The Crucible: genre

Genre

The Crucible is categorised as a Historical Drama. However, it can also be perceived within the genre of Tragedy due to its exploration of the downfall of its main character.

Historical Drama

Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory for the McCarthy era, using the Salem Witch Trials as a historical parallel.
The play was set in the 1690’s which was significantly before Miller’s time.
Telling the story of the Salem witch trials, it explores themes of mass hysteria, fear of the unknown, and the danger of false accusations.
Parts of the play involve dramatic re-enactments of historical events and many characters in the play are based on real people from history.
The historical setting serves to highlight the irrational fear of communism during the 1950s and the harm it caused people who were falsely accused.

Tragedy

John Proctor, the central character, can be seen as a tragic hero. He suffers a tragic downfall due to his own pride and inability to reveal his own faults.
Tragedy is invoked as the initially-respected protagonist is eventually disgraced and executed, despite his attempts to rectify his initial mistakes.
There is a strong moral and didactic element in the play in this root: the audience gets the message about the terrible consequences of pride and dishonesty.
The play offers a catharsis and emotional purging for the audience through the downfall and death of the main character, a common feature of tragedies. This is highlighted in John’s heroic refusal to allow his false confession to be made public, asserting that he prefers to die with dignity than live in shame.

Remember that understanding the genre of The Crucible can greatly aid in deeper appreciation and analysis of the text. Equally, a solid understanding of how the genre shapes the narrative and characters is essential to successful performance and interpretation.