The Crucible: social context

The Crucible: social context

Social Context: The Crucible

The Setting

  • The Crucible is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, during the infamous Salem Witch Trials, which resulted in the execution of twenty people.
  • The play takes place in a highly religious and superstitious society, where belief in witches and the devil was widespread.
  • The people of Salem lived in a closed society characterised by a rigid social system and a strong religiously zealous attitude, mirrored in the repressive society of 1950s America when Miller wrote the play.

Socio-Political Background

  • Real historical events provide the immediate context for the play, but Arthur Miller also reflects upon his own era – the McCarthy-era witch hunts for communist sympathizers in the USA.
  • Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory to McCarthyism when the US government, led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, prosecuted people suspected of being communists.
  • The climate of paranoia, suspicion, and fear of the “Other” during the McCarthy era closely mirrored the atmosphere in 1692 Salem, hence providing a parallel for the societal tension in the play.

Gender and Power

  • The Crucible showcases the subjugation of women and their inferior social, economic, and political roles in Puritan society.
  • The position of women and girls are highlighted through the characterisation of Abigail Williams, who uses the societal belief in witchcraft to establish her power.

Religion

  • Puritanism forms a significant part of the social context within the play. A strong emphasis was placed on personal morality, enforced through strict community observance and intolerance for deviance.
  • The intertwining of church and state further allowed for religious law to dictate life in Salem, and created the perfect grounds for hysteria and paranoia.

Overall, understanding the social context of The Crucible is integral to a nuanced understanding of the play. Comparison between 1692 Salem and 1950s America, power dynamics, gender roles, the influence of religion and puritan belief provide valuable insight into the motivation of characters and the hysteria within the community.