This is a complete study guide needed for IB HL English Language and Literature Paper 2. It contains plot summaries, character, quote and theme analysis etc. It is all I used to study this book for my IB exam and I scored a 7.
In what ways a text a product of its time? Consider:
The Crucible
Plot itself The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in the early 1950s. It takes place in the puritan New England town of Salem, Massachusetts
during the 1692 and is a depiction of the real Salem Witch Trials which occurred at this time. The unexplained sickness and behavior in Salem,
plagued the town with panic. The Crucible is infamous for its progression of hysteria and paranoia throughout each scene. The anxiety that
mounts in the play reflects the political turmoil and instability of the 1950s as the Cold War lingered over society. The play is an allegory of
the 1954 McCarthy trials with the witches or demonically possessed characters symbolizing the communists in America; it warns how
extremist ideas can result in tragedy.
The pressure of society’s ideology caused “the swiftness with which in months all values were forced to reverse themselves” → Miller
Salem witches - 1600 beliefs - real Salem trials
McCarthy trials USA 1950s naming of names- executions of innocent
Themes Greed
Loyalty
Fear: of God, of the Devil, of their reputation, of death, of losing land.
When Rebecca is reading, Giles is shocked→ indicative of the 1600s as women were ‘uneducated’.
Hysteria
Religion
Power
Deceit
Paranoia
1950s McCarthy- religion, communism
Characters Abigail: 1950s - similar to McCarthy
Tituba
John Proctor
Elizabeth Proctor
Reverend Hale
, Reverend Parris
Giles Corey: 1600s uneducated
Language Repetition
style/stylistic Movement
devices/dialogue Hyperbole
Language content: “Let them send to Barbados for that”- hints of racism, would be considered politically incorrect today.
Structure Infamous for its progression of hysteria and paranoia throughout each scene.
The building of tension and hysteria throughout each scene symbolizes how they accused people without substantial evidence and how
quickly people were hanged.
Characters:
Abigail Williams
- 17 year old
- Orphan
- Servant
- Brief lover of John
- Vindictive
- Skillful liar
- The leader of her girlfriends→ influences them to accuse others
- Selfish
- Was dancing naked in the forest with the other girls in order to try and kill Elizabeth Proctor so that she could have John Procter all to herself. Parris
questioned Abigail, asking her if she and the other girls had engaged in witchcraft but Abigail denied it. “It were sport uncle!”
- What Parris was unaware of was that the girl’s rituals in the forest were an attempt to kill Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail was in love with John Proctor,
Elizabeth’s husband whom she had had an affair with. Consumed with jealousy, Abigail spoke irrationally “Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may
let such a sickly wife be-”, her immaturity causes her to turn to petty insults as she works to instill doubt in John’s mind regarding his marriage with
Elizabeth. Later on in the play Abigail also accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft. Her actions are perhaps driven by envy and jealousy, however, they are
also indicators of her infatuation with John and her fear of losing him.
Proctor
- Farmer
- Powerful
- Has integrity → is honest
- Loyal
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