Miller, Arthur: 1915-2005
The Crucible, 1953 - Summary
- In the early 1950s the USA was in the grip of a fear of Communists who may have been lurking in the American heartland. Senator Joe McCarthy devoted himself to rooting out these enemies within wherever they might be. It was in response to this climate of fear that Arthur Miller wrote his famous play, "The Crucible". Though set in 17th century New England the play focused on a similar kind of panic and hysteria three centuries before McCarthyism - the Salem Witchhunt,in which 19 people were executed for dealing with the devil. From the BBC
- Summary
- Act by act summaries The Crucible
- Audio summary from enotes