Similarities between McCarthy Era and Play

The event similarities between Millers play; The Crucible and the historical 'McCarthy Era' are obvious. Along with the many other aspects of the play, key events from the McCarthy Era have been deliberately mirrored into a Salem setting. For instance, in the novel the witch-trails were a consequence of the girls not being willing to face the consequences from dancing in the wood. Instead, they blamed it on a superstition that the village feared greatly, witches. This is almost identical to the founding of the infamous McCarthy Era in the 1950s. The cold war had started between America and Russia and in 1949, America got news that Russia had successfully tested a RDS-1 nuclear weapon. Fear and hysteria spread through America that there was now a possibility of nuclear war. With the need of someone to blame, Joseph McCarthy, a sent in the United States declared that there was communist spies hiding in the government. This event, along with many others during the era are highlighted through Millers successful play.

Is proctor a hero?

John Proctor should not be classified a hero because his actions are done for pride, not heroic reasons. A hero is someone who has definite, unchanging morals and is willing to sacrifice himself for the benefit of others. Reverend Hale recognizes this John is not being heroic at the end of the play when he pleads with Elizabeth, “It is pride. It is vanity.” Proctor believes that telling one truth at the end of his life will save him from hell as he states, “Because I’m not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang!” John’s selfish reasoning in protecting himself for what is to come in the afterlife is masqueraded by the horrors of the witch trials so much that. This convinces the audience that just because he decides to die, that he is being heroic. In truth, Proctor holds too much pride that in the end leads to selfishness and an appearance of heroicness.  

Why do you think John Proctor decides to confess and then Why does he change his mind?

I think that John originally decides to confess because he simply wants to live. In the first bit of his conversation with Elizabeth he asks how the unborn child is going and if their sons are ok. Once he hears that they are healthy, he tells Elizabeth that he want’s to confess.

Though as they continue and Elizabeth does not bluntly tell him that she wants him to confess, John becomes more and more troubled on this decision. Elizabeth then goes on to say it was her fault but John refuses to believe it, and then suddenly says that he confesses. However, as soon as Harthorne and the other rejoice that he confesses, he suddenly pulls back, in what may seem to be regret. Hatherone cries, “He will confess! Proctor will confess!” then proctor strides up to he and cries back “Why do you cry it? It is evil, is it not? It is evil.” This shows that he suddenly does not believe that he himself has made the right decision and he is desperately asking Elizabeth for a confirmation or not, however all she replies is “I cannot judge you, John”

John continues desperately asking if it is the right thing to do – however he gets no reply, so while being confused and rushed in his mind, he continues on with confessing. He is again stressed on his decision as when he cannot face Rebecca when she arrives as he is confessing. This shows us the pain he is going through to lie and that it already seems to be breaking him.

He is directly on the breaking point when he eventually signs his name, much to he desperate pleas not to. Whist then being questioned whether the document is liable or not, John gives up and crumples the document, he then says to the men “I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor… white enough to keep it from such dogs.” I believe that he does this because he has finally understood what Elizabeth was trying to tell him, that if he could not live with himself by lying – he should keep to the truth and suffer the gallows

Elizabeth's Confrontation to John

I believe that on the outside Elizabeth wants John to confess, she loves him and does not want him to be dead. However, she knows (or most definitely believes) that if John confesses he will never forgive himself and he will be a changed man who is gloomy and that their conversation will be even more unconnected than before.
       We know that she does not want him to confess if he is never going to forgive himself when she does confront him and says; "There be no higher judge under Heaven than Proctor is!" (119) and when proctor asks her "I would have your forgiveness, Elizabeth" (119) and she replies "It is not for me to give"


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However she would add that he should only confess if he would be able to forgive himself. If he will not forgive himself after that then I am fairly sure she would tell him to keep to his honest word and have a little bit of self respect in himself when he is hanged. This rather than living a live full of regret.

       Proof at the end of the play shows how she believes that he would have rather died with a slight amount of self respect when she says "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!" (126)

"John, it come to naught that I should forgive you, if you'll not forgive yourself" (119) 

PG 116 Elizabeth's Reply to Danforth

DANFORTH [going to her]: Goody Proctor, you are not summoned here for disputation.

Be there no wifely tenderness within you? He will die with the sunrise. Your husband. Do you understand it? [She only looks at him.] What say you? Will you contend with him? [She is silent.] Are you stone? I tell you true, woman, had I no other proof of your unnatural life, your dry eyes now would be sufficient evidence that you delivered up your soul to Hell! A very ape would weep at such calamity! Have the devil dried up any tear of pity in you? [She is silent.] Take her out. It profit nothing she should speak to him!

ELIZABETH [lifting herself up off the chair as if a sudden urge of power and anger had come over her]: Yes Danforth, I understand that my husband is to die at sunrise, [emphases on the I] I understand all too well, I do not cry because I'm stone or the devil has dammed me, I’ave spoken to no devil, whether you believe it or not, I don’t cry because my tears will mean nothin’ to you selfish oafs! [She gasps for a breath and her shoulders and head falls, the men are staring at her, captivated by her sudden burst. HALE looks at her with pity and comfort, ELIZABETH rises her head and meets eyes with HALE who nods and ELIZABETH turns back to DANFORTH, she sighs and continues, more calmly this time] My husband is a good man, and he never forgives himself for his wrongs, he is too proud. [her voice beginning to falter and return to a quiet]  I-I cannot be judge of the wrong he has done. Only he can do that. But yes, I will try and talk to him. If you will let me you’re Excellency. 

PARRIS [with hope]: You'll strive with him?... 

What Attitude does Arthur Miller take to the belief in the devil/evil spirits?

In the introduction to Reverend Hale, Arthur Miller describes why he believes, the devil or similar evil spirits have be created and how it has been so easy for people to believe in them. Miller believes that the Christian church created a "hostile" like underworld "hostile" and further used the devil as "a weapon designed... to whip men into a surrender to a particular church or church state," thus increasing the churches power. However, the ideas the church conveyed, of a God representing anything good and the Devil being the ultimate reason behind any wrongdoing is what Miller believes had made it so easy for people to believe in the church. Miller states, "It is as impossible for most men to conceive of a morality without sin as of an earth without sky." In which he explains how, as humans, we look for balance by separating good from bad, and through God and the Devil, humans are able to orginise these good and bad reasonings to a creation source.  "The actions and deeds... society felt comfortable in judging. The secret intent of an action was left to the ministers, priests, and rabbits to deal with." This is further expressed in the play as the leaders claim that witchcraft is what caused the girls to act strangely, the rest of the village is immediately convinced for they do not understand any other reason. So throughout this introduction, Miller is able to convey his attitude to how the christian church successfully brought in the belief of the devil and witchcraft and how society craves and links any moral ideas to that aspect. 

Character Analysis

HomeworkTask:

Choose twocharacters - one to whom you respond positively and one to you respondnegatively. What aspects of the text have positioned you to respond this way?You may want to consider representations, characterization and voice. Quote in support.

Positive Character: John Proctor

John’s character is appeals to the audience through his personal moral ethics and his less biblical run, way of living. Proctor is described as being “powerful of body, even-tempered, and not easily led…In proctor’s presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly.” When Proctor first makes an appearance on stage, after the girls left, Abigail tries to convince him to love her again. Thus, the audience becomes aware that they have shared a secret relationship, however Proctor broke it off, most likely in accordance with his morals. However, determined, Abigail continues to push him, finally she gets Proctor to confess that he still has feelings for her, however he tells her; “Abby, O may think ofyou softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reachfor you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.” Abigail continues,yet stops when Reverend Parrish enters. The adults begin to argue whether this is witchcraft or not, yet the argument leads astray and they begin to argue about land rights. Throughout all, Proctor is able to appear superior to therest of them and morally correct.

Negative Character: Abigail

The character Abigail invokes a negative response to her because of her selfish and demanding nature. We know that she is a violent character from the start of the play as when she “[smashes her [betty] across the face]: Shut it! Now shut it!” as she hits Betty for announcing that Abigail had drunken blood. An introduction within the script of Abigail’scharacter states; “a strikingly beautiful girl, an orphan, with an endlesscapacity for dissembling. Now she is all worry and apprehension and propriety”and as the Act progresses, she takes command of the other girls who were found dancing and chanting in the forest and threatens them to keep to the story. As character, John Procter enters the play; we realize that they have had a relationship, howeverdue to Procter’s moral ethics, he has asked Abigail to forget about it. Neverthe less, Abigail continues to persuade Procter to come back to her and leavehis wife, who we know she drank blood in order to curse her.

As the adults of the village attempt to accuse Abigail of witchcraft, she, after failed attempts of denying it, reverts the blame to Tituba, who she accuses offorcing her and Betty to perform in the practices in the forest. Tituba then says that it was not she, but she had seen other women who were apparently in alliance with the devil, or witches. Once Tituba begins accusing women, Abigail straight away joins in, claiming to want to open herself, but then accuses Mrs. Procter (John’s wife) and a series of other women of witchcraft. This selfishand lying nature causes the audience to have a dislike to the character of Abigail because of her actions and further reasons behind them.