The Allegorical Meaning of The Crucible by Arthur Miller...

The Crucible, a play by the famous playwright Arthur Miller, retells the story of the witch trials occurring in Salem during the seventeen century. Between lies, deceiving and treachery, Salem was the place of a relatively massive genocide solely based upon unproved facts and accusations. However, the real message being the story is something else altogether as The Crucible is an allegory denouncing McCarthyism. The present written task will focus on the following question â€Å"If the text had been written in a different time or place or language or for a different audience, how and why might it differ?† Based on the context of this literary piece, we will therefore see how a text might change based on time period, the setting and the language†¦show more content†¦The setting of a story is a key factor which affects the understanding of the story. Changing the place in which the characters are evolving can drastically modify the meaning of the play as the different a ctions and aims of the drama would not have had the same impact and the same meaning. The Crucible, as we know, was situated in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. Arthur Miller chose this setting for a specific reason, as the events occurring in Salem in the seventeen century allegorized the situation in the United States in the early fifties. Changing the setting of the play while keeping the same time period, the story itself would have been completely altered. During the seventeen century, the events which marked Salem were not the same which marked for example Africa, which was mostly subject to explorations and the settlement of the Europeans. Therefore, the message Miller aimed to transmit would not have the same impact if the story was in a different setting. The audience targeted is also a factor influencing the impact the literary work has on the population. The play was written to raise awareness of the effect of McCarthyism on the American society and on American people. Thus, it was specifically aimed towards people who could do something about the situation in the United States. Therefore, the audience targeted is the young adults, adults and elders of theShow MoreRelatedSummary Of The Crucible And The Red Scare828 Words   |  4 Pages1 A Crucible took place in 1692 when Abagail’s one little lie causes mass hysteria by lying about preforming witchcraft. She and her friends go into the woods to dance and wish for things they want to happen, Abagail wishes that Goody Proctor would die so she could have John Proctor to herself. However, Abagail lies about it and says that she saw someone else with the devil and everyone plays along to save their own skin. This relates to The Red Scare in 1950 when Joseph McCarthy lied about ha vingRead MoreSimilarities Between Apology Speech And The Crucible793 Words   |  4 Pagesportrayal of reality and meaning is inherently subjective. Arthur Miller’s dramatic allegory â€Å"The Crucible† explores the political and social ramifications of the contentious ‘Cold War’ period in American history when the widespread fear of communism arose. Kevin Rudd’s political speech, â€Å"Apology Speech† delivered on the 13th of February 2008, also examines both the political and ethical consequences of colonial history and the impact of past events on people and politics. Meaning is heavily influencedRead MoreMccarthyism In The Crucible1133 Words   |  5 Pagesswirled through Arthur Miller s head when he was accused of being a communist during the Red Scare of the 1950’s. Growing up an avid reader, Miller loved to write and create plays. 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Millar decided to write the play as an allegorical text and a parallel between the two events. The activitiesRead MoreArthur Millers Good Night, And Good Luck1855 Words   |  8 Pagesfor evidence. Both Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck explore the theme of McCarthyism through numerous ways using conventions of their text types: respectively a play and a film. Each through characterisation and symbolism, as well as individually through the plays title and narrative style, and the films editing, camera techniques and sound track, the texts delve into the subject constructively through their own unique methods. Arthur Miller’s 1953 playRead MoreThe Effective Use of Dramatic Devices in Millers The Crucible3571 Words   |  15 PagesThe Crucible by Arthur Miller is a famous play which was written in the early 1950’s. The Crucible is a play based upon the events in 1692, which led to the ‘Salem Witch Trials’, a series of hearings before local magistrates to prosecute over 150 people accused of witchcraft. This was due to the hysteria caused by a group of girls accusing innocent people of witch craft. The play was set in Salem, Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. Salem was a very isolated and puritanical community