the salem witch trials of 1692 and the crucible “’…i am wronged. it is a shameful thing that...

The Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the of 1692 and the CrucibleCrucible

“’…“’…I am wronged. It is a shameful I am wronged. It is a shameful thing that you should mind these thing that you should mind these folks that are out of their wits.” folks that are out of their wits.”

--Martha Carrier --Martha Carrier Hanged August 19, 1692Hanged August 19, 1692

Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005)Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005)

Lived in Lived in New York New York City City at time of deathat time of death

Greatest works include Greatest works include The CrucibleThe Crucible and and Death of a SalesmanDeath of a Salesman

Miller focuses on the Miller focuses on the tragedytragedy of the of the common mancommon man

Writings reflect on Writings reflect on injusticeinjustice (Miller was (Miller was involved in social involved in social causes)causes)

Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005)Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005) Miller dropped out of high Miller dropped out of high

school but later went to school but later went to University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan

Miller was brought to court Miller was brought to court and questioned about his and questioned about his involvement in involvement in CommunismCommunism. He was . He was thought to be a communist thought to be a communist and, like many, was caught and, like many, was caught up in the Senator Joseph up in the Senator Joseph McCarthy’s “McCarthy’s “Red ScareRed Scare””

Miller was married to Miller was married to Marilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe (movie (movie star)star)

Facts about the Salem Witch TrialsFacts about the Salem Witch Trials

Over Over 150150 tried for tried for witchcraftwitchcraft

2020 people killed people killed ((1919 hanged, hanged, 11 pressed to death)pressed to death)

Many more Many more confessedconfessed

Many more were Many more were jailedjailed

Facts about the Salem Witch TrialsFacts about the Salem Witch Trials Later the government Later the government

gave money to heirs gave money to heirs and published and published statements saying statements saying “not “not true”true”

Judge Judge Samuel SewallSamuel Sewall, , a judge at the witchcraft a judge at the witchcraft trials, later said he was trials, later said he was wrong for participating wrong for participating

Cotton MatherCotton Mather, Puritan , Puritan preacher, did much to preacher, did much to arouse the people arouse the people against witchesagainst witches

Facts about Facts about The CrucibleThe Crucible

Written in Written in 19531953 Set in the Puritan village of Set in the Puritan village of SalemSalem, ,

MassachusettsMassachusetts Occurs in spring, Occurs in spring, 16921692 A crucible means A crucible means

VesselVessel made of ceramic materials used for made of ceramic materials used for meltingmelting materials at materials at highhigh temperatures temperatures

In the play, it means a severe In the play, it means a severe testtest or or trialtrial

Information regarding the Puritan’s Information regarding the Puritan’s concept of the devil and witchcraftconcept of the devil and witchcraft

God God Is all Is all

powerfulpowerful Punishes the Punishes the

wickedwicked and and unjustunjust


The Devil The Devil Is Is realreal Called Called SatanSatan, ,

Prince of Prince of Darkness, Darkness, LuciferLucifer

Exists and works Exists and works in the worldin the world

Can take various Can take various forms (forms (personperson, , animalanimal, etc.), etc.)

Exists to Exists to separateseparate people people from God and from God and overthrowoverthrow good good

Lives in the Lives in the woodswoods

Provides Provides temptationstemptations

Causes people to Causes people to be full of be full of fearfear


WitchesWitches Are Are realreal Are Are helpershelpers of of

the Devil and the Devil and do the Devil’s do the Devil’s workwork

Are not just Are not just femalefemale; can ; can be be malemale or or animalanimal


Bible quote: “Thou shall not Bible quote: “Thou shall not suffersuffer a witch a witch to live” to live”

Exodus 22:18 Exodus 22:18 In other words, the Puritans felt it was their In other words, the Puritans felt it was their

religious duty to kill a witch so that he or she religious duty to kill a witch so that he or she would not have to suffer being a witch)would not have to suffer being a witch)


If you are accused If you are accused of being a witch of being a witch and and confessconfess, you , you are are pardonedpardoned

If you are accused If you are accused of being a witch of being a witch and and do not do not confessconfess, you , you must be must be burnedburned or or hangedhanged


A witch can be tried A witch can be tried by the by the water testwater test

Tied up and tossed in Tied up and tossed in a a pondpond

If witch If witch sinkssinks, is , is innocentinnocent

If witch If witch gets back to gets back to shoreshore, is , is guiltyguilty


Puritans had a Puritans had a TheocracyTheocracy, , which is a government that:which is a government that:

God is recognized as Supreme God is recognized as Supreme rulerruler

Religious Religious authoritiesauthorities act as act as God’s representatives and God’s representatives and control both control both churchchurch and and statestate

Government could Government could punishpunish for for church offenses, like:church offenses, like:

Not attending Not attending churchchurch Not knowing Not knowing commandmentscommandments Not knowing Not knowing the Lord’s prayerthe Lord’s prayer


Puritan society demanded Puritan society demanded conformityconformity Early in the colony conformity was necessary Early in the colony conformity was necessary

for for survivalsurvival Violators were not Violators were not toleratedtolerated

Roger WilliamsRoger Williams suggested paying Indians for their suggested paying Indians for their landland

Was run out of SalemWas run out of Salem Left and founded Rhode IslandLeft and founded Rhode Island

Turned each other in for violations against Turned each other in for violations against Puritan societyPuritan society

Questions of Questions of authorityauthority (ministers and (ministers and judges) vs. judges) vs. individual rightsindividual rights (Rebecca (Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor)Nurse and John Proctor)


All this leads to All this leads to fearfear therefore therefore mass mass hysteriahysteria

The nature of the crime The nature of the crime of witchcraft causes of witchcraft causes everyone to believe the everyone to believe the victimsvictims (the accusers) (the accusers)

No witch will identify No witch will identify herself/ himselfherself/ himself

Witchcraft is an Witchcraft is an invisibleinvisible crimecrime where where the victim is believedthe victim is believed

The Crucible’sThe Crucible’s connection to connection to McCarthyism and the Red ScareMcCarthyism and the Red Scare

After Korean Conflict – U.S. in After Korean Conflict – U.S. in struggle with the USSR during struggle with the USSR during the the 1950’s 1950’s

Joseph McCarthyJoseph McCarthy, a , a congressman, made a career by congressman, made a career by looking for looking for communistscommunists in the in the government and in American lifegovernment and in American life

McCarthy was head of the McCarthy was head of the House UnAmerican Actitivies House UnAmerican Actitivies Committee (HUAC)Committee (HUAC)

Miller was called into hearing Miller was called into hearing because of his backgroundbecause of his background He had worked in the He had worked in the labor labor

movementmovement as a young man as a young man He had attended some He had attended some writing writing

workshopsworkshops that were allegedly that were allegedly funded by the funded by the CommunistCommunist party party


McCarthy’s accusations were McCarthy’s accusations were similar to a similar to a “witch hunt”“witch hunt” because anyone who criticized because anyone who criticized or talked out against the or talked out against the hearings were accused of hearings were accused of being a being a CommunistCommunist

People were afraid of People were afraid of McCarthy’s power and were McCarthy’s power and were afraid to speak out against himafraid to speak out against him

His accusations included a His accusations included a variety of groups and people, variety of groups and people, including the including the PresidentPresident of the of the United States United States


Miller was accused, but Miller was accused, but refused to admit that he was refused to admit that he was a Communist and refused to a Communist and refused to name others as Communistsname others as Communists

The connection to The connection to The The CrucibleCrucible is this: innocent is this: innocent people were falsely accused people were falsely accused of evil; it was easy to get rid of evil; it was easy to get rid of your of your enemyenemy: just accuse : just accuse him of being a witch or him of being a witch or communistcommunist

The CrucibleThe Crucible is an is an allegoryallegory for McCarthyism and the Red for McCarthyism and the Red ScareScare

The End The End

Witchcraft was hung, in History,Witchcraft was hung, in History,But History and IBut History and I

Find all the Witchcraft that we needFind all the Witchcraft that we needAround us, every Day—Around us, every Day—

Emily Dickinson, #1583Emily Dickinson, #1583

the salem witch trials of 1692 and the crucible “’…i am wronged. it is a shameful thing that...

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