The Crucible

4.5 stars

In 1692, nineteen people were executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts.

The events described in Miller's play are true and historically documented. Yes, Miller took some artistic liberties with some of the people (such as ageing Abigail and having her be in an affair with Proctor), but the core of the play reflects the very real and horrible events of the witch trials.

The play takes place in a small farming community outside of Salem and centres around a group of young girls who accuse their neighbours of witchcraft and of cavorting with the devil. By the end of act I, we clearly see how the accusations and subsequent trials are pure conjecture and nonsense, which women being accused of “sending their spirits” forth to harm others, women killing babies through “supernatural means,” and plain, old-fashioned hearsay and rumours born out of superstitions and ignorance. In this town, the fear of God is ingrained into everything, and people are found guilty based on their level of belief or how many times they go to church. Here, the law is not separate from the Church, which creates a conflict in how people are judged for their alleged crimes. This theocratic society caused pain, torture, and death to its inhabitants because of a mass hysteria brought on by a group of scared and misguided children.

Because of the nature of this play, one should not expect a happy resolution to the problems and, indeed, the conclusion to the play is as bleak and heart wrenching as what you can imagine. To me, Giles Corey's death was the most poignant. Giles had never done anything other than try to protect his land from those who would have him murdered for it; and yet, he was still killed during questioning because he refused to admit to something he didn't do. Giles' line of "more stones" as a response to his torture was, in my opinion, the saddest part of the whole play.



Miller's retelling of this horrific event is masterful in both its execution and the affects it creates. Miller wrote this play during a time of unrest in the United states, and it was originally meant to draw parallels between the witch trials of old and McCarthyism. This shows that “witch hunts” are still very much present in our society, only that they take on different forms each time they appear.

This is horrifying. A good read for October.
It is a nightmare, anything you say will be used against you, it will be twisted, it will not only be used against you, it will be used against everyone you hold dear, and you will be doomed and judged and condemned, because someone said something against you... and there is nothing you can do to stop it.
How people cannot feel the horror, I can't understand!
Maybe they seriously don't understand the horror of McCarthyism.

Just remember, when the Abigails get all the Rebeccas and Elizabeths hanged and burned and executed, you get to live with Abigail... and she WILL turn on you. One day you will be tried and found dealing with devils.

It doesn't say a thing about witchcraft, puritans, Christianity, Catholicism, or anything. It could be set anywhere. It's about people. It's about simple ideas that grow into mass hystery flamed by “good intentions”, “morality”, all kinds of things that are “good”. We all do it.

About Abigail's “sex mania”. I have known a lot of young women who think “love” - how ever it is defined - excuses everything, even murder. There is no more wicked thing than a teenaged girl. A teenaged boy can be more cruel, but they have the “benefit” of having more physical power and higher societal status in patriarchy than girls, so girls have to use their brains to get what they want. They have still the childlike amorality and cruelness and curiosity - the fairy quality - but they are old enough to understand the human nature.