Themes in The Crucible Essay -- Essay on The Crucible

Themes in The CrucibleIn the crucible Arthur Miller takes the chill story of the Salemwitch hunt in 1692 and combines it with the issues of McCarthyism inthe 1950s. The play reflects Millers ideas and opinions aboutMcCarthyism and what he thinks are the similarities to the Salem witchhunts. monitoring device is the main character Millers uses to reflect theunfairness of the Salem and McCarthy trials and how the truth died inthe 1950s. This makes Proctors role very dramatic and fire.Miller also uses a dramatic licence to make this even more so addingthe love to Elizabeth and guilt about Abigail gives the story anintriguing twist.The whole nature of Proctor makes him an exciting and complexcharacter as a result this makes him entertaining to the interview andhis complexity keeps the audience enthralled throughout the play. Hispersonality is not boring or simple. He has a quick temper and isoften angry, it seems he cant control his feelings. turning on her,rifle in hand I will anat hemize her hotter than the oldest cinder inhell. This has the effect of exciting the audience and adds interest(not to mention tension with this particular line) but this line canhave the effect of qualification Proctor look like a bad person.Alternatively it could suggest that Proctor is human and has hisfaults, the audience would sympathise with this.Inside Proctor lacks self confidence, he was shamed when he had an liaison with Abigail. Proctor shows this when he says, I may blush formy sin, this line give the audience the impression that John realisesthat the affair was wrong, that is was a sin and he regrets it. Italso implies that he hasnt forgiven himself for what he did withAbigail and he still ... ...relevance to them.John Proctor is the character which the audience relate to and haveopinions about the most. They see him fight although he stands toloose everything and admire his courage. They see him battle againsthimself to sign a confession or set up the truth about Ab igail andrespect his conviction. They see him become almost a martyr or tragichero as he dies for his belief in the truth and his pride in his name.These things add drama, excitement, structure and interest to the plotof the Crucible. He has a fatal flaw, whether it be his pride,attraction to Abigail or trust in Elizabeth, but this means theaudience can relate to him. The Crucible is a story of Proctorspersonal tragedy but it also a story of the Salem witch hunt, and of McCarthyism. Miller strikes a balance between these things to get theplot which makes up the Crucible.