The Crucible

4.5 stars

In 1692, nineteen people were executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts.

The events described in Miller's play are true and historically documented. Yes, Miller took some artistic liberties with some of the people (such as ageing Abigail and having her be in an affair with Proctor), but the core of the play reflects the very real and horrible events of the witch trials.

The play takes place in a small farming community outside of Salem and centres around a group of young girls who accuse their neighbours of witchcraft and of cavorting with the devil. By the end of act I, we clearly see how the accusations and subsequent trials are pure conjecture and nonsense, which women being accused of “sending their spirits” forth to harm others, women killing babies through “supernatural means,” and plain, old-fashioned hearsay and rumours born out of superstitions and ignorance. In this town, the fear of God is ingrained into everything, and people are found guilty based on their level of belief or how many times they go to church. Here, the law is not separate from the Church, which creates a conflict in how people are judged for their alleged crimes. This theocratic society caused pain, torture, and death to its inhabitants because of a mass hysteria brought on by a group of scared and misguided children.

Because of the nature of this play, one should not expect a happy resolution to the problems and, indeed, the conclusion to the play is as bleak and heart wrenching as what you can imagine. To me, Giles Corey's death was the most poignant. Giles had never done anything other than try to protect his land from those who would have him murdered for it; and yet, he was still killed during questioning because he refused to admit to something he didn't do. Giles' line of "more stones" as a response to his torture was, in my opinion, the saddest part of the whole play.



Miller's retelling of this horrific event is masterful in both its execution and the affects it creates. Miller wrote this play during a time of unrest in the United states, and it was originally meant to draw parallels between the witch trials of old and McCarthyism. This shows that “witch hunts” are still very much present in our society, only that they take on different forms each time they appear.