Salem Witch-Hunts In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Composers use deliberate construction to reshape audience’s perspectives by cleverly critiquing the fabricated political agendas present in society. Political discourse can negligently dehumanise individuals by disregarding core human values, resulting in corruption and imbalance in broader society. Arthur Miller’s critical representation of the 1692 Salem Witch-Hunts in his tragic play, ‘The Crucible’ (1953) is an indictment to the injustice which fuelled the 1950’s McCarthy Communist Trials, positioning his audience to consider how political bodies use fear and manipulation to persuade broader society of a particular bias. The play effectively galvanises audiences to act against political injustices, condemning individuals who compromise

Audiences become astutely aware of the potential for individual flaws to impact society more broadly when powerful individuals commit hubris. This is primarily evident through Miller’s characterisation of Reverend Parris, highlighting the misconduct of the court through the villainous connotations and assertive tone in, “You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!” Parris parallels Senator McCarthy’s motivations to derive personal power from the Communist fears in broader American society. Miller reveals his condemnation of selfish political acts through authorial intrusion in the rhetorical question, “Is the accuser always holy now? Vengeance is walking in Salem … the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom,” urging audiences to re-evaluate the validity of political acts before being coerced to contribute to the injustice. Miller encourages deep contemplation about the importance of individual principles through his characterisation of John Proctor, who recognises the hubris of his false confessions in the metaphor, “We will slide together into our pit.” Miller’s representation of Proctor as the moral victim contributes to his dramatic form as Proctor forgoes his reputation for justice to be served, “I have rung the doom of my good name,” metaphorically

The Wachowski Brothers use the controversial and therefore engaging personality of V to articulate the hidden truth associated with the injustice and oppression of the British government. V’s deliberate humanity and personal tone in “Allow me first to apologise for this interruption,” coupled with the inclusive language of, “Like many of you [I] appreciate the comforts… the security of the familiar,” positions him on the level of common society, making his message powerful. The use of direct reference to Guy Fawkes Gunpowder Plot, “November the 5th”, further symbolises rebellion, and the criticism of the misuse of power is symbolised in the metaphor “while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power.” This indicates the necessity for audiences to critique brutal political acts and speak up as a united force in order to ensure injustice does not ensue. Furthermore, the speech indicates the many overt and subtle ways in which individuals can be oppressed due to deliberate and deceptive political acts, as seen in the contrast “Once you had the freedom…to think and speak…you now have sensors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission,” using alliteration to emphasise the power dichotomy created and the oppressive impact on individuals. Thus, the