During the Salem witch trials of 1692, over 200 people were accused of being witches and nineteen were killed for it. In the play "The Crucible"" by Arthur Miller, Miller portrays the story to be "a reflection of the Communist witch hunts of its time" (Miller) to help people understand what was going on. Miller was around during the cold war when people were accused and jailed of being "covert communist " with little prove. .
In the "The Crucible"," people are accused of being witches with no real proof and are getting imprisoned and some killed for it. The play is a reflection of the events of the time but the personalities and traits of the characters in the play are what make the witch trials possible. The characters in the play display the themes pride, distorted justice, and guilt.
Pride, the praise and self-respect a person has for one' self, causes people to do irrational things. Giles Corey who has pride in his family is sentenced to be pressed to death until he confesses or denies being affiliated to witchcraft. Confessing or denying would mean his family is striped of property, wealth and becoming out casts among the towns people. To protect his family Giles "would not answer aye or nay to his indictment; for if he denied [or confessed] they'd hang him and auction out his property.he stand mute.so his sons [could] have his farm.(Miller 129). .
Giles chooses to be pressed to death over living in ridicule and not having a proper place to call home. John proctor is another character that shows pride and like Giles Proctor is being put to Death if he does not confess to witch craft. Proctor is a renowned man in the town and if he confesses to witchcraft is name would be degraded. To not have his Proctor tells the Danforth (The Judge) he means "to deny nothing".because it is [his] name! Because [he] cannot have another "(138). Proctor would rather die than have his name be degraded.
The following paper will discuss the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller. The Crucible is a depiction of the event, which occurred in Salem in 1692 also known as the "witch trails." I will give a brief summary of the play and discuss the differences of the work as it was portrayed as a written play, movie and on Broadway. ... Arthur Miller did a great job writing this play. ...
In his play, "The Crucible" Arthur Miller uses the character Giles to show how an antisocial individual who possesses little sway on a community's opinion may recognize faults in the community causing him to act heroically in order to be heard. In the beginning Arthur Miller introduces Giles as an annoying fool who does little to help the community. ... Several lines later Miller uses his own summary to depict the character of Giles Corey. Miller refers to Giles as a "..crank and a nuisance."... Miller states that, "[Giles] didn't care a hoot for public opinion.."...
Arthur Miller was a playwright, best known for Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. ... Miller married Marilyn Monroe in 1956. ... " Miller's words and Gable's acting make this moment all the more moving. ... Monroe and Miller began fighting. ... Before the movie was released, she and Miller got a divorce. ...
