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The Crucible: Persecution
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The Crucible: Persecution
Persecution can be carried out on the basis of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and differing beliefs either political or any other different belief from others. The act of persecution is inhumane and cruel causing torture to individuals which leads to death. Persecution is the most import theme of Arthur Miller’s 1953 film “The Crucible”. In The Crucible set in the Puritan city of Salem in Massachusetts, people were mostly persecuted for alleged witchcraft activities. Example of those persecuted in the film includes Elizabeth Proctor who was accused of practicing witchcraft.
The people accused were convicted and hung with no tangible proof of them committing some of the accusations leveled against them. Hence, in this film, the order of the day were persecutions of some members of the society. What the deputy governor would say is “Hang them high over the town! Who weeps for those, weeps for corruption!” (Miller, 1953). As soon as fingers were pointed at someone with claims of practicing witchcraft, Danforth, the deputy governor ordered them hanged without looking for evidence against them. This caused people to be hanged without reason and aimlessly. The leaders and the people of Salem, attack and persecute Elizabeth who was one of them among others without looking at the evidence against her.
Also, people who had parted ways with their friends would take that opportunity to accuse their ex-friends of witchcraft (Miller, 1953). Generally, in the play persecution takes place between enemies as well as friends. The girls in the play could accuse people they hate falsely for practicing witchcraft. Hence, this led to their torture and persecution. A perfect example is Abigail found dancing “like heathens” (Act 1) was causing her to persecute her enemies, friends, and family equally of witchcraft. Mary Warren is among those she accused of bewitching her after admitting her lies to the girls. What was so wrong about the all issue is that the accused were tried unfairly and convicted based on limited evidence or word of mouth.
The play is a reflection and a reaction to what was happening in America in the late 1600’s where the public including Arthur Miller was tried and persecuted (Deery, 2014). Hence, it is not just a retelling of events in history but an allegorical reference to certain common human flows in the society. The Salem Witch hunt and trial is compared to the tense political climate in America where the communist sympathizers were sought out and persecuted by Joseph McCarthy and his followers. Joseph McCarthy a Republican from Wisconsin was serving in the Senate in the year 1946 but his ambitions for reelection in 1950 was not forthcoming. Therefore, he devised a new strategy which would ensure that he becomes reelected into the Senate. This strategy was to target communist collaborators.
The 1950s marked the beginning of the cold war between the US and the USSR communists. Thus, the conservatives in America feared that the collaborators of the communist party posed a threat to the nation (Michaels, 2017). As a leader, McCarthy used this fear to gain an advantage by claiming that he possesses the names of 205 individuals working with the State Department and could likely be members of the communist party in the country. This people on his list were not from this party but McCarthy led a committee which was tasked with finding the dissenters and issuing them with the committee’s subpoena. They were later questioned concerned their political activities and those of other potential collaborators. Many were denied employment opportunities in different industries in the country as a result of this suspicions. Thus, with the spread of fear and panic among the communist the persecution came to be known as the McCarthyism.
The ideas of this play apply to contemporary society in the way people can quickly join or agree with the aggressive masses against those they perceive to be different or acting in contrary to the value system and beliefs of the society. Reverend Hale states that “I have seen too many frightful proofs in court—the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points! (ACT 2)”. The fear of witchcraft in the play can be compared to the fear of the communist movement in the US. Some people disagreed with the witch hunt but chose to remain silent to avoid persecution. This type of behavior significantly contributed to the panic which develops throughout The Crucible. People would do anything to avoid being ostracized by the community they belong to including betraying their friends and relatives.
In today’s society, people perceive themselves as more enlightened than the people in “The Crucible” society but the similar course of events have occurred several times recently. The fear of witchcraft may seem old school because most of the people in the society today do not believe in the supernatural. The witch hunt which occurred in the 1950’s is likened to what is happening in the society today. Just like the innocent communist were persecuted, the people holding a different religious and political belief are perceived to be a threat in today’s society. These people are perceived as “others” in the society and they are persecuted out of ignorance or fear. Examples of modern persecutions caused by suspicions and rumors include the HIV scare, fear of terrorism, and social media rumors concerning some members of the society.
References
Deery, P. (2014). Red Apple: Communism and McCarthyism in Cold War New York. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Michaels, J. (2017). McCarthyism: The Realities, Delusions, and Politics Behind the 1950s Red Scare. Abingdon-on-Thames: Taylor & Francis.
Miller, . (1953, January 22). The Crucible (1996 film). (J. Proctor, Performer) Martin Beck Theatre, New York City.
