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The Crucible

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Doe 1

John Doe

Prof. Cronin

ENGL101 (30)

17 November 2009

The Crucible

One of the pieces of literature that I have truly enjoyed was the social commentary by Arthur Miller, The Crucible. Miller wrote the play in the early 50’s as a way to prove that the Second Red Scare, started by Senator Joseph McCarthy, was as barbaric and inhumane as the Salem Witch Trials, dating two and a half centuries back. During the 1950’s many people were wrongly accused of being traitors, and at the same time Communist, and thus were being blacklisted, jailed and deported. The term McCarthyism arose from that time period and is used describe the entire anti-communism philosophy in the United States. Miller cleverly compares the McCarthyism movement to the anti-witchcraft belief in the 1690’s, citing inhumane methods used to oust the ongoing hysteria. The four main characters in the play, John Proctor, Abigail Adams, Reverend Hale and Reverend Parris, are caught in the middle of the witchcraft panic in the pious Salem, Massachusetts in late 1690’s. John Proctor, being a regular farmer lives a simple life, with his quiet wife Elizabeth. However, he has an affair with the young and vindictive Abigail. Reverend Parris is Abigail's uncle, somewhat odd and many townspeople dislike him. Reverend Hale is a younger minister and witchcraft “expert” with good intentions and pure soul. He was the first one to understand how dangerous the hysteria has become. After Parris discovers his daughter, Betty, inert and lifeless in her bed, he calls for Reverend Hale and start to ask his niece, Abigail, if she knew anything. Abigail confesses that Doe 2 she, Betty and a few other girls were dancing at night near a fire with Parris’ slave, Tituba. Parris overreacts and thinks they’ve practiced witchcraft and sends for the witchcraft expert, Reverend Hale. After

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