The Crucible Power Point

8/3/2019 The Crucible Power Point

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TheCrucible

By Arthur Miller

. . . When History and Literature Collide


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The Crucible is . . .

Puritanism

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Witchcraft

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McCarthyism

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Arthur Miller


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Puritanism

Christian faith that originated in England duringthe early 1600s

Puritans believed in predestination

They split from the Church of England in 1633

Many emigrated to the American colonies

Their radical beliefs flourished in the new world


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Witchcraft in Salem

Like all Puritans, the residents ofSalem Village believed in witchesand in witchcraft.

They believed that witchcraft wasentering into a compact with thedevil in exchange for certainpowers to do evil.

They considered witchcraft both asin and a crime; it was a very

serious accusation, which wascarefully and thoroughlyinvestigated.


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Witchcraft in Salem

The witchcraft hysteria beganin Salem, Massachusetts, inearly 1692.

Reverend Samuel Parriss

daughter and Abigail Williamsstarted having fits ofconvulsion, screaming, andhallucination.

A doctor examined the girlsand concluded that the only

explanation for these bizarrebehaviors was witchcraft.
http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/


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Witchcraft in Salem

A recently published bookof the time detailed thesymptoms of witchcraft;the girls fits were much

like those described in thebook.

Therefore, the Puritans ofSalem were quick tobelieve the doctorsdiagnosis.


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Witchcraft in Salem

The girls pointedfingers at Tituba (the

Parris slave), SarahGood, and SarahOsborn, whichsparked a witch hunt.


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Witchcraft in Salem

During the next eight monthsof terror, more than 150 peoplewere imprisoned for witchcraft.

By the time court wasdismissed, 27 people had beenconvicted, 19 hanged, and 1pressed to death.

The hysteria that snowballed in

Salem reveals how deep thebelief in the supernatural ran incolonial America.


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McCarthyism

McCarthyism is the term used to describe a period of intensesuspicion in the United States during the early 1950s.

It began when Senator Joseph McCarthy, a U.S. senatorfrom Wisconsin, claimed that communists had infiltrated theDepartment of State.

A special House Committee on Un-American Activities wasformed to investigate allegations of communism.

During this period, people from all walks of life became thesubjects of aggressive witch hunts often based oninconclusive, questionable evidence.


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McCarthyism

Persons accused of being communistswere often denied employment in both thepublic 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.


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McCarthyism

McCarthys influence finally falteredin 1954 when a famous CBSnewsman, Edward R. Murrow, aired

an investigative news report whichrevealed McCarthy as dishonest inhis speeches and abusive in hisinterrogation of witnesses.

The public was finally made aware ofhow McCarthy was ruining thereputations of many individualsthrough false accusations ofcommunism.

Edward R. Murrow


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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 attackthe anti-communist witch hunts of the

1950s. He believed the hysteria surrounding the

witch craft trials in Puritan New Englandparalleled the climate of McCarthyismSenator Joseph McCarthys obsessive questto uncover communist party infiltration ofAmerican institutions.

After the publication of the The Crucible,Miller himself was investigated for possibleassociations with the communist party.

He refused to give information regarding hiscolleagues and was found guilty of contemptof court. His sentence was later overturned.


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Abigail Williams

Orphaned niece of Reverend Parris

She was once the mistress of John Proctorbut was turned out when his wifediscovered the affair.

She is extremely jealous of ElizabethProctor and uses her power in the town torid herself of Elizabeth as well as any otherswho have insulted her in the past.

She cannot let go of her obsession withProctor.

She is the leader of the girls.


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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 butcannot tell what he knows withoutrevealing having been alone with Abigail.When

Abigail uses her influence to convict hiswife, he tries to tell the truth and findshimself condemned.

He refuses to admit to witchcraft or toconsider Abigail as anything more than aliar.

He is hanged.


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Elizabeth Proctor

Wife of John Proctor

She discovered an affair going onbetween her husband and Abigail

Williams and turned Abigail out ofher house.

She is Abigail's main target but issaved from hanging because of herpregnancy.

She feels responsible for driving herhusband to infidelity.


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Tituba

Servant to the Parrishousehold

She is a native of Barbados.

She is enlisted by RuthPutnam and Abigail to castspells and create charms.

When Abigail turns on her tosave herself from

punishment, Titubaconfesses to all and savesherself.


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Reverend Parris

Pastor of the church inSalem

He is the father of Betty and

the uncle of Abigail Williams. He believes that he is being

persecuted and that thetownspeople do not respecthis position as a man of God.


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Deputy Governor Danforth

He seems to feelparticularly strongly thatthe girls are honest.

He is sensitive to thepresence of the deviland reacts explosivelyto whatever evidence ispresented.


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The Girls Betty Parris- Daughter of the Reverend, cousin

to Abigail Williams. She is a weak girl who goesalong with her cousin as soon as she isthreatened.

Susanna Walcott-One of the girls. She isinitially sent between Parris and Dr. Griggs todetermine the cause of Betty's ailment. She iseasily guided by Abigail.

Mercy Lewis- Servant to the Putnamhousehold. She is a merciless girl who seems todelight in the girls' activities.

Mary Warren-Servant to the Proctorhousehold. Abigail uses her to effectively accuseElizabeth. John Proctor takes Mary to the courtto confess that the girls are only pretending. Sheis not strong enough to fight Abigail and as soonas Abigail leads the other girls against her, Marycaves and runs back to her side by accusingProctor himself.


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Drama Basics


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Drama Basics (contd)


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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 isbecause after it is written, it still needs to be brought to life ona stage.

A play primarily engages the enthusiasm of directors, actors,and technicians through the story.

The playwright makes the audience concerned for acharacter by focusing on a conflict that involves somethingimportant 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.


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American Drama (contd)

Playwrights must usually find an agent who submits a play toproducers who are likely to consider it.

The producer . . . . advances money to finance a play.

meets with agents who represent the playwrights. works with a playwright on changes to a play.

Theater is a collaborative medium. A director and actors take away a play from its author. Rehearsals are both pleasant and tense.

Producers seldom take risks on plays. Thousands of plays are copyrighted each year. The audience can contribute to a good performance.


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