The Crucible in 1953 Essay Example For Students

The Crucible in 1953 Essay When Arthur Miller wrote the play, The Crucible in 1953 the contemporary audience could relate to the play due to the media coverage that was occurring at the time. This era was concerned with the political movement communism, for example the McCarthy trials. These were court hearings where people were accused of being involved with communism. Millers play was seen by the contemporary audience as relevant because of the effects of mass hysteria- the destruction of the community in Salem. Miller felt that the play had relevance although he didnt no write it for that. The play is set in Salem, Massachusetts, involving a small community of Puritans. Puritans lived by the Bible and believed if you followed the teachings you were assured a place in heaven. The Puritans in the play have fled England from fear of prosecution. They fear for their lives because they have contradicted the Church of England. The Puritans accused the church of being too extravagant, such as the windows and the decoration being too bright and distracting. They also disapproved of the church being run by the King and not by the people. Arthur Miller based the play on real evidence he collected from the transcripts of the Salem witch trials. Therefore he was able to base his main characters, the Proctors, on an actual couple who were tried for witchcraft. Two of the plays main themes, which run throughout, are honesty and deceit, and the easily spread mass hysteria. We first see the use of deceit in the opening scenes and both of them involve Abigail Williams. This is shown when she is having a passionate word with John Proctor, I know you, John. I know you. This seemingly innocent sentence has a hidden meaning, if she knows John Procter she is using the biblical term, which means that she has had an affair with him. This shows her being deceitful due to the fact she has slept with a married man, and hasnt told anyone about it. We also see her lying to others, for example when she is cornered and questioned by Parris regarding the events in the wood she says not I sir, Tituba and Ruth this lying is obvious as the audience is well aware that she was involved. John Procter seems dishonest at the beginning of the play, but this is not continued through the remainder. The audiences emotion towards him change dramatically when we find out he has told his wife that he has committed adultery. This shows very clearly that he is honest because he wants so save his marriage to Elizabeth, and has sacrificed a great deal by telling her about the affair. The wide spread hysteria is shown at many points in the play but the majority is to do with the girls in the village and their performances when accusing people of witchcraft. When one of the girls pretends to shiver the rest copy and  the whole effect must be extremely terrifying to the person being accused. In the yellow bird scene as soon as Abigail pretends to see a small bird high up in the rafters of the courthouse all of the girls start screaming and pointing this clearly outline the rapid spread of the hysteria. The judges and the other people present in court, all start to look for the small creature. When we first see Abigail Williams in Act One the audience can see through the innocent and pure girl that she wants to be portrayed as, because they can see her sinister and bossy ways. Now look you, and Ill make you wish youd never seen the sun go down. She engages the audience emotions by being the character everyone loves to hate. She seems to be the evil person in the play to represent Satan. Arthur Miller has used stage directions excellently, when Abigail is talking, an icy tone and with a flash of anger really helps us picture Abigail as a spoilt girl who likes to get her way, no matter what she does. This character remains deceitful throughout the play so the audiences emotions do not change towards her. Though we do feel sympathetic towards here when her uncle is constantly questioning her about the events in the wood. Romeo Juliet Act 3 Scene 5 EssayThe audiences emotions are played with dramatically at the end of each chapter. At the end of act one, the tension is high because the girls have just accused  certain people in the village of being witches. I saw Goody Hawkins with the devil! I saw Goody Bibber with the devil! I saw Goody Booth with the devil! This builds up the tension due to its short snappy sentence structure and repetition. In the second act the end again is full of drama as Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft, and Johns true love for Elizabeth is shown, I will bring you home, I will bring you soon. In the last part of act three John is double-crossed by Mary. She says that Proctor is in league with the devil, he wake me every night, his eyes were like coals and his fingers claw my neck, and I sign, I signà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The audience is stunned at this revelation of Mary Warren. When she was supposed to be against Abigail and the other girls, she has changed and gone running back to them these again shows deceit amongst the characters. In the final chapter the tension is feverishly high throughout but nevermore so then in the last five pages. John Proctor goes against all of his morals and lies to save his life. He is about to hand Danforth the written confession but will not part with it I have confessed myself! God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough! This makes the audience realise how courageous and brave John Proctor is. It also presents to us how Holy he is, by saying, God knows this shows the audience that Proctor believes God knows he is innocent and therefore all knowing, like the Bible states. This is when the audience emotions are engaged to the play the most because we feel sympathetic to John Proctor for needing to die for his beliefs and being accused of something that he is so opposed to. The tension reaches a dramatic climax towards the end of the play when Miller uses dramatic irony to great affect. Elizabeth is called into the courthouse to announce her husband a lecher, we know that John has admitted to it, but Elizabeth doesnt. It is ironic that the audience knows something that the characters in the play dont. This scene had a gradual build up and you know something sensational is about to happen; Elizabeth the woman who cannot lie, does lie. When she clearly states to all of the court that her husband is not a lecher, she has lied thus putting her husband in great danger and compromising Christian ideas. Having discussed the many ways in which Miller engages the audience I believe he has accomplished this successfully through his use of many techniques including stage directions dramatic irony and the use of characters. He engages the audiences emotions effectively by building up tension throughout the play and reaching a climax in the final chapter. By doing this he allows the audience to become  involved in the play and the characters situations.