The Crucible - Context

THE CRUCIBLE - Arthur Miller

1. Context

   • Examines witch hunts that took place in 17th Century Salem, Massachusetts.
     • Early settlers in N.America had fled from religious prosecution in England and Europe
       • Intense about religious purity - lived simple lives in small, claustrophobic communities.
       • Modern standards - 'religious fanatics'
       • Intolerant of alternative viewpoints
   • Subtly refers to 'communist witch hunts' in USA, 1950s
     • 1950s America went through a period of intense fear of the spread of the anti-capitalist economic system, communism.
       • The government organised an investigation to identify communists and eradicate their positions of influence. Often referred to as 'communist witch hunt'.
   • Written when Miller was already successful playwright

2. The author - Miller

   • Jewish parents were both immigrants from Poland. They came to America at a time when people were looking for the economic and religious freedom of 'the American dream'.
     • Link to puritans fmigrating to Salem to practice religion and way of life freely
   • Miller's family were well off until the financial crisis in America (wall street crash) in 1920s. Huge impact upon ruined family, affected young Arthur.
     • He viewed it as the failure of the American dream and of the Capitalist economic system on which his family had built their hopes of a better life.
       • Capitalism focuses on the individual and capital (money)
         • The Pigs, led by Napoleon, ordering jam and focousing on increased profits on the farm
   • Miller himself appeared before the House committee of Un-American Activities in 1956. as did many of his influential writer and theatre friends.

3. Underlying themes

   • Portrays witch hunting as something deep within the origins of the American society. Miller shows the witch hunting arising from a variety of motives; unbounded fear, jealousy and revenge.
     • Scape goating/landing blame
     • It portrayed an ugly and unflattering image of American society and the human condition
       • Far from the way that Americans and humanity like to view themselves.