Comparing The Salem Witch Trials In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

The Crucible by Arthur Miller, is a play written in 1953, during the Second Red Scare in the United States. This play takes places in Puritan Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 during the Salem Witch Trials.The play begins, when a group of girls are dancing in the forest with a slave from Barbados by the name of Tituba. While dancing, they are caught by the town’s minister, Reverend Parris. The following day, Betty, Parris’ daughter, is found unconscious and very ill in her bed and the people of town become suspicious of witchcraft. Abigail and Betty begin accusing other members of the town of witchcraft leading to hysteria and the death of innocent people. The Crucible is an allegory to the 1950s communist hunt led by Wisconsin republican senator

Arthur Miller writes this novel to show the similarities between the Salem witch trials and the Second Red Scare.The single most significant subject in The Crucible by Arthur Miller is the nature of authority because it decides the outcome of the witch trials.
The nature of authority decides the outcome of the trials because the church has power over the people of Salem and their daily lives. The people of Salem lived in a theocracy, where the church has full power influence over the people and decides the laws and punishments of the town. The Puritans were very religiously strict and required all members of Salem to attend church on Sundays, know the commandments and prayers. One example in the novel that shows how important religion was in the play and the power of the church is when Reverend Hale asks John Proctor to recite the ten commandments, failing to do so, Proctor only is able to recite nine out of the ten. Miller

Throughout the play, Deputy Governor Danforth Hathorne and Judge Hathorne abuse their power and condemn innocent people of witchcraft with no sufficient evidence. During the trials Judge Hathorne orders Giles Corey to be arrested for interrupting the court and saying he has evidence that the girls are lying. In the play Giles states “Thomas Putnam is reaching out for land”( Miller 78) and Judge Danforth states “Remove that man, Marshal! Arrest Him Excellency.”(Miller 78). This quote shows that when Corey wants to state his testimony he is not allowed to do so by Judge Danforth and Hathorne. Instead he is ordered to be arrested by Judge Hathorne for contempt of court. This shows that how the Judges of the court have are corrupt and their power to their advantages by condemning innocent people. Judge Danforth also says "Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now.”(Miller 126). In this quote we see Danforth admitting to having knowledge of his wrong doing and false accusation. Instead of owning up to his own mistakes, he gives a long oration about how he represents God, and that if he admits to his wrong doing he is admitting to God's wrong doing. This furthermore shows the power of the court and the most of people that were condemned had no evidence