Miller's Political Artistic And Political Aims

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Effectiveness of Arthur Miller’s lterary and dramatic techniques on The Crucible in achieving his artistic political and artistic aims Written by Playwright Arthur Miller in the 1950s, whilst being set in 1692 in the puritan society of Salem, America, The Crucible recounts the witchcraft trials that took place in the late seventeenth century, but also drawing parallels to the then preceding Army vs. Joseph McCarthy trials against Communism. Having himself been tried and found guilty on national television, author Arthur Miller dramatizes the events that have been reported from the seventeenth century, whilst also making a clear connection to what occurred during the then present day McCarthy trials. His aims, political and artistic, are strikingly clear. Miller describes the evident corruption of the legal system, the overwhelming presence of religion within the society , the ideas of humanity and reputation along with hysteria present during the which trials. He explores these through the use of symbolism, imagery and dramatic techniques. Firstly, In The Crucible, Arthur Miller explores the corruption of the legal system during the Salem witch trials. Evident throughout the play is that one is guilty until proven innocent. This form of legal proceeding is initially adopted with Tituba, however is rapidly spread throughout the general populace of Salem. Reverend Hale forces Tituba to confess her believed guilt of conjuring spirits “You will confess yourself […] to your death” is clearly the beginning in a series of examples illustrating that one must either confess or be killed for their crimes. Miller is simply stating the facts of the legal procedure in Salem and drawing the parallel to the similar, though not as extreme process present during McCarthyism. The idea to “confess” is also used as a slight and subtle foreshadowing of what is to occur later in the

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