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The Salem Witch Trials And Mccarthyism In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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During the Selem Witch Trials, which took place in 1692, 200 people were accused of witchcraft and 19 of them were put to death. There was a performance of a play that captured the sentiment of the Salem residents. Many complex decisions are made, and valuable life lessons are gained in Arthur Miller's play “The Crucible.” The Salem witch hunt and the problems with McCarthyism in the 1950s are combined in the play “The Crucible” to create a terrifying narrative. Millers' views on McCarthyism and its alleged connections to the Selem Witch Trials are reflected in this play. Many themes, including intolerance, judgement, hysteria, goodness, and reputation, become apparent while demonstrating this.

Intolerance is the first of several themes …show more content…

In “The Crucible,” citizens accept and participate in the hysterical atmosphere not only out of sincere religious fervor but also because it allows them to act on long repressed feelings and resentments. The most blatant instance is when Abigail takes advantage of the circumstance to accuse Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft and have her imprisoned. This is evident in the quote “She wants me dead, John, you know it.” Abigail instigated the hysteria to assassinate Elizabeth to obtain her husband. But there are those who profit from the panic. By making scapegoats out of those like Proctor who challenge his authority, Reverend Parris temporarily increases his standing within the hamlet. By having Rebecca Nurse, Francis Nurse's upright wife, found guilty of the phantom murders of Ann Putnam's children, the wealthy and ambitious Thomas Putnam exacts revenge on Francis Nurse. In the end, hysteria can only persist because certain individuals gain from it. Under the guise of righteousness, it suspends the laws of nature and permits the fulfillment of every evil inclination and vile

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