The Crucible
by Arthur Miller
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Book Reviews of The Crucible
Book Review: delightful
Summary: 4 Stars
This play by Arthur Miller is definitely worth reading, partly because of its engaging storyline and also for its succinctness. This play can pretty much be a model for what play should really be like. It has complex characters that at times both amuse and scare us, a straightforward storyline that is not without it's twists and turns, and most importantly, a fascinating topic that is in relation to historical context.
The plot revolves around the historic Salem Witch Hunt in Salem, Massachusets. A young woman named Abigail is among the others who are accused to performing witchcraft and for enthralling ordinary civilians. When they are finally proven guilty, they stand before court, but not before Abigail gains power in the justice and randomly convicts innocent women to be the "real" witches. The hyseria and corruption surrounding the court and Salem society as a whole will never be the same, as the innocent are convincted while the guilty are let go. Although fiction, this play does relate immensely to historical times, in which women indeed were sentenced to death during the trials for no reason and were never proven guilty. The story is written with eloquence and wit, with the occasional tad bit of humor and irony in the mix. The best part? The language is easy to understand, for us mere mortals at least.
Book Review: Guilty until proven innocent?
Summary: 5 Stars
Arthur Miller just passed away but left us a legacy from which we can interpret economic and political realities. In this play, a group of women are charged with witchcraft. In order to save their own skins, a few of the young female denizens of Salem denounce others as participants, asserting accusations of spiritual assaults etc... The interesting point here is that we assume that one is guilty until proven innocent. In 17th century Salem, one is guilty until proven innocent. This is both a critique of the fallacies of our perceptions concerning our government and the nature of Christianity. After the fall we are all guilty in a way.
I will skip the communist interpretations as it has been performed ad nauseum. We are entering another witch hunt for terrorists and their allies; either you are with the terrorists or with us. There is a subtext of patriotism that informs guilt. While we are not to the point that we were in the fifties, I don't think we are that far off. Another interesting point, Tituba is characterized as the ringleader. She is from the Carribean and I would presume black. Substitute Arab and it begins to look very plausible. The play works on many levels and is not only a critique of McCarthyism, it is also a critique of our misperceptions and the way in which we perceive.
Book Review: An exciting re-creation of the Salem witch trials
Summary: 5 Stars
Miller's Crucible is worth reading because of its valuable lessons and interesting plot. The story is suspenseful up until the last moment and is especially intriguing as it is set in the midst of an actual historical event. Exploring the Salem witch trials, Miller recreates the scenario in a vivid way and ponders the conflicts that led to the witch hunt.
Applying this historical event to the McCarthyism of his era, he provides insight upon the Red Scare. Miller chose to use the witch hunts because of the many parallels between it and the Red Scare. Miller saw the strongest resemblance between the procedures of the trials held during the two periods of hysteria. Another area where Miller created more parallels was in the ambiguous evidences used to accuse a person. Because the social events of the time and the witch trials were so alike, Miller was able to use "The Crucible" as a way to express his thoughts of the era.
Also, Miller's style is easy to read and comprehend as he allows the character to speak in a modern fashion.
The Crucible is gives much insight on the Salem witch trials, the Red Scare, and modern events. This play is engaging and one that can be finished in a matter of hours.
Book Review: The Crucible, a fun piece of work.
Summary: 4 Stars
The Crucible is a great book. Since it is a play, the book is relatively short. I believe that most readers can finish this book peacefully in an afternoon. The plot revolves around the historic events of the Salem Witch Hunt and how one person can start it all. This character, by the name of Abigail, is fiery and very cruel. The way she treats the people around her is astounding and reprimandable. I spent most of the time, trying to express my anger over her actions to John Proctor. The historic base of this novel provides a sense of interest to readers and the plot is quite rudimentary but exciting. It is exciting because of the hysteria and complicated values that run through this play. Though I am instructed not to spoil...I will not discuss the plot but rather the tone of the play in question. Because it is a play, the voice is perhaps unique to every individual reader. You have to read out the lines to live out the plot and characters. Overall, this book astounded me because it provided a ficticious swing over history and really sparked my anger over Abigail. Arthur Miller does a fantastic job doing this.
This was written to honestly give my opinions over this play.
Book Review: The Witch Trials of Salem
Summary: 5 Stars
Arthur Miller is among the world's greatest play writers in history. This is among his best works. It is great not because it is largely factually accurate, but because it was a courageous statement about a Wisconsin politician causing similar hysteria about communism.
Vendettas and greed for land and money caused neighbors to turn on each other in Salem. These weaknesses in society allowed a collection of teenage girls to hypnotize Salem with their lies. In the end, most of the town ends up being accused of witchery. It was only when the town exhausted their search for potential witches that the hysteria slowed. Recognizing the error of Salem's court, the government was forced to step forward and compensate the families of the deceased.
From a literary standpoint, Miller wrote The Crucible masterfully. Reverrend Parris is the corrupt minister who naturally draws the reader's ire. The groupthink that causes others to follow him is one of the most dangerous elements in society. Many of these elements are very present in today's world with a media that thinks for people. This is truly a literary and theatrical masterpiece.