The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about the corruption, lying, strict actions of the Salem witchcraft trials in Salem, Massachusetts. Miller was inspired to write this play to relate to the era of McCarthyism during the 1950’s that he and American citizens were experiencing. In the 1950’s Joseph McCarthy starting accusing public figures of being guilty of treason by supporting the communist party (of Russia). But McCarthy had no physical proof or evidence that suggested his wild accusations. The accusations caused havoc in America, hundreds imprisoned, and thousands to lose their job. The Crucible is focused on the wrongful and unjust accusations on townspeople guilty of “witchcraft” by a young teenager Abigail. If guilty, the town holds a trial, which if the accused confesses to witchcraft the accused would live; if the accused will be hanged. The accusations and trials led to twenty deaths of innocent people. These deaths are the fault of court official Danforth, integrity of John Proctor, and the lies told by Abigail are the reason these people were hanged. The lies and deception throughout the play were big factors causing the hangings of the twenty innocent people. Early on, she realizes that she is in trouble about the witchcraft, but she recognizes that she is able to confess to her wrong doing, of committing acts of the devil, if she did not confess she would have been hanged. In effect she will accuses other people, but the name were mentioned by Thomas Putnam earlier, so she said what Putnam wanted to hear. Subsequently Abigail confessed, “I want to open myself! I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go …show more content…
Nevertheless, the lies started by Abigail, the stern integrity of Proctor, and the decisions of Danforth all caused twenty people to be wrongfully hanged and caused chaos in