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The Crucible, Act IV by Arthur Miller
Literary Analysis: Tragedy and Allegory
Tragedy is a dramatic form in which the main character—the tragic hero—is involved in a
struggle that ends in disaster. The hero is usually a well-respected person whose downfall comes
as a result of fate or a tragic flaw. The audience or readers feel sorry for the main character, who
usually learns something profound and displays honor or nobility at the end.
An allegory is a story with more than one layer of meaning: a literal meaning and one or more
symbolic meanings. The characters, setting, and themes in an allegory are symbols of ideas and
qualities that exist outside the story.
A. DIRECTIONS: Refer to Act IV of The Crucible as you answer the following questions.
1. Who is the tragic hero of The Crucible? How do you know?
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2. What is this character’s tragic flaw? How does it lead to his or her downfall?
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3. What does the hero learn at the end of the play? How does this affect his or her actions?
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B. DIRECTIONS: On the lines below, write a paragraph explaining how The Crucible is an
allegory. Identify both its literal meaning and its symbolic meaning. Then evaluate the
effectiveness of the play as an allegory and explain your assessment.
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Grade 11, Unit 5
1
ANSWERS
The Crucible, Act IV by Arthur Miller
Literary Analysis: Tragedy and Allegory
A.
1. John Proctor is the tragic hero because he is involved in a struggle that ends in disaster, is wellrespected in the community, and falls due to his pride and honor.
2. Proctor’s tragic flaws are that he committed adultery and that he is too proud to confess to a
crime he did not commit.
3. Proctor learns that he would rather die with honor by telling the truth than live a lie while
others die with the implication of witchcraft attached to their names. If he confesses, he realizes
that he makes them all look guilty by association.
B. The Crucible is an allegory because Miller uses one historical period and setting (seventeenthcentury New England) to comment on another (1950s America). The play is an allegory for
modern events. The Salem witch trials are an allegory for the anti-Communist hysteria of the
1950s “Red Scare.” The comparison is effective because in both cases people could be accused
with very little or no proof, and it was extremely difficult to defend oneself against the logical
fallacies inherent in the accusations.
Grade 11, Unit 5
2