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through the allegory within Arthur Miller’s tragedy play The Crucible, he represents the essential qualities of human nature and the struggles we face when we live together. This further highlights the complexities of the town that lies just beneath the surface and all it takes is Abigail to exploit the contextual congeniality. Whilst the crucible is theatrical there is a prevalent amount of authorial intrusion. His style of writing as a dramatist incorporates his commentary into the realisation of the play. The abject fear of communism, the red terror, the use and abuse of power to unearth this fear led to widespread hysteria within millers own context, the rapid obfuscation of truth, The contextual situation of both millers context and the witch hunts in Salem represents the fragility within the society that allowed for the rapid spread of hysteria. His genre of theatre invites the audience to a moment opposed to reading as it is a personal experience, theatre allows for an immediate collective impact that resembles his own context. • Central to the narrative is the political structure of the town and the relationships and tensions that exist among the community. Arthur miller constructs a play that explores the collective human experience of mass hysteria as a reaction against a great threat in society, its consequences highlighting the self-destructive nature of humans. • Miller therefore depicts the human experience of the dichotomy of power and fear and the self-destructive reaction of what it culminates in. • Arthur Miller’s setting of the puritanical society of Salem and its domineering theocratical institution is utilised to allude to his own context of McCarthyism and corrupt nature of the government during the red scare. This allusion aids in Millers exploration of the dangerous nature of power which easily kindles destructive mass hysteria. • Miller essentially conveys the inherent human experience of striving for self-preservation whilst simultaneously questioning the extent of complacency human nature will allow for when their lives and reputation is at stake • Abigail is the human embodiment of lies and the mob psychology she utilises to perpetuate it, she remains static throughout the entire play further conveying the universality and immortality of the concept of the obfuscation of truth. • Abigail is the catalyst for a culture in which lies thrive and no one is safe from the accusations, rumours and paranoia that permeate society, ultimately making “self-preserving accusations” self-defeating. • The Crucible ultimately encourages the pursuit of truth rather than self-preservation as Miller portrays the destructive actions humans have the capacity to partake in, in order to achieve self-preservation. • o “I think you must hear the girl, sir, she-“ – Hale’s truncated dialogue is repeatedly exhibited as Danforth’s constant and unbridled interruptions reinforces the inability for the collective to contradict him, creating a strong parallel to Danforth and senator McCarthy through Danforth’s unlimited legal power and unbridled authority o The crucible depicts two different elements of power weaponised within the collective, unlike Danforth’s aggressive legal power within the theocratical society Abigail instils a social power as rather than oppressing the collective she weaponises it through manipulation of other people. o The contrast between these two forms of power is exemplified by Danforth’s dialogue “if so, her neck will break for it”. The grotesque imagery depicts the extent of the violence that will ensue due to the kindling of mass hysteria amplified by an uninhibited institution in order to retain power. o Abigail’s convinced herself that her constructed narrative and her version of reality is true she is impervious to any negotiation. Due to the fact her life hangs by the thread of her version of reality, the high stakes benefits her motivation to blindly follow her delusion of truth. o The lack of any private insight into her actual emotions and motivation after act 1 is utilised by miller to make Abigail more mysterious and dangerous as her power as a character grows within the play it grows on the reader. o “I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!” Abigail’s exclamatory language emphasises the beginning of Abigail’s role as the catalyst for the hysteria occurring in the play. o Abigail weaponizes her understanding of the social conditions in a puritanical society, kindling the flames of mass paranoia and the inevitable obfuscation of truth that ensues for her own self-preservation. Contrasting with John Proctor’s paradoxical disregard for his own survival in the pursuit of truth obfuscated by the theological institution. o Miller provides parallels between his personal experience of McCarthyism during the red scare he further outlines the ____. The accusation of treasons without substantial evidence conducted in order for people to maintain their reputation and lives prevalent in Miller’s context mirrored in the complacency of the townspeople toward the corrupt theological institution in The Crucible reflect the novel’s exploration of o “This man is killing his neighbours for their land!” – giles corey, high modality language exemplifying the selfish individualistic nature of people that begin to corrupt the collective. o “[Mary Warren and all the other girls run to one wall, shielding their eyes…they let out a gigantic scream.” The heightened emotion which is created by these stage directions demonstrates how easily humans can be manipulated into conforming to the hysteria of a crowd, or ‘mob psychology’ and ultimately give up their individuality easily by being unwilling to see past the obfuscation of the truth. Mary’s character symbolises complacency within the theological institution and in other oppressive institutions in reality. This parallels reality due to Miller’s own experience of his friend’s accusation against him for being a communist in the figurative witch hunt that was the McCarthy trials. The way the crucible mirrors reality exemplifies Miller’s understanding of ______and the manner in which it is applicable in reality. o “it were pretense, sir” – Mary warren, repetition o “its you folks-you riles him up round here” - tituba provides an insight of the human nature of vengeance and paranoia that plagues salem rather than the convoluted idea of witchcraft being the root cause of the towns issues, authorial intrusion? o “Pontius pilate” biblical allusion that alludes to Pilate’s betrayal of truth and sending an innocent person to their death. Foreshadows the ending of the novel (proctor’s demise). reflects on the altruistic morality of John Proctor as he inadvertently compares himself to Jesus, emphasising the altruistic nature of the pursuit of truth over self-preservation o This is further emphasised in “he has his goodness now”