare (Brinkley). One writer that used this era as a basis for his play, The Crucible, was Arthur Miller. He was able to capture the panic and mere insanity of many Americans in an allegorical way. The crusade against subversion played a significant role in the following: the actions and tactics of McCarthy, the reasons why Miller and other artists were targets of McCarthyism, and th e relationship of his play The Crucible to the events of the late 1940sRead MoreThe Crucible Response Essay930 Words   |  4 PagesArthur Miller’s â€Å"The Crucible† was written in response to the United States and Russia Red Scare. Miller used the â€Å"The Crucible† to inform people of how hysteria of the Salem witch trials resembled the communist accusations happening within the American government. At the time, McCarthy’s â€Å"witch hunts† for communist committing sedition. As opposed to the Red Scare, â€Å"The Crucible† started due to an actual witch craft incident. The Red Scare however, began due to real accounts of treason and communismRead MoreEssay Compared To The Crucible736 Words   |  3 PagesIn Arthur Miller book, â€Å"The Crucible† the government accused people of McCarthyism and during the red scare people were accused of communism. During the years of 1692-1693 people accused of witchcraft were hung by the jury with no remorse. The comparison between the two is that Arthur Miller wrote a play to compare to the Salem Witch Trials. Within The Red Scare if people were accused of being a communist then they would be blacklisted. When blacklisted you would lose your job and become pretty muchRead More The Parallels Between Arthur Millers Life and His Play, The Crucible1486 Words   |  6 Pageshappened many years ago—and write about it effectively. Only one has had the courage and intelligence to do both. Arthur Miller was an American author who wrote plays, essays, and stories and has published works dating from to 1936 through 2004. The Crucible, one of his most famous plays, premiered in New York on January 22, 1953 (InfoTrac). It is a historical-fiction story set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The witch hunt described in this play is similar to the Red Scare, an anti-communist movementRead MoreCrucible Vs Mccarthyism Essay1297 Words   |  6 Pagesfrom being questioned or accused. The act of doing so was later called McCarthyism. This relates to the play called the crucible in many ways. The play was written by Arthur Miller and famous play writer. This was a famous play because he published during the time of communism accusations. The play talks about people having a rare sickness that is caused by doing witchcraft. It relates well to McCarthyism because people where telling on each other so that they wouldn t get stoned or punished. ArthurRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller Essay1552 Words   |  7 PagesTrust, Honor and Faith is what is questioned in Arthur Miller â€Å"The Crucible†. The Crucible is about the Salem witch trials. Several young girls claim to be afflicted by witchcraft. The afflicted girls accuse people in the town of witchcraft, often choosing victims who they or their families dislike. The main antagonist Abigail Williams with the other girl’s accusations resulted in the arrests and death of many people in the community of Salem. Arthur Miller wrote this play during the time of theRead MoreHysteria And Lies In The Crucible Analysis946 Words   |  4 PagesEvangeline Run Mr. Young English 11CP 22 October 2017 Hysteria and Lies and Deceit The Crucible â€Å"Those who lie, twist life so that it looks tasty to the lazy, brilliant to the ignorant, and powerful to the weak.†-Jose N. Harris. Arthur Miller the author of the play called The Crucible sets in the town of Salem, Massachusetts which was populated by the Puritans who hanged twenty innocent people in 1692. Miller wants to make the point that the theme of Lies and Deceits makes people lie to benefit themselves