The Crucible is a play with many allegorical references. Written during the 1950s but set in the 1600s, Arthur Miller used the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts to represent the figurative witch hunt for communists in the United States,commonly known as the 'Red Scare'. Using actual court manuscripts and primary documents, Miller brings to life the people of Salem, and the atrocities the occurred there, in this heart-wrenching play.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller - The Crucible Allegory
Storyboard Text
TEXT REFERENCE
ALLEGORICAL REFERENCE
In The Crucible, anyone who was brought to trial was expected to plead guilty and give the names of other witches. If they did, they were allowed to live. This led to many false accusations.
During the 1950s McCarthy Trials, the accused were assumed guilty, put on trial, and expected to give the names of other communists in America. Failure to do so led to imprisonment, fines, and other sentences which ruined careers and lives.