Arthur Miller is one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century who was born in 1915 and was awarded a Pulitzer Price. His legacy will without doubt live forever defying aging and time because they deal with the social realities and the nature of people that all of humanity possessed here and there. His inclination to communism rendered him as a critic of the capitalism that climbed towards its peak in the 20th century, and he wittingly criticized capitalism and the inner nature of people with successful allegories.

One of his greatest achievements, “The Crucible” is a perfect example where he allegorically criticizes the inherent evil nature of humanity and the superstitious practices held by people hundreds of years ago. This play is held in the past, 1600s, however, it completely speaks to today as well because those superstitious beliefs and false accusations did not just completely disappear, they just transformed into something else and even embedded into the allegedly modern and civilized systems and laws humanity today implements and enforces.

The play begins with Abigail’s informing her uncle Parris about the presence of Susanna from a doctor called Dr. Griggs. As the reader has no context about witchcraft, it is possible to think that Betty is sick in a medical sense and there is nothing suspicious or supernatural up to this point. However, Parris replies with “Oh? The Doctor. Let her come, let her come. He says oh! And he rises, repeats his words. All of these suggest that he is excited about Susanna’s arrival in an intriguing way. When read with context, it can be assumed that these lines suggest he is expecting a confirmation from the doctor about the absence of the witchcraft, but it is not correct because without context, it is not apparent.

Then, it is revealed that the doctor could not find any treatment or cure for Betty’s sickness and the doctor suspects unnatural causes for the sickness, and this is where the reader is introduced to witchcraft. Parris strictly denies the unnatural causes and looks for excuses. This denial phenomenon may have caused from 2 reasons. First, it is a natural response for human beings to rationalize and deny something that they cannot understand or that seems unnatural at the first glance, and this is studied under the fantasy genre. Nonetheless, the lines suggest the other reason, which is the reputation of Parris and the disgrace along with punishments that arise from witchcraft in the society of that period.

From this close reading, it is apparent that in those times, people sometimes had to lie about what they do even if it may cost the lives of others. This witchcraft allegory is a good example for the extrajudicial executions happened back in 17th century. The reader can deduct many more meanings behind this particular text that can be applied into today’s law systems and societies. Another example for a similar theme would be Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” in the sense of superstitions and their horrible outcomes along with the darkness in man’s heart.

References

  • “Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Witchcraft and Mob Hysteria in America.” Mobs, 2012, pp. 363–382.
  • Van Engen, Abram C. “The Salem Witch Trials.” Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature, 2016.