The Crucible Coursework Essay -- Essay on The Crucible

The Crucible Coursework EssayThe Crucible was written in 1952 by the playwright Arthur Miller. Itis an allegory of the McCarthy witch-hunts which occurred during the1950s. It was effectively the arrest and questioning of thosesuspected of communist views or that sympathised with communists. TheUSA was very suspicious of communists due to the Cold War betweenitself and the USSR. Joe McCarthy, leader of the governmentalorganisation, the Anti-Democracy Policy, headed the hunts. ArthurMiller was himself arrested by McCarthy.Miller was very irritated by this and decided that he wanted toprotest by writing a satiric play. To have his play shown onBroad route he had to write an allegory based on his treatment and theinsanity of the witch-hunts.The play is set in a fabricated town named Salem in Massachusetts, USAin 1692, a period of American history when people were strictChristians.In Acts I, II and III we fix a portrayal of local farmer John observeas he becomes involved in the inju stices and realises the stupidity ofthe witch-hunts of Salem. In Act I we are introduced to Reverend Samuel Parris, a corruptedclergyman. He is insecure, bitter and paranoid about witchcraftinfecting his parish, giving him a bad reputation. We learn that hehas seen several girls move naked and casting spells in the nearbywoods, including his daughter, Betty, niece, Abigail Williams and hishousemaid, Tituba. Parris perversion could be seen as theperversion of the autocratic 1950s America.We also briefly establish John Proctors relationship with Abigail. Anorphan, Abigail worked for him and his wife, Elizabeth as a housemaiduntil Elizabeth discovers that they were having an affair, ... ...cating that Proctors conscience has been eased. Danforth looksdefeated here, showing us that Proctors truth and cleverness to staystrong has quashed the judge.Proctor is then sent to be hanged, and arrives in a cart carryingGoody Nurse, an innocent woman also condemned to death. In the speculati onboth he and Goody Nurse are standing implying that they are closer toHeaven than the crowds below that have come to see them executed.We see a close-up of Elizabeth and at this point the music becomespowerful, showing her strong character.As they begin to recite the Lords Prayer we see that the accused are true up Christians, though by not being allowed to finish the prayer, wesee that justice has now been overcome.Through his own interpretation, the director presents the film in away that remains true to the original themes and ideas of Millersplay.