The Crucible

The Crucible

1. Fear/hysteria

   • What motivates the characters
   • First appears when the girls begin to accuse others
   • Fear of the devil
   • Proctor fears losing his reputation
     • Allows Abigail to gain control of the town
       • Elizabeth fears this in Act 2
     • Elizabeth also fears this as she cares for him and it affects her own reputation
   • Parris fears the loss of his power
     • Leads to audience satisfaction when he gets robbed
   • The girls are loyal to Abigail as a result of fear
   • Driven by fear that God will not save them

2. Morality

   • Proctor dies for his name
     • “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!"
     • Elizabeth stays by his side throughout
     • Danforth keeps his morality to that of the court trying to remain fair at all times even if he is mislead by the girls
       • "I should hang 10 thousand that dared to rise against the law"
   • Hales morals change throughout the play as he sees Abi as a liar
   • Symbolises the corruption that power and greed can cause
   • Parris is not moral himself as a representation of McCarthy

3. Relationships

   • Trust issues within the Proctors relationship due to the affair
   • Jealousy of the Proctors the catalyst of the entire conflict
     • through Abgails lust for proctor
   • The girls are loyal to Abigail

4. Injustice

   • Links to context of McCarthyism
     • Innocent people being accused of what they didn't do
   • Directed towards Elizabeth as she is portrayed as a good christian women yet still arrested
     • Audience feels the injustice as they know of Abigails ulterior motive
   • Towards women in genral
     • Lower class then men
   • All those who stand for their beliefs are killed
     • Not signing the confession

5. Witchcraft

   • Represent the accusations surrounding McCarthyism
   • Builds context
     • 1692 Salem dwellers feared the Devil was to blame for their troubles
       • Leads to their belief in IRL witches

6. Power

   • Abigail holds the most power throughout the play
     • However he devotion to proctor could be seen as him holding power over her
     • All the girls follows Abigail in court when Mary tries to speak out
       • However Danforth shows ultimate power in this situation
     • Abigail is the most believed throughout the play due to her power

7. Hypocrisy

   • The church and Puritans
     • Demands honesty yet the whole play is based upon lies and deceit
       • Characters claim to be good Christians yet go against the morals
     • Parris and his golden candle sticks
       • Going after Proctor to save his own skin

8. Crucible

   • Melting pot for metal
     • Miller see's society as melting
     • Blames everything on external factors

9. Light

   • Act 1
     • the morning sun streams and a candle still burns
       • Demonstrates revelation or change
   • Act 2
     • almost dark, a fire in the fire place
       • Darkness shows that unwlecoming but fire suggests love is still there
   • Act 3
     • sunlight pouring through, 2 high windows in the back wall.
       • Shows that justice may be served
   • Act 4
     • place is in darkness except for the moonlight seeping through the bars
       • Moonlight suggests that hope may prevail

10. Birds

    • Girls referred to as flying
      • Suggests witchcraft
    • Sits like a great bird
      • Shows his pride

11. Other animals

    • “many cows wandering the high road”
      • Shows disordered society as all farmers are in jail
      • Nature restoring balance and overcoming man