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The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller, which is based on the true story of the Salem witch trails. Miller wanted theatre to heighten the awareness of what living in our time involves. Therefore, his play has many links with the modern world, McCarthyism for instance. Breaking it down into many smaller scenes, I will analyse Act 1 of The Crucible.
I am doing this to explore the dramatic effect of character and action. The Crucible is a powerful drama and is strongly built to bring out the full dramatic effect of varying shifts of tension and conflict. This is a play that explores the way in which a community can be devastated by a witch-hunt that can place individuals at conflict with their own conscience. It is very important that we understand the answer to the question What was living in Salem like in 1692?
If we do not explore this question, the drama is not convincing. The villagers of Salem were Puritans who followed a particular form of Protestant Christianity. Life was hard in the small town due to strict religious codes. Singing, theatre and dancing were all forbidden and everyone was expected to attend worship on a regular basis. The people of Salem did infact believe in witchcraft and the outbreak of accusations in 1692 gave people an excuse to wreak revenge upon old enemies and to settle old scores with land ownership. This caused many innocent people to be blamed and so the accusations to spread like wildfire.
We have no way of being sure what the language of the time really sounded like - there are no recordings! There had been settlers in Massachusetts for quite a short time, so the American English that we know today wouldn't have existed. But by looking at documents from that time, including verbatim (word for word) transcripts of the court proceeding, Miller was able to create an historical feel to the language, which makes it easier for us to feel we are being transported back to the community of that time. Miller is trying to establish a society that is unfamiliar but that we can believe in. He uses various features of language to help do this. Miller used old-fashioned, archaic words, which where still authentic.
For example, bid is used instead of the commonly used told, as well an aye and nay being used for yes or no. Aye, but we did. As well as these traditional words, we are met with many unfamiliar words like Goody. This is a Title used instead of Mrs in the play.
And there was Goody Good referring to Sarah Good. Also there are unfamiliar uses of the verb to be. There were some movement. The modern English equivalent to this would be there was. Furthermore, Miller uses double negatives often as John Proctor says, I never said no such thing. There is also a rustic, colloquial feeling to the dialogue, as Miller often drops the g on verbs including, nothin, singin and comin.
These are used throughout the Act so it is clear that Miller is being consistent. At the time when Miller was writing his play, The Crucible, a case of modern-day witch-hunt was taking place in America. In his prose commentary, Miller draws upon parallels with the situation in the United States during the McCarthy era. Joseph McCarthy, a senator, exploited the national fear of an international communist conspiracy. Stirring up these rumours, McCarthy managed to create a national campaign against communists and anyone related to them. There are obvious similarities between this and Millers play.
Some of these similarities are a string of unsupported accusations, people encouraged to put own their friends and loved ones, a spread of fear and suspicion and of course endless amounts of hearsay. He was communicating his own time in America in the sense that his play was a metaphor for mistakes in the past, in Salem, where being repeated again now. He was very effective in this but people who read or watch his play performed now may not know of McCarthy, but they will still realise that mistakes are being made. It is a way of passing on his wisdom onto us in a meaningful and layered play. The Crucible in the plays title is an analogy for the town of Salem and its period of witchcraft mania. In the lives of the colonists of Salem, those who survived became better and stronger people from it, although many died in public executions for being accused of witchcraft.
In the following Paragraphs I will split Act 1 into many scenes and analyse them individually. I will explore the dramatic effects of character and action, and then explain the effects of these devices and their structure. Miller begins the first scene on an unusually calm note; Betty lying on the bed, still, and Parris is praying and weeping softly over her. The stage directions tell us that a sense of confusion hangs about him as he mumbles.
He is obviously not a strong or decisive man at all. The first clear words are spoken by a woman; Tituba (already taking a step backwards): My Betty be hearty soon? She is obviously she is distressed over Betty and she feels she has some responsibility for what has happened. The reaction of Parris is one of fierce anger; Parris (scrambling to his feet in a fury): Out of my sight! When Tituba leaves he is overcome with sobs and shows exhaustion and fear. The audience begins to wonder why?
Miller has already created an atmosphere of suspense. Abigail enters at his point and she is described as having an endless capacity for dissembling, and it is clear from the beginning that she will cause trouble. In scene 1 we are immediately presented with the fear of witch-craft which is beginning to spread. Parris obviously believes that Betty has been witched but seems more concerned about his reputation than his daughter. The dancing incident may seem harmless enough today but back then in a Puritan village it was a terrible sin.
Abigail is defensive and is clearly covering something up and Parris is determined to get all of the details from her. The lines for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it show his main concern. As the conversation develops it becomes apparent that Parris knows exactly what happened but it is revealed gradually to build up tension and to slowly blacken Abigail, she sounds convincing with each detail until Parris adds more information. Abigail's mood changes with the mention of Goody Proctor, she becomes spiteful and accuses her of being a lying, cold, snivelling woman. The scene ends with Abigail passionately declaring her innocence, Abigail (in a temper): My name is good in the village! The audience are unconvinced by this protest as they have come to see Abigail as a trouble maker.
With the arrival of the disruptive Putnam's at the beginning of scene 2 the pace of the play is quickened. Mrs Putnam is described as full of breath, shiny-eyed; even with mere rumours she is already looking to create trouble and gossip. Mrs Putnam (glancing at Betty): How high did she fly, how high? The Putnam's believe witch-craft is the cause of this illness. There is an increase in tension as Parris denies any association with witch-craft, Parris: No, no, she never flew. All the major characters are fully interpreted for us with Millers own insight.
The prose commentary is only available to those reading the play; those who watch The Crucible in a theatre do not have it. Instead the actors onstage convey their character using actions and dialogue. For example, in the written version, the prose tells us of Thomas Putnam as a vindictive man who wants to right matters. In the theatre however, this must be shown by the actor.
Putnam tells Parris there is a murdering among us and he warns Parris that his enemies will make of it what they will. This line clearly puts Parris at unease, and this backs up our knowledge of his reputation coming first. The scene ends with Parris frantic cry They will topple me with this. At the beginning of scene 3 Parris has had enough of the Putnam's so he asks them to leave politely.
Parris: Will you leave me now, Thomas? I would pray a while alone. Even after this the Putnam's still sense the opportunity to cause trouble and continue to probe. At the end of the previous scene Thomas Putnam forces Parris to admit he has found witch-craft in his home, but still he has no answer for that crowd. He is obviously reluctant to face the rest of the villages with this possibility of his witchcraft, but this doesnt stop the continued pressure from Thomas Putnam and his wife. This pressure forces Reverend Parris to agree to face the parishioners and with it a steady pace is reasserted.
Paris [swayed]: Ill lead them in a psalm. The scene ends with the exit of the Putnam's and Parris speaking the words Parris [to Putnam]: There is a terrible power in her arms today. [He goes out with Putnam]. Could this terrible power be the Devil, and if so, is Parris also admitting that he has discovered witch-craft in his own house, and the audience will begin to wonder. Questions will be asked of witchcraft and this means that tension will be built up again. Miller keeps the play flowing by allowing people to drift naturally on and off the stage, all the time pushing on the plot and developing all characters. Abigail Williams is the only person who stays on the stage throughout the whole of the first Act, her role always shifting.
She stays on while many others have left; Parris, Susanna, the Putnam's; all of whom have made their contribution to the plot. There is a change in tone when Abigail asks Mercy about Ruths condition. Now she has realised the seriousness of their actions Abigail now has fear in her voice. Knowing this, she now asserts herself as the strongest of the girls and tells Mercy, the only other person on stage, what to do if questioned. It is for the first time, however, that we are given a clue to what this questioning is about. Tell them we dance I told him as much already He knows Tituba conjured Ruths sisters to come out of the grave.
Knowing about the strict Puritan way of life that the inhabitants of Salem followed, we know that even the dancing is a serious offence. We also know, from earlier in the play, that Tituba was involved in the dancing some what, but here it is revealed she conjured, something a witch would do. It is obvious to us that Abigail is shifting the blame, but could the girls be taken by the devil. Nearing the end of the scene Abigail informs Mercy of one last detail He saw you naked. This would be frowned upon in our modern world, but in Salem during 1692, a very strict Puritan village, it would be incredibly blasphemous. The scene ends on a panicky note, Mercy [clapping her hands together with a frightened laugh]: Oh, Jesus!
This shows the audience the panic setting in for the girls. Are they infact the devils puppets or is this all an act. In this scene, the fifth of the play, we are enlightened upon the reason of the fright that has overcome Abigail and Marcy. It has become apparent what the punishment the girls may receive if found guilty of the earlier actions Witchery's a hangin error. This is a dramatic scene as tension increases and the girls become increasingly frightened and more defensive all the time. It is now, while the girls are alone, that the grim details of their night in the woods are slowly unravelled.
Betty: You drank blood, Abby! You didnt tell him that! As we find out the seriousness of their actions high levels of tension are created on stage. During this scene the girls begin to panic. Abigail: Betty, you never say that again.
Blame is also passed continuously, none of them wanting to be found out as witches. A pivotal point in this scene is when Betty screams You drank a charm to kill John Proctors wife! I feel that this begins to show the audience a motive for this cover-up by Abigail. She is obviously threatened by Goody Proctor but again, the audience wonder why? Abigail resorts to a viscously violent threat nearing the end of the scene, threatening the girls if they even breathe a word, or the edge of a word, she will come for them in the black of some terrible night.
She also shows the other girls that she can follow up on her threat. She is no stranger to violence as she has seen some reddish work done at night. The scene ends with Abigail attacking Mary for coaxing them into admitting their actions in the woods to get a lesser punishment. Abigail is not happy about this, Abigail [starting for Mary]: I say shut it Mary Warren!
With the arrival of John Proctor, the tension sustains itself or even increases on the stage. In the prose commentary it is shows that he has sinned, a grave sin, however we are not told what it is. He is a sinner. It does tell us that he is not happy about what he has done and regrets it. He is a guilty man.
Against his own vision of decent conduct. We also learn that he hides his sin well, so readers of the play will wonder will it come out and what will happen in this strictly religious village to him if it does. Abigail's reaction to him is in itself very intriguing, almost if there is some sexual tension between the two. Since Proctors e...
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