The Crucible is a play which was written by Arthur Miller which premiered in 1953. It’s a dramatized and partially fictional accounting of the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts during 1692-93. Miller used this story to talk about McCarthyism, which paralleled the witch trials’ persecution of people accused of being communists.
Although The Crucible was considered only moderately successful at its release, it’s now become Miller’s most reproduced work worldwide. This is largely thanks to how much justice, hysteria, reputation, intolerance, and empowerment still come up in our daily lives. The Crucible has become a fascinating allegory for political landscapes across history and international borders.
Writing an essay on The Crucible can fall under the basic essay structure. This is usually five paragraphs: an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Because an essay on The Crucible is based more on interpretations and drawing comparisons to other things, it’s critical to write clearly and concisely. Use organization to put your ideas in easy-to-understand groups to tie the whole of your essay together clearly. Remember to connect the themes within the play to the real-life scenarios Miller was critiquing.
Although The Crucible has existed for over 70 years, it remains highly relevant to our current political and social landscape. This makes it a great subject to explore through a variety of lenses.
Topics you can look at in an essay on The Crucible include:
• The presentation of Abigail Williams
• The social breakdown that resulted in the witch hunt paranoia in The Crucible
• The use of rhetorical devices to display the negative correlation between truth, emotions, power, and justice in The Crucible
• The Crucible’s symbolism as a test for Salem
• How The Crucible impacted our view of McCarthyism
• Malevolent intent and vengeance in a corrupt world in The Crucible
• The three stages of John Proctor’s transformation in The Crucible
• Why is The Crucible so well-known?
• How does fear motivate characters in The Crucible
• How does Miller deliver his message, and was it effective?
If you still don’t know how to start, essay examples on this page may help you set your thoughts and start writing.