Background Information: The Crucible - Mr. Jackson`s Web-site

advertisement
Background Information:
The Crucible
Cooperative Activity

What do you know about The Crucible?

What do you know about the Salem Witch
Trials?
The Salem Witch Trials

A series of trials in which citizens were
accused of witchcraft

Considered a tragedy because so many
innocent people were accused and/or
killed
Why were there witch trials?

Colonial America was very religious


Government was based on religion
Witchcraft was a felony
Pact with the devil
 Making or doing the work of the devil
 Hanging was the sentence

In Europe witches were burned
 Most dangerous crime

The American Witch Trials


Started in Salem Village, Mass
March 1, 1692


Theories




Abigail Williams and another girl were having
symptoms of an unknown cause
Smallpox
Puberty
Food poisoning
Contributing factors

Fear of Indian attacks, God punishing them,
economic, political, social fears and feuds
The American Witch Trials cont’d

Last trial in the court of Oyer and Terminer
November 25, 1692
 Public support had waned
 Unreliable evidence
 Respected people were defending accused
 Spectral evidence was no longer sufficient

Governor Pelm
In November started the new courts
 Remaining not guilty
 Pardoned sentenced

How many died?
19 people hanged
 1 pressed
 13 may have died in prison


43 were “afflicted”
Arthur Miller (1915-2005)


Considered the most
celebrated American
playwright of the 2
decades following WWII
Specialized in
commentary on American
way of life, moral downfall
of ordinary individual, and
tragedy in modern terms
Miller’s Early Life
Born in New York (10/17/1915)
 Raised in Jewish middle-class family
 Moved to Brooklyn in 1929
 Intense athlete in high school
 Education

Graduated high school 1932
 Worked as shipping clerk and other odd jobs
 U of M

Miller’s Early Career
Joined Federal Theatre Project
 Wrote radio scripts
 Toured army camps
 First Broadway play- 1944
 First novel- 1945

Miller’s Mature and Later Career



All My Sons- 1947
Death of a Salesman- 1949
Politics





Left- wing supporter
1953 denied passport due to The Crucible
1956 accused of communism under House
Committee on Un-American Activities
Wrote After the Fall based on marriage to
Marilyn Monroe
Continued to publish, edit, and mentor
The Crucible
Setting- Salem, Mass 1692
 Themes

Hypocrisy
 Guilt
 Revenge
 Hysteria
 Authority
 Integrity and courage

Download