The Salem Witch Trials
of 1692 and the Crucible
“’…I am wronged. It is a shameful
thing that you should mind these folks
that are out of their wits.”
--Martha Carrier
Hanged August 19, 1692
Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005)
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Lived in New York City
at time of death
Greatest works include
The Crucible and Death
of a Salesman
Miller focuses on the
tragedy of the common
man
Writings reflect on
injustice (Miller was
involved in social causes)
Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005)
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Miller dropped out of high
school but later went to
University of Michigan
Miller was brought to court and
questioned about his
involvement in Communism.
He was thought to be a
communist and, like many, was
caught up in the Senator
Joseph McCarthy’s “Red
Scare”
Miller was married to Marilyn
Monroe (movie star)
Facts about the Salem Witch Trials
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Over 150 tried for
witchcraft
20 people killed (19
hanged, 1 pressed to
death)
Many more confessed
Many more were
jailed
Facts about the Salem Witch Trials
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Later the government
gave money to heirs and
published statements
saying “not true”
Judge Samuel Sewall, a
judge at the witchcraft
trials, later said he was
wrong for participating
Cotton Mather, Puritan
preacher, did much to
arouse the people against
witches
Facts about The Crucible
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Written in 1953
Set in the Puritan village of Salem,
Massachusetts
Occurs in spring, 1692
A crucible means
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Vessel made of ceramic materials used for
melting materials at high temperatures
In the play, it means a severe test or trial
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
God
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Is all powerful
Punishes the
wicked and
unjust
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
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The Devil
Is real
Called Satan,
Prince of
Darkness,
Lucifer
Exists and works
in the world
Can take various
forms (person,
animal, etc.)
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Exists to separate
people from God
and overthrow
good
Lives in the woods
Provides
temptations
Causes people to
be full of fear
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
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Witches
Are real
Are helpers of
the Devil and do
the Devil’s work
Are not just
female; can be
male or animal
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
Bible quote: “Thou shall not suffer a witch to live”
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Exodus 22:18
In other words, the Puritans felt it was their religious duty
to kill a witch so that he or she would not have to suffer
being a witch)
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
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If you are accused
of being a witch
and confess, you
are pardoned
If you are accused
of being a witch
and do not
confess, you must
be burned or
hanged
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
A witch can be tried by
the water test
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Tied up and tossed in a
pond
If witch sinks, is
innocent
If witch gets back to
shore, is guilty
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
Puritans had a Theocracy,
which is a government that:
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God is recognized as Supreme
ruler
Religious authorities act as God’s
representatives and control both
church and state
Government could punish for
church offenses, like:
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Not attending church
Not knowing commandments
Not knowing the Lord’s prayer
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
Puritan society demanded conformity
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Early in the colony conformity was necessary for
survival
Violators were not tolerated
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Roger Williams suggested paying Indians for their land
Was run out of Salem
Left and founded Rhode Island
Turned each other in for violations against Puritan
society
Questions of authority (ministers and judges) vs.
individual rights (Rebecca Nurse and John
Proctor)
Information regarding the Puritan’s
concept of the devil and witchcraft
All this leads to fear
therefore mass hysteria
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The nature of the crime
of witchcraft causes
everyone to believe the
victims (the accusers)
No witch will identify
herself/ himself
Witchcraft is an
invisible crime where
the victim is believed
The Crucible’s connection to
McCarthyism and the Red Scare
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After Korean Conflict – U.S. in
struggle with the USSR during the
1950’s
Joseph McCarthy, a congressman,
made a career by looking for
communists in the government and
in American life
McCarthy was head of the House
UnAmerican Actitivies
Committee (HUAC)
Miller was called into hearing
because of his background
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He had worked in the labor
movement as a young man
He had attended some writing
workshops that were allegedly
funded by the Communist party
The Crucible’s connection to
McCarthyism and the Red Scare
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McCarthy’s accusations were
similar to a “witch hunt”
because anyone who criticized
or talked out against the
hearings were accused of being
a Communist
People were afraid of
McCarthy’s power and were
afraid to speak out against him
His accusations included a
variety of groups and people,
including the President of the
United States
The Crucible’s connection to
McCarthyism and the Red Scare
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Miller was accused, but refused
to admit that he was a
Communist and refused to
name others as Communists
The connection to The Crucible
is this: innocent people were
falsely accused of evil; it was
easy to get rid of your enemy:
just accuse him of being a
witch or communist
The Crucible is an allegory for
McCarthyism and the Red Scare
The End
Witchcraft was hung, in History,
But History and I
Find all the Witchcraft that we need
Around us, every Day—
Emily Dickinson, #1583