Humanities Meeting 6
Tosspon
(of awesomeness… and doom)
Agenda
• The Hunger Games Chpts 10-12
– Ashley, Angie, Brandy, Mindy
• The Crucible
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–
–
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History
Art
Drama
Literature
The Play!
The Movie!
Who are these
people and what
do you think is
happening?
Jot some notes
about: clothing,
items, setting,
facial expressions,
and lifestyle.
What careers do
you think these
characters have?
Image Reproduced Courtesy of Peabody Essex Museum,
Massachusetts
Illustration (Neg# 19927), "Arresting a Witch"
Who are these
people and what
do you think is
happening?
Now look at the
title of the
illustration.
Is this what you
thought the
illustration was all
about?
Image Reproduced Courtesy of Peabody Essex Museum,
Massachusetts
Illustration, "Arresting a Witch"
THE CRUCIBLE
Historical Context and Literary Merit
• Arthur Miller “this play is not history”
• Dependent on historical events
for its story.
– Changed names, ages, and combined
people to reduce character #’s
Two periods of American history.
• 17th century Salem Witch Trials
• McCarthyism and the RED
SCARE of the 1950s.
– History is cyclical and repeats itself.
– He claims that McCarthyism was nothing
more than a modern-day WITCH HUNT.
PURITAN LIFE AND RELIGION
• Protestant Religious group from England
• Migrated to avoid Church of England influence
• The Puritans were pilgrims, but not all pilgrims
were Puritans.
• Settled in towns in coastal Massachusetts just
slightly north of Boston.
The Puritan Way:
Protestant Reformation
• Rejected the rituals and
extravagant buildings of
the major denominations
in Europe.
• Emphasized individual
conscience before God
• Rejected the dogmas of
organized religion.
• Led by
John Locke
(1632-1701)
• “Separatists” reject the organized
denominations' claims of authority.
• Church of England Separatists
made up one small group, which
began breaking away as early as
the 16th Century.
• Presbyterian Church
– Also Baptists.
• Every denomination in Europe
hated and
persecuted the
Puritans.
The Puritan Way: Religion
• Chosen by God for a special purpose.
• Must live every moment in a God-fearing
manner.
The Sabbath
• Required to read the Bible
– it was thought that they were
worshiping the devil.
• No labor, not even sewing,
could be done on Sabbath.
– food had to be cooked and
clothes ready day before!
• The Sabbath began
at sundown the night before,
and the evening was spent
in prayer and Bible study.
The Puritan Way: Strict Order
• Church = small bare building.
• Men sat on one side, the women sat on the other
– The boys sat together in a designated pew where they
were expected to sit in complete silence.
• Deacons, front row below the pulpit
– the first pew was the one of
highest dignity.
• Servants and slaves
near the door, into a loft,
or a balcony.
The Service
• Minister’s prayer, 1 hr
• NO music or Celebrating
•
Strict Order in the Church
• After the prayer
• A 2-4 hour emotional sermon
– without restroom breaks or intermissions.
– Full of terrible warnings of sin and
punishment.
• Deacons poke anyone misbehaving
with a staff.
• Unheated churches
Puritans: Salem Witch Trials
• NOT TYPICAL
– In 400+ years of
Puritan history
only two such
incidents.
• In Europe such
trials were
common.
– All religions
“hunted” witches
Puritan intolerance:
• Intolerance for others/beliefs
• freedom of religion?
– Only when Roman
Catholics in
Pennsylvania
called for it
Salem, Massachusetts and the History
of Witchcraft
• Salem, Mass. in 1692.
• Actually occurred in “Salem Village”
– (Danvers, then a parish of Salem Town).
Witchcraft in Salem
• Residents of Salem Village believed in
witches and in witchcraft.
• Witchcraft was “entering into a compact
with the devil in exchange for certain
powers to do evil.”
• Witchcraft = a sin
and a crime;
Witchcraft in Salem, 1692
• Reverend Samuel Parris’s daughter and Abigail
Williams started having fits of convulsion,
screaming, and hallucination.
• A doctor examined the
girls and concluded that
the only explanation for
these bizarre behaviors
was witchcraft.
Witchcraft in Salem
• A recently published book of
the time detailed the
symptoms of witchcraft; the
girls’ fits were much like
those described in the book.
• Therefore, the Puritans of
Salem were quick to believe
the doctor’s diagnosis.
Witchcraft in Salem
• The girls pointed
fingers at Tituba
(the Parris’
slave), Sarah
Good, and Sarah
Osborn, which
sparked a witch
hunt.
Witchcraft Trials in Salem
• 8 months of terror
–
–
–
–
150+ people imprisoned
27 people convicted
19 hanged
1 pressed to death.
• Most accused were women.
– Healers, and used plants to heal
people.
– without family, and this
made them easy targets.
• People who did not fit in with
the mainstream
• Hysteria Snowballed
Evidence?
• “spectral evidence.”
– If someone said they had seen the accused with
the devil in a dream, or that the accused had
visited them in the night, or had hurt them, it
was taken as evidence that the devil was at work.
Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”
during the 1950s - the Communist hysteria of the
era.
People thought there were “Commies”
everywhere
Senator Joseph McCarthy
HOUSE UNAMERICAN
ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE
(HUAC)
The Crucible’s Literary Merit:
Important Concepts
PROTEST LITERATURE:
(n) literature with a
specific political or social
aim, an intention to raise
awareness or bring about
change. (Merriam-Webster on-line)
Arthur Miller’s intention was
to emphasize the injustice
of the McCarthy trials by
relating them to a time in
history that everyone
accepts as morally and
legally unjust.
ALLEGORY: (n) the
expression, by means of
symbolic fictional figures
and actions, of truths or
generalizations about
human existence.
(Merriam-Webster on-line)
Arthur Miller wrote the play
as a political and social
allegory for McCarthyism.
His characters and
events represent
historical truths.
Analysis of “The Crucible”
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•
•
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Analysis of Title
Tone
Point of View
Language
Setting
Character
Theme
Analyzing Drama
What does “The crucible” mean?
Crucible =
1.
a vessel of a very refractory material (as
porcelain) used for melting and calcining a
substance that requires a high degree of heat
2.
a severe test
3.
a place or situation in which concentrated
forces interact to cause or influence change or
development
The title is a metaphor for the a container full of
violent reactions, like Salem, or 50’s America!
Tone
• Towards the subject of witch trials and
witch-hunts, and towards the characters
that perpetuate them, is unequivocally
critical.
• He is sympathetic towards individual
characters who are the victims, such as
the Proctors or Rebecca Nurse.
Point of View
• Third person omniscient
• inserts himself into the play
– describe characters
– tell us what we should think about them
• Judge Hathorne is a bitter man.
• In addition, each inserted stage direction
indicates exactly what a character is
thinking or feeling.
• The narrator is able to jump into any
character’s mind at any given moment.
Language
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• Convincingly old fashioned, without being hard to understand.
– Carries echoes of the King James Bible
• Vocabulary is essentially modern
– apart from a few archaic terms - 'harlot' and 'poppet‘
• Linking words in an unusual way, using double negatives,
changing verb tenses, and other devices of the same kind.
• Here are some examples:
“He cannot discover no medicine for it in his books;”
“I know you have not opened with me;”
“Seeing I do live so closely with you, they dismissed it;”
“I am thirty-three time in court in my life;”
“He give me nine pound damages;”
“You wonder yet if rebellion's spoke?”
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Setting
• Salem, Massachusetts, 1692.
• Puritans: believed in black-and-white lines
between good and evil.
– The powers of darkness were real forces to
them, which could wreak havoc and
destruction on society if unleashed.
– “Theocracy,” God was the true leader of
society, and he expressed his will through the
actions of men and women.
• Strict religious theology became twisted
and led to the death of innocent people.
Assignment: Character
• Use the handout
• Research – your character!
– Who are you in the play
– Who was your character in real life?
Theme
• A theme is an idea developed or
explored throughout a text.
Assignment: Themes
• Read your theme packet.
• Individuals each take notes.
• After each paragraph, discuss with
group.
– Each person say at least 1 thing they
learned or found interesting.
• Analyze – what did you learn from this?
– How do you use quotes to prove a point?
Themes
Main Menu
The
individual
v. authority
Fear
Integrity
Themes
The
corruption
of justice
Click on the theme you wish to explore
Mass
hysteria
The individual v. authority
• John and Rebecca are not standing up for individual
rights
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• Salem villagers believe in witches & infallibility of the
Bible.
• What the victims oppose is the abuse of power.
• Religion: Protestant Reformation = theocratic ('god-ruled')
system.
– Laws based on the authority of the Bible
– The Church used them to control every aspect of people's lives.
• Modern idea: religious belief is a matter of private
conscience would have been considered blasphemous.
• 17th C New England moving towards a more tolerant and
diversified society
– change stirred up great social tensions.
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The individual v. authority
cont…
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The Reformation had made people more responsible for
their own salvation. It substituted public disapproval for
the penances of the Catholic Church. Yet the wealthier
frequently escaped punishment. Why? In The Crucible,
Mrs Putnam is never disciplined for using witchcraft to
find out who 'killed' her babies.
In Act 1 (pp. 33-5, ‘I have trouble enough ... He says
there's a party), John Proctor shows his resentment when
Parris criticizes his infrequent church attendance. He is
absent for practical reasons - Elizabeth's illness, his own
work, and no doubt the ten-mile walk. He feels Parris does
not deserve respect. Rebecca, more obedient, knows that
Parris is unworthy, but is still shocked by John's remarks
(p. 35). Reverend Hale later reprimands him for daring to
question Parris's God-given authority (p. 63).
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The individual v. authority
cont…
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•
Act 2 demonstrates the helplessness of people who try to stand
up for their rights in a theocratic state. Once the witch hunt has
started, the potential for conflict escalates. Anyone who doubts the
so-called evidence is questioning God's will. The judges' handling of
the trial relates more to corruption of justice. They cling so inflexibly to
their point of view that law-abiding characters like Rebecca and
Francis Nurse are pushed into defiance. Even Hale, an establishment
figure, finds he is unable to ignore his conscience. He finally
denounces the court. Those whose honesty is stronger than their fear
of death inevitably destroy themselves. Rebecca refuses to damn her
soul with a lie; Giles values his land more than his life, and willingly
accepts a horrible death.
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Fear
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Fear is a dominant emotion in The Crucible. Mr Parris is afraid that his
rebellious parishioners will use Betty's strange illness to oust him from
his position; Abigail fears that Reverend Hale will find out what she did
in the forest; so she embarks on an elaborate hoax that almost
destroys the village. Ashamed to confess his affair with Abigail, John
Proctor speaks up too late. This is only to say that the villagers of
Salem are like people everywhere - they have secrets to hide and
worry about their reputations.
The unique feature that drew Miller to Salem was the fear that
erupted there in 1692. Puritans believed that the Devil was constantly
working to tempt human beings away from God. At the end of the play,
Tituba is waiting for Satan to transport her to the singin'and dancinin
Barbados (p. 108). All other references to witchcraft are connected
with fear, suspicion, and the collapse of normal social values. The
stricken community can no longer defend itself or protect vulnerable
individuals.
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Fear cont…
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•
There are two types of accusation in the play. The first comes from
characters seeking revenge or exploiting the panic for personal gain.
Others pass on the blame for their misfortunes, but they are not
necessarily malicious. Irrational fear deludes them into believing whatever
they are told. (No one ever stops to ask why Rebecca should want to
harm Mrs Putnam's babies.) Think of examples of these types of
behaviour.
•
•
In both the McCarthy trials and the Salem witch-hunt, victims could
escape punishment if they denounced others.
•
Tituba is the first to be interrogated. Mr Putnam's threat of hanging
produces the desired answer, and thereafter the demoralized slave
repeats any names suggested to her. Miller builds a prolonged scene
around this minor character to show exactly how the prosecutors went
about their business. Tituba represents all that were terrified into naming
the 'witches'.
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Fear cont…
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The pressures of irrational fear are most vividly illustrated in their
effects on Mary Warren. Mary is terrified from the moment she steps
inside the court, but she bears up well under cross-examination.
Encouraged by Proctor, she refuses to withdraw her claim that the girls
are fraudulent, even when bullied by Judge Hathorne. Yet she begins to
crumple as soon as Abigail sets the girls loose on her. Within minutes,
Mary is caught up in their hysteria and she disintegrates. In her final
moments on stage, she rushes for protection to the very person
responsible for her ordeal.
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The Corruption of Justice
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•
A fair trial in Salem is made impossible by the close links between
church and State. Those who interpret God's laws do not imagine
themselves capable of human error. As a clergyman in a theocratic society
(one where the church writes the laws), Mr Hale is allowed to speak on
behalf of the state, although he has no legal training.
•
Reverend Hale discovers the first Witch - Tituba - without any judicial
enquiry at all. It is through him that Abigail and her followers become linked
to the court as official witch-finders. “The entire contention of the state ... is
that the voice of Heaven is speaking through the children,” Danforth tells
Proctor. Yet the haphazard nature of the accusations leaves them wide open
to abuse by people like Thomas Putnam.
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Corruption of Justice cont..
•
During the trials, Danforth manipulates both defendants and legal
procedure to suit his purpose. He never attempts to look at probabilities, or
weigh the defendants' motives. He allows Hathorne to score points based on
sheer verbal trickery – “How do you know, then, that you are not a witch?”
Danforth does the same himself when he entraps Elizabeth into lying to save
her husband's reputation. He also uses leading questions to get the answers
that suit him (though not always successfully).
•
The greatest injustice in the whole conduct of the witch trials is that the
inquisitors offer a reprieve to those that confess, provided they name other
suspects. Proctor points out the obvious consequences to Hale, but the
minister refuses to face the truth. So the witch-hunt swells to an enormous
size and infects other parts of the province. The nightmare only ends when
the whole community is on the brink of revolt.
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Mass Hysteria
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•
Mass hysteria does not have to involve hysterical
behaviour in the ordinary sense. The phrase describes what
happens when the same strong emotion grips a large group of
people. Most of us have experienced it in milder forms. When
we cheer on our favourite team, or go 'clubbing', feeling part of
the crowd intensifies our emotion.
•
•
There is another side to the phenomenon. When fear and
prejudice spread through a community, they become self
reinforcing and their effect on individuals is enormously
magnified. In The Crucible, the behaviour of both adolescents
and adults is a powerful demonstration of this reality.
Everything happens against a background of ongoing quarrels
that have never been settled. In Act 1, several random
circumstances combine to provoke the disaster. The girls'
reaction when their expedition to the forest is found out leads
to the suspicion of witchcraft; Mr Hale is eager to try out his
skills; Mrs Putnam has never stopped grieving for her dead
babies, and uses the crisis to find a scapegoat.
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Mass Hysteria cont…
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•
The people of Salem are possessed, not by demons but by Mass
Hysteria. By the end of Act 1, the adults have succumbed to their fear that
the Devil and his witches are trying to destroy Salem. The only two strong
enough to resist - Rebecca and John Proctor have left the stage. This is the
first of the play's biting ironies: the people who are possessed are not the
innocent victims, but the accusers (and later, the judges), who all fall prey to
the hysteria created by Abigail.
•
•
Once the hysteria is established, it triggers almost every incident in the
play. We know that common sense has lost when we hear about the arrest
of so widely respected a person as Rebecca Nurse.
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Mass Hysteria cont…
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•
The girls' unpredictable behaviour is both a symbol of the hysteria
infecting society and a dramatization of that hysteria in action. So, too, is the
gullibility of the adults who swallow the girls' accusations. Notice how
skilfully Miller leads up to his two scenes of 'possession', the first engineered
by Abigail to save her own skin, and the second a full-blown demonstration
of mass hysteria in action.
•
•
At the end of Act 1, we see Abigail whipping Betty Parris into a state of
hysteria as she begins a campaign to save her own skin and, later, to
destroy Elizabeth Proctor. In Act 2 we hear about the girls' increasing power,
but only through description. Wherever Abigail walks, “the crowd will part like
the sea for Israel … and if [her followers] scream and howl and fall to the
floor - the person's clapped in the jail for bewitchin' them.” At some point Miller does not say when - the girls' fraud takes them over and they can no
longer help their behaviour. The playwright skilfully holds back the second
scene of possession until the moment of maximum impact the terrifying
climax to Act 3.
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Mass Hysteria cont…
•
In Act 3 Mary tells Danforth “It were only sport in the beginning, sir.” It is
clear that after a while she was carried along by mass hysteria and no longer
fully in contyrol of herself.
•
Miller leaves open the question of how many girls were similarly
affected and when this happened. Abigail alone knows exactly what she is
doing; she controls the court officials as tightly as she controls her followers.
She is confident enough to threaten Judge Danforth. “Think you to be so
mighty that the power of hell may not turn your wits.”
•
Danforth thunders at Mary, “You will confess yourself or you will hang”,
but Abigail instinctively moves on to something far more sinister. Mary
ceases to exist in human form when Abigail 'sees' her in the yellow bird
perched on a roof beam. She avoids all rational questioning by whipping the
girls into a frenzy of fear and hysteria.
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Integrity
•
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John Proctor's progress to self-awareness represents a major
theme running throughout Miller's work. In Miller's thinking, moral
honesty cannot be separated from a commitment to society.
•
•
In Act 4, the hero cries out, 'God in Heaven, what is John
Proctor?'(p. 120) He finds his answer during his final moments on earth.
As in several other Miller plays, the central figure must come to terms
with the consequences of past actions. In The Crucible's opening
scenes, Proctor takes little interest in the outbreak of hysteria at Salem.
He is a busy farmer living five miles from the meeting house, and his
irritation with Parris has kept him away from church services. Perhaps
we should also give him credit for trying to keep away from Abigail,
even if his efforts are not successful.
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Integrity cont…
We see him next in his domestic surroundings, ashamed of his
adultery but also resentful that his wife will not accept his sincere
repentance. His refusal to meddle in village affairs follows from a
very natural reluctance to publicize his adultery. (It later turns out
that at least one of Abigail's friends knows about it.) At this stage,
John's practical reasons for standing aloof also give him a pretext
for evading social responsibility.
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When the witch-hunters invade his home and arrest his wife, he is
forced to become involved. In the court scenes, John rises above
his own fears and resentment to argue as well as he can for common
sense and reason. We see his growing social involvement when he
turns down the chance to save Elizabeth by abandoning his friends
and their wives. Yet his plan of action still depends on making
someone else take responsibility - Mary Warren. Only when this
hope collapses does he tell the full truth, regardless of
consequences.
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Integrity cont…
•
bac
k
Act 4 concentrates almost wholly on this theme. John faces a final
temptation to retreat into dishonesty and save his life. His new found
closeness with Elizabeth increases his agony. At first he uses his own
guilt to escape the gallows, but under Danforth's relentless pressure he
arrives at a clear view of what his choice must be. He manages to
accept and forgive his own imperfections. Discovering his 'core' and
identity, John can at last take charge of his life, neither rejecting social
involvement nor handing over his conscience to someone else.
•
•
Irony is often used in The Crucible to emphasize the irrationality of
the witch-hunt. That John Proctor's life-affirming choice should lead to
death is the greatest irony of the play.
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Integrity cont…
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Two other characters, Reverend Hale and Elizabeth, take a
similar path to self-awareness. Elizabeth perceives that her own
physical coldness was partly responsible for the affair between
Abigail and her husband. However, this is a dramatic device to
allow John Proctor to come to terms with himself. We have no
clue as to how Elizabeth will deal with her knowledge after
John's death.
In the final Act, Hale is full of remorse for supporting the
witch-hunt. Preaching a doctrine that is the exact opposite of
his former beliefs, he urges the prisoners to lie in order to save
themselves. This desperate attempt to appease his conscience
brings him no comfort. He is a man broken by guilt; there is no
indication that he will ever recover.
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Characterization
The pivotal scene depends on what we already know of the central
characters.
Establish the characters of John Elizabeth and Abigail. Explain
how we know of John and Elizabeth’s strength, goodness and
honesty, and how we know of Abigail’s wickedness – give examples
of each.
Explain the conflict between John and Elizabeth. Show how this
involves us with the characters / increases their complexity. (Do
not discuss the central scene itself).
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Assignment: Structure
The structure of the play has brought us from the private
settings of Parris’s and the Proctors’ homes in Act One and Two
where the rumours and accusations began and spread, to the
public setting of the Courtroom where John intends to end them.
Explain how Miller uses Danforth (and his instructions to the
rest of the cast) to intensify the Dramatic Irony created in this
scene and how this increases your enjoyment / involvement.
Explain how Elizabeth’s answer changes hope to despair and sets
in motion the subsequent ruination of everyone’s plans in the final
Act.
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Assignment: Theme
The strongest theme in this scene and the play as a whole
comes from Miller’s experience of McCarthyism in the 1950’s
(do not go into detail but … In focusing on the corruption of
justice Miller is clearly satirising the injustice of the
McCarthy hearings).
Explain how unjust the court’s handling of suspects is – leading
questions, verbally trickery etc. - focusing in particular on
Danforth’s handling of the central scene.
Explain how Miller uses John’s bravery in the final scene to
show that the corruption of justice should always be opposed.
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Assignment
Conclusion
Sum up (don’t just state!) how Miller has used convincing
characters in a carefully structured plot to create a
moment of extreme tension (Elizabeth’s unfair trial)
which affects all subsequent action and makes us consider
our own attitudes towards the central theme of the
corruption of justice.
Try to end on a final thought.
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Arthur Miller
•
•
1915-2005
American Playwright and Writer
•
In 1953 he wrote The Crucible, which uses the Salem witchcraft trials of
1692 to attack the anti-communist “witch hunts” of the 1950s.
•
He believed the hysteria surrounding the witch craft trials in Puritan
New England paralleled the climate of McCarthyism – Senator Joseph
McCarthy’s obsessive quest to uncover communist party infiltration of
American institutions.
•
After the publication of the The Crucible, Miller himself was investigated
for possible associations with the communist party.
•
He refused to give information regarding his colleagues and was found
guilty of contempt of court. His sentence was later overturned.
Abigail Williams
• Orphaned niece of Reverend
Parris
• She was once the mistress of
John Proctor but was turned out
when his wife discovered the
affair.
• She is extremely jealous of
Elizabeth Proctor and uses her
power in the town to rid herself of
Elizabeth as well as any others
who have insulted her in the
past.
• She cannot let go of her
obsession with Proctor.
• She is the leader of the girls.
John Proctor
• Husband to Elizabeth
• He had an affair with Abigail
when she was employed in his
household.
• He knows that the girls are
pretending but cannot tell what
he knows without revealing
having been alone with Abigail.
When
• Abigail uses her influence to
convict his wife, he tries to tell
the truth and finds himself
condemned.
• He refuses to admit to
witchcraft or to consider Abigail
as anything more than a liar.
• He is hanged.
Elizabeth Proctor
• Wife of John Proctor
• She discovered an affair
going on between her
husband and Abigail
Williams and turned
Abigail out of her house.
• She is Abigail's main
target but is saved from
hanging because of her
pregnancy.
• She feels responsible for
driving her husband to
infidelity.
Tituba
• Servant to the Parris
household
• She is a native of
Barbados.
• She is enlisted by
Ruth Putnam and
Abigail to cast spells
and create charms.
• When Abigail turns
on her to save herself
from punishment,
Tituba confesses to
all and saves herself.
Reverend Parris
• Pastor of the church
in Salem
• He is the father of
Betty and the uncle of
Abigail Williams.
• He believes that he is
being persecuted and
that the townspeople
do not respect his
position as a man of
God.
Deputy Governor Danforth
• He seems to feel
particularly strongly
that the girls are
honest.
• He is sensitive to the
presence of the devil
and reacts
explosively to
whatever evidence is
presented.
The Girls
•
Betty Parris- Daughter of the
Reverend, cousin to Abigail
Williams. She is a weak girl who goes
along with her cousin as soon as she is
threatened.
•
Susanna Walcott-One of the
girls. She is initially sent between
Parris and Dr. Griggs to determine the
cause of Betty's ailment. She is easily
guided by Abigail.
•
Mercy Lewis- Servant to the Putnam
household. She is a merciless girl who
seems to delight in the girls' activities.
•
Mary Warren-Servant to the Proctor
household. Abigail uses her to
effectively accuse Elizabeth. John
Proctor takes Mary to the court to
confess that the girls are only
pretending. She is not strong enough
to fight Abigail and as soon as Abigail
leads the other girls against her, Mary
caves and runs back to her side by
accusing Proctor himself.
Drama Basics
Drama Basics (cont’d)
American Drama
• Drama is probably the most difficult form of writing.
• A play is not finished in the same way that a poem or
novel is because after it is written, it still needs to be
brought to life on a stage.
• A play primarily engages the enthusiasm of directors,
actors, and technicians through the story.
• The playwright makes the audience concerned for a
character by focusing on a conflict that involves
something important to the characters.
• The protagonist of a play is the major character who
usually drives the action forward.
• Exposition gives the audience background
information.
• Most of the plays that are produced in the United
States today are produced with the hope that they
will make money.
Click on the
parts of the
picture that
you would
like to
explore in
more detail.
When you
have
finished
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HTD68835 The Witches Sabbath, 1606 by Frans II,
The Younger Francken, (1581-1642),
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK, (Out of Copyright)
Potions
Medicine, or poison in
liquid form.
Incense
This provides a fragrant
smell when burnt.
Q. When you go back to
the main picture try and
spot where and in what
the potions are being
mixed together?
Q. Why do you think that incense is being burnt?
Click here for a
clue.
Demons
An evil spirit or devil.
Many people thought
witchcraft to be the work
of the Devil.
Some pets were thought
to be demons, or familiars.
These could disguise
themselves as common
animals such as cats, dogs,
frogs or rabbits.
Remember how important religion was at this time.
Skull –
The skeleton of the head.
These were often used in
paintings as reminders of
death and the afterlife.
Could they provide a link with
the dead and spirits from
beyond the grave?
Q. What are the skulls lying on?
Q. What has been put with
them?
Consider how superstitious people were at this time.
Witch
Somebody who practices magic (in this
case ‘dark’ forms of magic.
It was thought at this time that witches
were sometimes accompanied by a a devil
or ‘familiar’ spirit.
Lots of witches together are called a
coven.
Do you expect
a witch to look
like this?
Q. What do you find strange about
the two witches at the front of the
picture?
Q. What do you find strange about
the appearance of this witch ?
Cauldron
A large round pot made of
metal which is used for
boiling food.
Cauldrons could also be
used for mixing potions….
(When you go back to the painting look
at the fireplace)
Q. Can you link this with any
other part of the picture?
(Clue: Go back and look on the shelves)
Witch
When people think of witches
they tend to think that they
will be female.
Men were also accused of
witchcraft. A male witch is
sometimes called a Warlock –
a wizard or sorcerer.
Q. Are all of those present within
this painting female?
A Familiar
This was thought to be an evil spirit that
had taken on the form of an animal
Familiars could even look
like common pets!
Q. How many creatures
can you see in the picture?
Q. Describe some of
these creatures.
A Spell book
Contained incantations, chants and spells
Sprites
Supernatural beings or the
souls of people. They can
sometimes take on a ghostly
appearance.
Levitation
Rising into the air using
supernatural powers.
Could this be a reference to Doctor
Faustus (made famous in a play by
Christopher Marlowe in 1604)?
Ask your teacher about this.
Factors Leading to McCarthyism:
•
Although the Soviet Union and the United States
had been allies during World War II, their alliance
quickly unraveled once they had defeated their
common enemy.
•
In the U.S., after WWII, many Americans felt that
China and Eastern Europe had been “lost” to the
Soviets.
•
Russia acquired the atomic bomb. By reason of the
Soviets’ atomic testing, together with the thought
that spies had stolen American ideas and given
Russia the bomb, many feared that Russian
communism posed a great threat to America. Some
feared the Truman administration was not vigilant
enough in eliminating this threat of communism.
•
The political unrest of a post-war society, a rising
uneasiness with a change in “American values” and
a fear of moral DECADENCE, and widespread
intolerance were all factors leading to THE GREAT
SCARE of communism.
Harry s. Truman
33rd President of the United
States
in office from
April 12, 1945 – January 20,
1953
(Oakley)
McCarthyism
• McCarthyism is the term used to describe a
period of intense suspicion in the United States
during the early 1950s.
• It began when Senator Joseph McCarthy, a U.S.
senator from Wisconsin, claimed that communists
had infiltrated the Department of State.
• A special House Committee on Un-American
Activities was formed to investigate allegations of
communism.
• During this period, people from all walks of life
became the subjects of aggressive “witch hunts”
often based on inconclusive, questionable
evidence.
McCarthyism
• Persons accused of being communists were
often denied employment in both the public and
private sector.
• In the film industry alone, over 300 actors,
writers, and directors were denied work in the
U.S.
• American writer, Arthur Miller, was one of those
alleged to have been “blacklisted.”
McCarthyism
• Influence finally faltered in
1954
• Edward R. Murrow, CBS
newsman
• investigative news report
• revealed McCarthy as
dishonest in his speeches
and abusive in his
interrogation of witnesses.
• The public was finally made
aware of how McCarthy
was ruining the reputations
of many individuals through
false accusations of
communism.
Edward R. Murrow
Joseph McCarthy’s Reputation
• Joseph McCarthy, a republican senator
from Wisconsin, spent his first three years
in office “undistinguished.”
• Some described him as a “lazy and
ineffectual senator, and an easy captive
for any lobbyist willing to put a few extra
bucks into his personal or political bank
account.”
• He sought fame and power.
• His political career was fading, until he
used the charged political climate to boost
that career.
A Political Bombshell
On February 9, 1950, Republican
senator Joseph McCarthy dropped a
political bombshell. McCarthy gave a
speech at the Republican Women's Club
of Wheeling, West Virginia, in which he
attacked the Truman administration and
claimed to have a long list of
Communists in the State Department. No
one in the press actually saw the names
on the list, but McCarthy's announcement
made the national news.
(Schulz)
McCarthy and the House Un-American
Activities Committee (HUAC) worked to
root out all Communist sympathizers in
the country. He began an investigation
into the lives of citizens who appeared to
have communist ideals. He held public
trials and encouraged FEAR and
PARANOIA.
(New Rep On Tour)
McCarthy’s Rise to Power
•
It is widely accepted that McCarthy made up these accusations solely to
AGGRANDIZE his political power. In fact, he often changed the number of
people accused because he could not remember what he stated in
previous speeches. The number of government officials in Truman’s
administration accused of being “card-carrying members of the communist
party” went from 205 to 136 to 57 to 81.
•
Many people were willing to believe his charges without evidence because
people wanted to feel secure. His focus on weeding out corruption made
people feel that someone was doing something to keep them safe.
•
McCarthy became the most sought-after public speaker in America. He
was named one of Washington’s most eligible bachelors. His office was
flooded with donations to help his cause of eliminating the communist
threat. At one point, he received an average of $1000.00 a day in the mail.
•
Eventually, he had to escalate his accusations and not just speak generally
of government officials, but actually NAME NAMES. He branched out to
intimidate and attack private citizens– journalists, professors, artists, and
those in professions that were considered “LIBERAL.”
(
Oakley)
The Rise of a WITCH HUNT

Through intensive interrogation by
Senator Joseph McCarthy, using
tactics of distortion, a witch-hunt
began.

Those who were sympathetic to
the communist cause, or those
who had connections with Russia,
could be summoned before the
committee to explain their
involvement.

People were told to recant
communist beliefs and name their
former friends and associates in
the communist cause. When
people denied allegations or
refused to name names, they were
punished.

Citizens were blacklisted,
unemployed, and in some cases,
isolated from this country for over
thirty years.
EVIDENCE ???
McCarthy’s evidence lacked any substance. One of his favorite
techniques of proof was to pull a stack of papers from his
old briefcase and, claiming that he held the evidence in his
hand, taken from his files, to read from imaginary
documents about imaginary people and imaginary events,
making up names and numbers and events as he went
along. Sometimes the “documents” were worthless sheets
of paper, old government reports, or copies of legislation
being deliberated by the Senate. He denied requests to see
the documents by claiming that they were secret documents
given to him by his network of informants. He denied
requests for clarification by claiming that it was not his fault
people were too stupid to understand what he was saying.
He avoided criticisms of his inconsistencies in the number
of communists against whom he had evidence by stating he
was “sick of the numbers game” and “wanted to get to the
heart of the matter.” When called out on a lie, he would
simply accuse his adversary of communist sympathy. He
used BOMBASTIC and inflammatory speeches to obscure
facts. He called those against the trials, “left-wing bleeding
hearts,” “egg-sucking phony liberals,” “punks,” and “traitors.”
He questioned the patriotism, loyalty, and morality of those
who questioned the trials.
( Oakley)
•
The evidence in McCarthy trials
was “questionable” and often
relied on the testimony of those
attempting to avoid persecution
themselves. McCarthy and his
cohorts made, what are now
recognized as, reckless, and
unsubstantiated accusations, as
well as public attacks on the
character or patriotism of political
opponents.
•
McCarthy was never able to truly
substantiate his charges. They are
now widely accepted as false.
Many believe his intentions were
corrupt and that he was looking
for political gain.
(New Rep On Tour)
A Modern-Day Witch Hunt
“Are you now, or have you ever been,
a Communist?”
Joseph McCarthy asked that question to
MANY American citizens. This question
spurred a modern-day witch hunt.
McCarthy – a member of the American
government encouraged the cleansing of
the community of one group by another –
the vilification of one group to allay the
irrational fears of another.
WHAT IS A WITCH HUNT?
witch hunt: noun
1 : a searching out for persecution of persons
accused of witchcraft.
2 : the searching out and deliberate harassment
of those (as political opponents) with unpopular
views
3: a political campaign launched on the pretext of
investigating activities subversive to the state.
(Merriam-Webster
on line)
What causes a WITCH HUNT?
 Insufficient tolerance for human diversity
 Prejudice/Bias
 Scape-goating
 Persecution of unpopular minority groups
 Overblown fear of the unfamiliar
 Heightened Emotions
 Irrational Fear and Paranoia
 Self-Righteousness and Moral Judgment
 Blind Idealism
 Moral Absolutism and a STRINGENT concept of Purity/Morality
 Mob Mentality
 Hysteria
 Corruption of Power
 Self-Absorbed Authority Figures
 Greed for AGGRANDIZEMENT
McCarthy’s Witch Hunt:
Who Was Targeted?
Of particular interest to Joseph McCarthy’s
House Un-American Activities Committee
were those practicing communists in the
artistic community. The reasoning was
that the most dangerous methods for
converting Americans to communist beliefs
would be through the films, music, and art
that they enjoyed. McCarthy prosecuted a
great many playwrights, screenwriters, and
other artists. In a number of cases,
McCarthy was successful in “blacklisting”
these artists – which meant no one would
purchase their services for fear of being
linked to communism. Major screenwriters,
directors and actors were denied
employment by major studios. A number of
Miller’s contemporaries lost their livelihood
due to these hearings, and the playwright
himself was brought before the
proceedings.
(Oakley)
NOTE: Arthur Miller, author of The
Crucible, was directly connected to the
world of Hollywood. He even married
Marilyn Monroe.
The Hollywood Ten
The first processed
Hollywood blacklist
was initiated the day
after ten writers and
directors [known as
THE HOLLYWOOD
TEN] were cited for
contempt of Congress
for refusing to give
testimony to the
House Un-American
Activities Committee.
Other Artists also developed allegories that represented
the McCarthy Trials. Marvel Comics had a whole series that
covered McCarthyism.
These panels
include a direct
paraphrase of the
speech by Senator
Joe McCarthy that
launched his career
as a Communisthunting demagogue.
NOTE: Marvel
replaces the fear of
communism with the
fear of alien life
forms.
(Lequidre)
McCarthyism and Pop Culture
MARVEL COMICS
MCCARTHY TRIALS
The Crucible and
Literary Archetypes
• The Crucible includes a few archetype
characters: The Tragic Hero/ The Sullied
Hero/ The Romantic Hero, The
Temptress, The Devil Figure, The
Scapegoat.
• It also provides a few archetype events:
The Crossroads, The Maze
Although archetypal figures are
MODEL CHARCTERS or CHARACTER TYPES,
they sometimes alter to fit the society they reflect. Take the
definition of a TRAGIC HERO, for example.
Two men are credited with the definition of differing TRAGIC HEROES.
Aristotle
Arthur Miller
TRAGIC HEROES ARE:
BORN INTO NOBILITY:
RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN FATE
ENDOWED WITH A TRAGIC FLAW
DOOMED TO MAKE A SERIOUS ERROR
IN JUDGEMENT
EVENTUALLY, TRAGIC HEROES
FALL FROM GREAT HEIGHTS OR HIGH
ESTEEM
REALIZE THEY HAVE MADE AN
IRREVERSIBLE MISTAKE
FACE AND ACCEPT DEATH WITH
HONOR
Aristotelian Tragic Hero
MEET A TRAGIC DEATH
FOR ALL TRAGIC HEROES
THE AUDIENCE IS AFFECTED BY PITY and/or
FEAR
Arthur Miller’s
Common Man Tragic Hero
Arthur Miller , the author
of both Death of a
Salesman and The
Crucible, argues that a
tragic hero need not be of
high social standing. He
asserts the value in the
common man hero –a
man with flaws, with
meekness. What makes
this man a hero is his
desire and willingness to
fight to maintain his
own personal dignity.
What makes him relevant
to our times is that he
exists in everyday life. He
is not royalty or rich or on
any sort of pedestal from
which to fall. He is us. He
is every man.
THE SULLIED HERO
Many plays idealize the protagonist in
an effort to create a person with
whom the audience will
sympathize. When employed in a
tragedy, this strategy also places
that character on a pedestal so
that, when he or she falls, the fall
will be much greater and more
heartbreaking. In contrast, Miller’s
protagonist, John Proctor, is not a
perfect man. He is FLAWED from
the beginning. His FALL is still
tragic and the audience can relate
to his flaws. The common man is
flawed and the audience is full of
common men.
TRAGEDY AND THE COMMON
MAN
Miller states that the flaw, or
crack in character, for a
common man tragic hero is
“nothing but his inherent
unwillingness to remain
passive in the face of what
he conceives to be a
challenge to his dignity.” In
other words, the hero
refuses to give up his place
in society and lose his
personal pride. He will do
anything to keep his good
name.
(Miller)
(New Rep on Tour)
YOUR ASSIGNMENTS
• Make a list of parallels between the Salem Witch Trials and
the McCarthy Trials. Consider events leading up to the
trials, the emotions of the people involved, and the trials
themselves. Categorize your list as follows: Political
Climate, Social Climate, Accusers and Accusations, Trials
and Evidence, Contributing Factors.
• Consider the literary terms introduced in this powerpoint
(sullied hero, common man hero, protest literature, allegory,
archetypes). For each term, list at least two examples of
literature you’ve read within the last two years or
characters from that literature that apply to the terms. For
example, list titles of novels or plays you’ve read that
include a sullied hero and a common man hero. Indicate
what makes the characters in those works sullied/common
man heroes.
Works Cited
•
“Allegory.” Merriam Webster On-Line Dictionary. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/
•
Lequidre, Zorikh. “ The HUAC, McCarthyism, and Witch-Hunts Through Captain Marvel Comics”;
Captain Marvel Culture. 2006. www.captainmarvelculture.com/witchhunt.html
•
Miller, Arthur. “Tragedy and the Common Man." The Theater Essays of Arthur Miller. Viking
Press. 1949/1977. Reprinted (by permission of Viking Penguin, Inc.) on The Literary Link.
http://theliterarylink.com/miller1.html
•
Study Guide, The Crucible by Arthur Miller. New Rep On Tour: Professional Performance in Your
School. Fall, 2007. New Rep Administrative Office.
•
Oakley, Ronald J. “The Great Fear.” God’s Country: America in the Fifties. Republished in
Literature Connections: The Crucible and Related Readings. Illinois. McDougal Littel, 1997. 199221.
•
Schutz, Stanley K. , University of Wisconsin History Professor. Lecture 23, “The Coils of Cold
War.” American History 102: Civil War to the Present. 2007.
http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture23.html
•
“Sullied Hero.” “Allegory.” Merriam Webster On-Line Dictionary. http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/