Exploring ‘The Crucible’ as a People and

Politics Text
Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’ tells the story behind the Salem witch
trials of 1692. The Puritan community was ruled as a theocracy, whereby
God or similar deity is recognised as the supreme civil ruler. Religious laws
are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities who have the power to
determine, adjudicate and settle disputes. Political jurisdiction lies in
Danforth’s hands and the playwright focuses his audience’s attention on the
misuse of authority within a social context torn apart by prejudice, innuendo
and hysteria. Miller’s purpose is heighten awareness of the unjust actions
taken by HUAC, the play serving as an analogous social criticism of the way
‘Red Scare’ paranoia resulted in a miscarriage of democratic rights.

The play’s didactic purpose is evidenced in the extensive notes that are
included in the printed play. Such information reinforces contextual
elements and prompts comparative evaluation of past and present abuse of
political power. Historical information about Salem society in the 1690s
authenticates the real cost of victimisation at the hands of an autocratic
political system that feeds off its own powerbase. Miller wanted to raise
public awareness that what had happened in the past was happening again
which a Cold War context. This duplication of past wrongs enhances the
injustice that had been allowed to reign under the control of Senator
McCarthy. ‘The Crucible’ is a confronting dramatization rather than an
entirely factual historical depiction and Miller does not attempt to disguise
his social purpose.

In interviews and articles, Miller has clarified his dramatic purpose and
the circumstances that gave rise to his writing ‘The Crucible’. He had initially
resisted linking the HUAC hearings and an old-fashioned witch trial but the
parallels with what had happened in Salem, three centuries earlier became
too disturbing as the hearings continued. Writing the play in such a heated
political environment was dangerous but he made the point that both
hearings were politically rather than legalistically structured on the basis of
public confession. In both cases, the ‘judges’ already knew the information
given by those who were called to testify and defend their innocence in
response to charges made against them. The main difference was that
Salem’s hearings had a greater legal force, for it was against Biblical law to
be a witch in 17th century America whereas it was not against the law to be
 a communist in the twentieth century. Political and social perspectives
viewed Communism with being Un American.

Historical reality underpins ‘The Crucible’ but it is conceptually driven by

themes of social injustice and adversarial conflict between people and
politics. The Salem and HUAC contextual overlap is important but Miller
explores what elements enable such situations to operate. Attention is
drawn to how law and justice itself can be distorted and usurped for
political and personal ends.

As a consequence, Innocent victims are made scapegoats. Dramatic

resonance increases because Miller distances his audience from
actually stepping inside the courtroom itself. This heightens the sense
of urgency and adversarial conflict for the audience learns second-
hand what goes on and recognises the traumatic impact it has on the
lives of those involved. Personal and social abuse of justice, is evident
in the heated dialogue which shows the victim’s frustration, shock and
sense of betrayal. By not being eye-witnesses in the court, the
audience is prompted to focus on the consequences of the court’s
miscarriage of justice. Miller dramatically reveals the tension people
experience when troubled by the nexus of moral conscience and personal
survival. Lies and fraud gain a foothold but Miller’s play acknowledges the
courage of those like the Nurses and the Proctors who hold fast to their innate
sense of right and wrong.