Category: Arthur Miller

Many people have been in a position where they don’t know if it’s best for them to lie or not for the sake of someone they care about, due to the fear of what the consequences may be. Elizabeth Proctor had been in that position trying to do what’s right to defend herself and her husband, but instead, it led to something else. The most significant choice in the Crucible had been when Goody Proctor lied in court.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth made Abigail look good, but made the proctor and herself look bad. This was shown when Elizabeth stated, “ my husband is a good man sir”(pg.113). It’s strange how Elizabeth tries to make herself come off as honest and truthful but ironically decides to lie in this situation to save John’s reputation without knowing he has confessed. Everyone in the courtroom could feel the pressure that Elizabeth was under as she lied to save her husband. Also, many would say the affair was the most important part of the play, but it was just the beginning of the whole dilemma. Abigail has been portraying her lying persona throughout the play after being rejected by John. She was soon to be taken down in court until Elizabeth lied. This made Proctor come off as if he lied in court about his affair with Abigail. This is going to cause Abigail to gain more trust from Danforth, which will lead to the death of more innocent lives including John Proctor.

People believe Abigail more, giving her more power to lie. In Act 3, Danforth believes Abigail. This motivates her to keep lying which eventually leads her to turn on Mary and to the arrest of John Proctor. This is shown when Abigail looks up to the ceiling and starts having a genuine conversation with a “bird” as though trying to talk it out of attacking her: “But God made my face; you cannot want to tear my face. Envy is a deadly sin Mary”(pg.115). This is continued as others accused of witchcraft that are sitting in the courtroom start repeating everything Abigail says. Danforth then questions Mary saying, “Mary Warren! Drawback your spirit out of them!” (116). This gives Abigail the power she needs to pin Danforth against Mary, John, and Elizabeth. Abigail’s hatred against Elizabeth has been shown throughout the play. It’s very clear Abigail’s emotions got the best of her. causing her to try and kill Elizabeth by accusing her of witchcraft. This is going to cause Abigail to gain more trust from Danforth, which will lead to the death of more innocent lives including John Proctor. Danforth has hung innocent people due to their false claims about their involvement in witchcraft furthermore, he approved lies of those who’d rather stay alive than be hung. Anything that doesn’t confirm that he was right all along is an apparent lie to Danforth.

In summary, the most important event in the Crucible is the dishonestly brought into court by Elizabeth Proctor. If Elizabeth had told the truth, Proctor and she would have been freed, and Abby would have been the one to be brought under questioning from the courts instead. Elizabeth is an honest lady however, the one time she lies to save someone she loves results in serious consequences. If she had remained true to herself, she would have told the truth, saved John, ended Abigail’s game, ended the trials, and lived the rest of her life with her husband. Overall, It’s better to not sin than protect yourself or someone else’s image.

“The Crucible,”(1953) is a play composed by Arthur Miller to allegorically comment on the behaviors seen in society at the time of his writing the play. Miller uses the word ‘crucible’ to depict a test of the most decisive kind or a severe trial however it is normally referred to as a vessel in which substances are heated to high temperatures, the impure elements being melted away to leave the pure elements behind. Influenced by Salem and McCarthyism, the playwright highlights the behavior of individuals of characters in the play which are reflected from his society.

Salem was a small settlement based in New England in the last decades of the seventeenth century. This settlement was formed by Puritans which had a very different conception of life and religion. They were English Reformed Protestants that started to rebel against the Catholic and the Anglican churches of England. With the reign of Elizabeth I, Puritanism developed in England as an extremely religious group of people that intended to purify the Anglican Church. This movement was notably controlled because they were supposed to revolutionize the country. Expanding into America the only way of identifying the invisible crime of witchcraft was by the confessions of the accusers. Specifically, in Salem, the trial decided to save from the gallows those people accused who confessed and who cooperated in the investigation of the witch trials. Miller uses this form of accusations to bring light to the toxic nature of individuals who will do anything to keep themselves out of trouble or benefit their self-gain by snitching on other individuals in town or to be. This is seen in “Use the town’s fear of all things supernatural to fuel their campaign of lies,” where Miller indicates certain individuals in town are falsely accusing others to resolve their grudges against others or seek vengeance against those who have wronged them previously.

In an already war-torn country after World War Two, the Cold War began between the United States and the Soviet Union, creating great fear of the Communist movement taking root in America which was known as the ‘Red Scare.’ This created panic and hysteria as the common belief was that Soviet Communist spies, the reds, were hiding amongst the American people with sinister plans. During the second red scare, Senator Joseph McCarthy gave a speech claiming to have two hundred and five names written on a piece of paper that were members of the communist party. The press sensationalized McCarthy and the term McCarthyism was born. Thousands of Americans were placed on the list of HUAC, McCarthy, FBI investigations, loyalty tests, and sedition laws. If found guilty Americans were deported, jailed, blacklisted, fined, and/or lost their passports. Little evidence was needed in order to pass a judgment an accusation was usually enough to be blacklisted or worse. Similarly seen in ‘The Crucible,’ the girl’s accusations were enough for the people of Salem to be found guilty of witchcraft. The penalty to be found guilty of witchcraft was to be put to death unless of course, they were to confess and name more witches. Miller brings to light the hysteria, paranoia, and propaganda that surrounded the McCarthy trials.

The Crucible story lands in a village called Salem where people believe that the devil resonates there. People in Salem were prosecuted even when they were all probably innocent and their deaths were all due to false accusations to people’s ridiculous belief in superstition not questioning if there is a cause behind it. The people of Salem believed in the devil and witches should be hunted out. The Crucible faces a tough decision to protect their reputation some of the characters are Parris, Abigail, Proctor, and Rebbeca Nurse.

John Proctor is a sensible, honest, and hardworking man who made the mistake of the lust of Abigail, which sets off a chain of events that leads to the witch trials, and to his own death. John Proctor proves to be a flawed human being who struggles to make sense of his past relationship with Abigail, his love for his wife, and his name. Later in the story when he was called to the court he said, ¨My dear good wife took this good after…she thinks to dance with my wife’s grave! I lusted, and while she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is promise in such sweat. But it was a whore vengence, and you must see it¨ (Proctor 850-868). Protector tried to see that he can save his wife by showing the past relationship he even abandons his reputation to say admit his sins to try to save his wife, but his wife did not know and tried to protect his name by saying he would never chase for another woman even though she knew the truth. It was too late to do anything and he has sentenced to a liar later on to a witch and this is where his demise begins to happen.

One other way of showing reputation was Danthforth he tries to show that since he was part of supreme government that he should not be questioned and that he should be worshipped. Danforth even says, ¨ Mr.hale, you surely do not doubt my justice¨(Danthforth520-521). What is happening is Mr.Hale is arguing with Danthforth about the sentencing of people but Mr.Hale believe what he is doing is wrong and that should be able to defend themselves with a layer but then he tries to show off that he has more experience by telling Mr.Hale that he has been sentencing people for 32 years. He even says ¨near to four hundred are in jails…and upon my signature…and seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature¨ (Danthforth 530-550). He is showing his power to condemn people to death by just saying the word if they are sentence or not.

There are many different people with different reputations and in the story of the Crucible it meant everything, Reputation was extremely important in the story because everyone in the story tries to see who you are. Like when Mr.Proctor and Rebecca Nurse were sentenced everyone knew that something was wrong their reputation was really bg everyone knows that he was a good man and a person who did not lie and Rebecca Nurse was a person who helped others. When people heard about this it was getting chaotic and they believe anyone in Salem can be called a witch.

The Crucible is a play written in pre-modern times, which is still relevant in the postmodern era. Arthur Miller wrote the play during the time of the Red Scare, in which multiple people were being convicted of communism without evidence or proof. The increase in the use of social media and the easy access to the news can start chaos and spread fear, like in Salem. The Crucible has timeless themes that are still applicable to our lives, 60 years later: what someone is willing to do to save themselves, what hatred and greed can lead someone to do, and how people are persecuted if they differ from our perception of normal society.

The girls that were involved with Tituba, especially Abigail, lied, cheated, and killed, just to create the opportunity to get off without punishment. Abigail even forces the other girls, by threatening them, to lie also: “And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” She does not kill anyone directly, but she and the other girls persuade the court with their lies to convict 19 people of witchcraft, which eventually leads to their hanging, and there were still others sitting in prison, who were most likely hanged at a later time. The girls were willing to hurt anyone to make sure to cover up what they had done.

As soon as someone finds themselves in trouble, they are starting thinking of schemes and plans which would get them out of their endeavors without taking into account those who might get hurt in the process. Abigail even goes to the extent of harming herself by stabbing herself with a needle to make it look like Elizabeth Proctor was using a voodoo doll. The moment the people of the community realized they could accuse anyone of witchcraft, the situation got out of control.

The people of Salem changed from trying to rid the town of witches to accusing their neighbors and friends of their own personal gain or just because they despised them. At the beginning of the story, Thomas Putnam had an argument with John Proctor over a plot of land, and once Proctor was convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to hanging, Putnam is the only one left with enough money to purchase the land. Elizabeth Proctor was one of the first accused by Abigail because she just hated her because Elizabeth fired her from being the Proctors’ maid and housekeeper. Abigail lied to Parris about why she was fired. She told him that she did not want to be a slave to Elizabeth Proctor: “She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman.”

Overall, not only were people accused because there was a feud between neighbors or because there was hatred toward each other, but also because someone acted differently from what they believed was normal. John and Elizabeth Proctor fell victim to this. Reverend Hale came to question them about their church attendance and whether they could recite the 10 commandments (even though they had a valid reason for not attending, Elizabeth being sick for a long period of time, they were still looked down on by those who believe the Proctors were at fault). And that’s when he found a poppet planted by Abigail. And the end Elizabeth was arrested for possessing the poppet with the needle.

In the play ‘The Crucible’ by author Arthur Miller, it is very apparent that Miller presents an overall unbalanced view of men and women. The Crucible is a play about the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts and begins with a girl named Abigail. She performs witchcraft and once caught, accuses others of the small village ruled by the theology of witchcraft. She does this to murder the wife of a man called John Proctor, with who she had an affair a few months prior. The theme of gender roles is portrayed through the characters in the play. It is thoroughly demonstrated that women in this society are inferior to men. Moreover, it is a given that women in the Crucible consist of stereotypical traits.

Arthur Miller shows the inferiority that women have to men throughout ‘The Crucible’. An example of Tituba, a slave from Barbados, is intimidated by Samuel Parris because ‘…her slave sense has warned her that…trouble in this house eventually lands on her back’ (Miller, 1, 8). This shows that Tituba is in constant fear of Samuel Parris as a male figure in the household, especially with the accusations of witchcraft that put her in a more uncomfortable and frightful situation with men. Furthermore, once Abigail Williams began bullying the girls into doing what she wants, even resorting to violence with Betty who is ‘frightened of Abigail’ (Miller, 1, 18), but once John Proctor enters the room where the girls are, Mary Warren ‘can barely speak for embarrassment and fear’, and Abigail ‘has stood as though on tiptoe, absorbing his presence, wide-eyed’ (Miller, 1, 20). Their terror and stillness indicate their subservience and inferiority to John Proctor. In addition, Elizabeth is also shown as inferior to John Proctor. An example being when John Proctor states, ‘You will not judge me more.’ (Miller, 3, 115) which indicates that Elizabeth obtains no obligation and right to stand up to the male figure, even though it is for John Proctor’s wrongdoings. Additionally, even in the court under the word of the lord, she denied Proctor’s affair with Abigail. Which further implies that women respect their husbands so much that they cannot bring themselves to say anything that could hurt their reputation. These examples demonstrate the servitude and unbalance of women and men.

The Crucible has portrayed a character by the name of Abigail Williams in many gender-related stereotypical ways. She has been seen in ‘The Crucible’ as a manipulative and evil person. Abigail sent many people of the village to their deaths because of pettiness against Elizabeth and John Proctor. Williams states, “You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” (Miller, 1, 24). With this, Williams confessed her acts of witchcraft to John Proctor and shows no remorse, with her only focus to do anything possible to get what she wants. Abigail represents the stereotypical angst female that only cares about what she wants.

In the end, ‘The Crucible’ by Arther Miller has an unbalanced view of men and women that shows that women are inferior to men and once given the chance at power, will take it even if they have to destroy lives to have it. Miller shows how women perceived that they were inferior through their reactions to the presence of men. He also telegraphs themes of the maliciousness of women through their deeds in the witch trials. Throughout the Crucible, these notions build an overall theme of imbalance between men and women.

Miller’s book, The Crucible, is about many young women in Salem, Massachusetts being accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials in the 1690s. There is a lot of chaos that goes down between the people being accused, and the accusers themselves. The whole entire village in Salem goes into hysteria. At the end of the book, 19 villagers have died, and over 200 arrested.

Arthur Miller himself was accused of communism and “un-American” things during McCarthyism in the 1950s. He used his personal experiences to write The Crucible. He knew exactly what it was like to be accused of something that you have nothing to do with. In his book, he reveals the moral and political similarities between the Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy Trials of his own time.

The fact that he experienced something so similar is important because it means that he can relate to how the villagers felt during the Salem Witch Trials. Miller got first-hand experience of having to deal with it, therefore he would be able to write about it well. In the book, it seems to be that the people that get accused are people with low reputations. This can probably relate back to what happened to him in the 1950s.

Arthur Miller was born in Manhattan during the Great Depression. This is something that would definitely influence his writing since the stock market crash began in New York. Miller and his family were forced to move to Brooklyn when he was young because of the major loss that happened due to the crash. They started out in the middle class, so this must have been a big change in his family. The Depression was something that really affected Miller; In this quote, he says, ‘It seems easy to tell how it was to live in those years, but I have made several attempts to tell it and when I do try I know I cannot quite touch that mysterious underwater thing.’ This shows that the Great Depression affected his writing in many ways.

Growing up, Miller and his family did not have a lot of money. In addition to that, Miller did not do very well in school. Due to his poor grades and family finances, he could not attend college right away. For 2 years he worked as a deliveryman for his father, a tenor, and a stock clerk. I think this would affect his writing a lot because he did not get the same privilege that other students had at the time. After a few years, he saved up a minimum of 500 dollars and got into college. This is where he first encountered anti-Semitism. This is shown as a theme in his future writings. In the 1950s, the Red Scare was creating fear and hysteria among many Americans. Miller himself was accused of being a communist. Many of his theatre associates were accused as well and were put under suspicion by the government. This is where the idea for The Crucible comes from, as it pertains to being accused of something you have nothing to do with. Arthur Miller went through a lot trying to shut down these rumors and having to deal with the people spreading them. This influenced many of his later writings as well as The Crucible.

The theme of “The Crucible” is that hysteria plays a really consequential role in society. Hysteria can cause people to think that the people they have known for years could commit a crime as serious and terrible as murder. You can see in the novel that when people are accused of witchcraft, everyone goes ballistic and nobody can trust each other. Hysteria only ends in death to many and complete chaoses. Nothing good comes out of paranoia. Hysteria is what causes the town of Salem to eventually fall apart. This theme is clearly represented throughout the beginning of each Act. One example of this theme is at the beginning of Act 3. In this scene, Paris is afraid that John Proctor will disprove the accusations against himself and clear his own name. This would cause Paris and Abigail to lose their reputations so Paris eventually accuses John of trying to overthrow the court. This causes everyone in the room to immediately interrogate him, as he continues to deny the allegations. In Act 3, Paris says “They’ve come to overthrow the court, Sir!” (Miller 88). In response to this, John Proctor is eventually executed by hanging after being falsely accused and convicted of Witchcraft. All of this is because of one lie. This is a good example because it demonstrates how hysteria builds up and causes complete chaos. Another example of the theme, Hysteria, is in Act 1. In this scene, Abigail begins to proclaim her love for God in an attempt to have herself seem innocent. Abigail says “I want the light of God! I want the sweet love of Jesus!” (Miller 48). She does this to get a reaction out of people, and it did in fact cause everyone to get emotional. When the others began to express emotion, Abigail also continues to over-exaggerate and pretend her own emotions. This is a good example because it demonstrates how one character’s actions can affect a whole group of people’s feelings and actions. Hysteria is the cause of the growth in the conflict in Salem and causes disturbance across the entire town. At the beginning of Scene one, Abigail is terrified of having her name destroyed, so she proceeds to make false accusations against others, such as Elizabeth and John Proctor. Abigail states “My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar” (Miller 12). Once again, she does this to get the attention away from herself so that nobody would think to accuse her. These allegations did cause the people of Salem to get paranoid and more and more people were getting accused. This is a good example because it shows the negative effect of Hysteria in just one town. The traumatizing experience that the characters went through symbolizes many experiences that Arthur Miller and many others went through during the 1950s. Symbolism is demonstrated plenty throughout the novel. The play, The Crucible, is a symbol itself. The novel was written when all of America was fearful of communism, otherwise known as The Red Scare. A senator named Joseph McCarthy gained America’s trust through his Congressional investigations of Communists. Other senators that ran against him called these investigations “witch hunts”. McCarthy and his supporters created hysteria and fear in America. The same thing happened in the Salem Witch Trials when hysteria came upon the community called Salem. Many people who did not practice witchcraft still confessed to practicing, just like a lot of non-communists confessed to supporting Communism. Many people were falsely accused of Witchcraft in The Crucible, and many people were also accused of Communism in the 1950s in order to evade punishment.

Another literary device that is used commonly throughout The Crucible is Imagery. Examples of Imagery are at the beginning of every Act. One specific example would be how Miller describes the Salem Jail in Act 4. In Act 4, the narrator says “At the back is a high barred window, near it, a great, heavy door. Along the walls are two benches. The place is in darkness but for the moonlight seeping through the bars. It appears empty. Presently footsteps are heard coming down a corridor beyond the wall, keys rattle, and the door swings open. Marshal Herrick enters with a lantern” (Miller 121). The author describes the jail in this way so that the reader can imagine what the jail may look like, and also to create suspense or fear among the reader. Another literary device used in The Crucible is Verbal Irony. Verbal Irony is shown when Abigail says “Oh, Mary, this is a black art to change your shape. No, I cannot, I cannot stop my mouth; it’s God’s work I do” (Miller 115). This statement is ironic because Abigail claims that she is doing God’s work, but in reality, she is manipulative, and evil, and does the absolute opposite of that. Miller wrote it this way to create confusion or suspense among the reader. An example of Dramatic Irony is also demonstrated in the play. Danforth begins to say ‘I tell you straight, Mister—I have seen marvels in this court. I have seen people choked before my eyes by spirits; I have seen them stuck by pins and slashed by daggers. I have until this moment not the slightest reason to suspect that the children may be deceiving me.’ (Miller 55). This is ironic because the audience knows the entire time that Abigail is lying and has been convincing and deceiving people to believe her. Judge Danforth on the other hand does not know about Abigail’s plans. The way that Miller demonstrates the theme and uses characterization throughout the novel helps the reader to sympathize with him and many others that were accused of Communism in the 1950s.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play set in the 1600s that tackles some very important themes relevant both in the time it was set and the period in which Miller wrote it. The play is about a town called Salem which is driven into hysteria and madness by suspicion and fear. Miller uses this true story of the Salem witch trials as a metaphor for government persecution of suspected communists during the 20th century, while also himself putting the theocratic and reputation-dominant society in which the play is set on trial. In the Crucible, the character John Proctor plays the tragic hero. He is honest, righteous, and sensible. Proctor is a decent man, with only one fatal secret. His longing for Abigail Williams, a younger girl, led to an affair (which occurs before the play begins). This conceives Abigail’s jealousy of his wife, Elizabeth, thus setting the entire hysteria in motion.

Towards the opening of the play, John encounters Abigail alone and Abigail begs for him to come back to her, but John resists.

‘Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of your mind. We never touched,’

In this dialogue, we learn of the unlikely affair that occurred between them and that they have very contrasting opinions about it. John admits that he does remember the good times they had together, but knows it was wrong. John has tried to forget about it and seems ashamed of his actions whereas Abigail is desperate for John. This catalyzes the events for the rest of the play as we see how Abigail’s lust for John could soon turn into jealousy and destruction and ultimately ends with john’s demise. Abigail is an orphan with a very low status in society. She is taken advantage of by John Proctor and then abandoned by him and Miller uses the harsh image of John cutting off his hand to show just how insensitive he is towards Abigail and how upsetting it is for her. This leaves her feeling isolated with no one else to turn to, so naturally, she seeks vengeance. Miller uses John Proctor’s carelessly abusing his status and power to show that in this theocratic society, very few people in the society hold all of the power and this ultimately leads to corruption and is hypocritical as the society is not run by God, but by fear of the people who run it.

As the witch hunt in Salem progresses and John’s faithful wife Elizabeth is arrested, John Proctor makes every attempt to stop the trials, without success. He realizes that he must admit to his affair with Abigail to save his wife, but even this is not met with confidence.

‘I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my name – you will believe me,’

The fact that John is willing to soil his entire good reputation to save his wife shows that he is ultimately faithful to his wife despite the affair and in confession he cuts his last ties with Abigail, telling her definitively that it is over between them. Reputation is a key theme in the play and the character John Proctor personifies this theme at many points in the second half of the play. His unwillingness to confess embodies the theme of reputation, as he is willing to stand in the way of justice and allow people to die before he finally gives it up. John sacrificing his reputation is a very bold move and for the court to not believe him even when he claims this shows just how far this hysteria has gone. This is amplified by Miller as he is trying to make a point about McCarthyism in the time in which he wrote it, as he too lived in a society run by reputation, where communists were being prosecuted just because of its bad reputation, even though many of the people prosecuted were good people.

Throughout the crucible, a sense of panic and hysteria is present. However, in the Proctor household, this is not the case, and this provides a stark contrast with the atmosphere in the rest of the village. John proctor represents the face of sanity and reason in the Crucible, as he is constantly resisting the madness which infects the rest of the town.

Later, when Elizabeth is questioned about whether John did indeed have an affair with Abigail Williams, she lies to protect John’s honor, despite being known for never lying. In her husband’s own words, ‘That woman never lies.’ In this way, she showed her commitment and forgiveness to John. Shortly after this, John is accused of being a witch just after confessing his sins and trying to save his wife’s life. This symbolizes that in this theocratic society, it is not a god that is in charge as good people are punished more than those who have sinned. They punish people thinking they speak for God when the people they are condemning are the people in that town closest to God, so should it not be the court and Abigail who is punished?

At the end of the 4th and final act, John falsely confesses to witchcraft, but he stops short of agreeing to let his signed confession be posted in the church for all to see. He justifies this by saying that his name is too precious for him to tarnish.

‘Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!’

John refusing to sign his name is paramount to the theme of reputation in the play. In denying his name, he condemned himself to death showing that he values his reputation above all else. He also inevitably refuses to sign because he feels that to do so would be dishonoring everyone who had died nobly for God in the trials. This contrasts with a regretful and sinful John at the beginning of the play and signifies that he has finally overcome his sin of adultery and become a good man again. In his wife’s final words of the play, ‘He has his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him. Elizabeth honors her husband’s dying wishes to be hung as a good man in order to see him again one day in heaven. John’s death symbolizes the madness killing off all sanity left in the town, much like the atmosphere present at the time, Miller wrote The Crucible.

In conclusion, Miller uses the Salem witch trials as a metaphor for McCarthyism during the time he wrote it and the hysterical hunt for communists. Miller suggests that the Americans prosecuting communists for being different from them makes the Americans the bad people. He also uses this play to highlight the fact that, in life, it is not always the good people who succeed. Just as the saying thieves get rich and saints get shot which is amplified in this play as the most charitable and noble people are hung but the selfish and lying villagers are the ones who survive and sometimes profit from hanging their neighbors. Miller also uses this play to show how dangerous a theocratic society can be as it is the theocracy of Salem which contributes to the suspicions of witchcraft which ultimately leads to the hanging of innocent people. John proctor represents reason and reputation in the crucible. John proctor is both a protagonist and antagonist in this play, embodying Miller’s idea that no one is completely ‘good’ or ‘bad’. His eventual death at the end of the play signifies hysteria abolishing all sense of reason and the fact that the people of Salem valued their reputation so much that they would die for it.

Yes, I think ‘Death of a salesman ‘ by Arthur Miller is a tragedy. In this play characteristic, we can say it’s a modern tragedy.’Death of a salesman ‘ by Arthur Miller’s play is based on a middle-class family’s dream-broken story. American sellers have always dreamed of a comfortable, economical financial situation; a life without debts for themselves and their families, but this dream will end their life. In this capitalist society, the lifelong dreams of middle-class parents are reflected in their children’s dreams of success. But his capacity to satisfy his dream is hampered by the way that eventually, the dad leaves the sign of his last exertion for the kids through death. Along this way, ‘Death of a Salesman’ is framed by consolidating the narrative of life and the demise of thousands of dreams with one death. That is the reason we can say, It’s a tragedy and this tragedy appears in Willy, who is tormented by his American Dream which is unrealistic and illogical. He is fixated on excitement and interest, needing accomplishment through acknowledgment. Willy who trusts in acknowledgment as the method of success carries on with his life as an unseemly sales rep. His otherworldly reclamations make him battle his life and ultimately ends it all to leave his inheritance upon his child Biff. Arthur Miller, the author of this play alludes tragic hero as an ordinary person. He unmistakably clarifies this by utilizing Willy as his character, which effectively recognizes the tragedy of his life.

For the time, we can say it is a modern tragedy. Since The cutting modern tragedy is additionally bound to society, as opposed to destiny or fortune, as that which mistreats the hero. Be that as it may, modern tragedy holds a profoundly serious tone and spotlight on issues of grave and extreme significance, highlighting basic tragedy all through its history. As Willy Loman didn’t do anything unique for his future so he didn’t get any great outcomes. Here nothing is dependent on his karma. So it is anything like the greek tragedy it is a modern tragedy. We can see the image of our present society from here. There are numerous individuals in our nation like Willy who can’t live their own lives. So this is additionally a modern tragedy.

Individuals everywhere in the world are currently moving to cities. From the town, from the muffs all, individuals are presently relocating to every one of the large and occupied urban areas with dreamy eyes. In these enormous urban communities, there are gigantic structures, plants, industrial facilities, production lines, and organizations that have jumped up like frog umbrellas. This hugeness talks about riches, acclaim, and acknowledgment of the bounty of abundance.

A classical Greek tragedy is the narrative of a hero who encounters an inversion of fortune put into action by divine beings because of hubris. Presently this was a tragedy in willy’s life. Now the greek tragedy is a play where a calamity occurred with the hero. Also, a modern tragedy it’s about sufferings. Another thing is greek tragedy dependent on karma yet modern tragedy flew with the characters’ decisions. In Greek tragedy, the primary character or hero. The tragic hero is an individual of a high position who acknowledges their destruction with poise. Yet, we can see Willy is an everyday person who functions as a little sales rep and can do little for his family.

The old Greek tragedy has faith in the thought of destiny or a fate predetermined by divine beings regardless of what moves an individual makes in the present of the destiny. More were three goddesses who decided the length of an individual’s life and how much enduring it would contain Greeks accepted that nobody could get away from their destiny out even the actual gods. In any case, in this play, Willy Loman didn’t do anything extraordinary for his future so he didn’t get any great outcome. Here nothing is dependent on his karma. So it is a modern tragedy. The medieval tragedy for the most part appeared as accounts, as opposed to plays, and focused on the fall of extraordinary men caused, not by a tragic flaw, but rather the turning of fortune’s wheel. Renaissance misfortune took its motivation from classical misfortune while changing the structure critically, by including subplots, and lighthearted elements and extending the opportunities for the tragic hero.

So at long last, we can say that ‘Death of a salesman ‘ by Arthur Miller’s play is a tragedy and it is a modern tragedy We comprehended that from the above conversation.

‘Admitting one’s own faults is the first step to changing them, and it is a demonstration of true bravery and integrity’ – Philip Johnson.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, staff, students, and guests, and welcome to the Caloundra State High School open day. In this presentation, I will be educating you on Arthur Miller’s play ‘The Crucible’. Specifically, how through this story, the writer assists in the theory that ‘Maintaining personal integrity comes at a cost’. In this symbolic piece, Arthur Miller displays that preserving integrity requires strength and sometimes a risk of reputation. He resounds the significance of integrity in an array of circumstances, with his piece highlighting honesty resulting in negative effects, but sustaining good character. Arthur Miller has worked to achieve this through the use of a narrator, a variety of imagery, archaic language, allegory, and many other literary devices. Almost all aspects of his play relate back to integrity, symbolizing it as a very important theme and something to be focused on.

Miller has aimed to retrieve an empathetic emotion from his readers toward the characters who attain the courage to upkeep their integrity. He was motivated by the events at the time, as stated by Blakesly – ‘Arthur Miller made the play called “The Crucible” during the 1950s as a response to McCarthyism and the U.S. Governments blacklisted people’. There were many parallels between McCarthyism and the Salem Witch Trials, both being events that are viewed as shameful in US history, and both wrongfully accusing innocent people of performing frowned upon actions for the times. The House Un-American Activities Committee (abbreviated to HUAC) was linked directly to the Red Scare, which surrounded a fear of communism, leading to a national witch hunt for suspected communist supporters, which was known as McCarthyism. Senator Joseph McCarthy led this, making a name for himself in history. This all relates back to the Salem Witch Trials, which resulted in more than 200 people being accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 being executed.

An allegory is defined as a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. The writer of ‘The Crucible’ used allegory to touch on hysteria, fear, greed, and, most importantly, integrity and its cost. He focused on greed through situations such as Parris’s desire for the deeds to the minister’s house, showing his mistrust in his own community. He touched on hysteria throughout, an example being the scene where Mary Warren is frightened into re-joining the girls. Fear was focused on through the whole town being wary of the devil, and many characters being scared of one another. Integrity is the main underlying theme and idea, with a focus on this slyly pushing the audience to accept that one’s integrity is almightily important.

A variety of imagery types have also been implemented in the play. Color imagery is linked to good-evil imagery, with black representing the dark and bad and white representing the holy and good. Examples of this directly from the piece include ‘Your name in the town it is entirely white, is it not’ (Act 1), referencing to goodness and ‘… do you keep that black allegiance yet?’ (Act 3) referencing maliciousness. Devil/Hell imagery is also included, such as a fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face!’ (Act 3). By using imagery as a literary technique, Miller has allowed his audience to really visualize the events occurring, and understand the character’s emotions.

Even the title of the play is deliberate as well. A crucible is a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures. By naming the play after this, he has represented the town as being under intense pressure, bubbling, and very hot.

Many more, sometimes subtle, stylistic features have been used in ‘The Crucible’. By using a narrator, Arthur Miller has built tension, addressed the audience directly, and given vital background information. He has also used archaic language, so the audience feels they are transported to the time. All of these references to history have been true to the transcripts of the trials, with a large amount of them being biblical. He has achieved his desired goal, of teaching the reader important lessons through literary techniques like these.

Personal integrity, the way it requires strength to upkeep, and how it impacts our reputation, are all obviously very important themes in ‘The Crucible’. In Miller’s piece, he displays many admirable characters who hold their dignity and do not lie. Proctor and Rebecca Nurse are perfect examples, both insisting on honesty, regardless of the penalties for themselves.

‘The Crucible’ showcases a number of struggles, including the calamities that challenged John Proctor in the last two acts of the piece pushing him to admit to a moral contravention and then accused of another. He confesses that he did indeed have an affair with Abigail, in front of the court, in an attempt to save his wife Elizabeth. This is a problem revolving around integrity. Proctor realizes that if he maintains his confidentiality, he will be acting in timidity, betraying his wife, and failing to take the morally correct action. As a man who has a demanding sense of integrity, Proctor cannot lie, so he confesses. His honesty keeps his integrity whole but damages his reputation. Later, Proctor is faced with another test, being forced to say he performed witchcraft to keep his life. Though he is tempted to lie to save his life, confessing falsely but staying alive, Proctor once again decides that this is an issue of integrity. Through his refusal to put his values aside to save himself in the end, we see his personal integrity shining through. Choosing honesty, and the utmost morals for Proctor is his way of maintaining his integrity.

Another character that is truthful and holds high moral values is Rebecca Nurse. Rebecca displays these assets by saying what’s on her mind and not being self-conscious of these attitudes. This is indicated in Act 1 of ‘The Crucible’ when she discusses the rumors of sorcery circling the town. She displays this quality specifically when giving her opinion on what the young girls are enduring. ‘A child’s spirit is like a child, you can never catch it; you must stand still, and, for love, it will soon itself come back’ (Act 1). This advice is based on her own experiences and is an example of her genuine beliefs. She trusts in the world, and her religion. At the end of the play, much like Proctor, Rebecca does not confess to witchcraft, accepting imprisonment and later, death. This is a true display of bravery and self-concern for the upkeep of her integrity.

It is clear that in ‘The Crucible’, the writer, Arthur Miller, has shown that preserving integrity requires strength and sometimes a risk of reputation. He linked this story back to McCarthyism and used inspirational characters and skillful stylistic features. Through this, he has taught his audience that honesty and following your morals are the utmost important factors in maintaining a virtuous honor.

Introduction

Arthur Miller’s play ‘Death of a Salesman’ explores the tragic downfall of Willy Loman, a middle-aged salesman who is consumed by his pursuit of the American Dream. Through a critical analysis of the play, we can examine the themes of disillusionment, the destructive nature of capitalism, and the impact of societal expectations on the individual.

Disillusionment and the American Dream

One of the central themes in ‘Death of a Salesman’ is the concept of disillusionment. Willy Loman’s relentless pursuit of the American Dream, the belief that anyone can achieve success through hard work and determination, ultimately leads to his downfall. As a salesman, Willy is constantly striving for material success and societal validation. However, as the play unfolds, it becomes evident that his dreams are based on false ideals.

The play criticizes the notion that the American Dream is attainable for everyone. Willy’s failure to achieve financial prosperity and the dissatisfaction he feels with his life exemplify the gap between the idealized vision of success and the harsh realities of the capitalist society. Miller portrays Willy as a victim of a system that places immense value on material wealth and success, leading to a sense of disillusionment and despair.

The Destructive Nature of Capitalism

Another critical aspect of ‘Death of a Salesman’ is its exploration of the destructive nature of capitalism. Willy’s relentless pursuit of material wealth is a reflection of the societal pressures and expectations imposed on individuals in a capitalist society. The play exposes the dehumanizing effects of capitalism, where success is measured solely in financial terms and personal worth is reduced to economic productivity.

Willy’s constant struggle to make a sale and his obsession with appearances highlight the inherent flaws and limitations of a capitalist system. The play challenges the idea that financial success equates to happiness and fulfillment, suggesting that the relentless pursuit of wealth can lead to the erosion of personal relationships, mental health issues, and a loss of identity.

Societal Expectations and the Individual

‘Death of a Salesman’ also delves into the impact of societal expectations on the individual. Willy Loman is trapped in a cycle of conformity, trying to meet the expectations placed upon him by society, his family, and himself. He believes that success and worth are defined by societal standards rather than personal fulfillment.

Through the character of Willy’s son Biff, Miller presents an alternative perspective. Biff rebels against societal expectations and seeks authenticity and personal meaning outside the confines of the capitalist framework. Biff’s rejection of the conventional definition of success serves as a critique of the narrow-mindedness of society and highlights the importance of self-discovery and individual authenticity.

Conclusion

In ‘Death of a Salesman,’ Arthur Miller offers a critical analysis of the American Dream, capitalism, and societal expectations. Through the character of Willy Loman, the play exposes the disillusionment and destructive nature of an elusive dream, the pitfalls of a capitalist society, and the impact of societal pressures on the individual.

Miller’s exploration of these themes serves as a cautionary tale, urging individuals to question the prevailing norms and values imposed upon them by society. The play invites the audience to reflect on the pursuit of happiness, the true meaning of success, and the importance of personal fulfillment over societal expectations.

In analyzing ‘Death of a Salesman,’ we gain insights into the human condition, the complexities of the American Dream, and the inherent flaws of a capitalist society. Miller’s critique challenges us to reevaluate our own beliefs and values, prompting us to prioritize authenticity, personal growth, and meaningful connections over the relentless pursuit of material success.