The Crucible (Penguin Plays) (Paperback)

by Arthur Miller (Author) "A small upper bedroom in the home of Reverend Samuel Parris, Salem, Massachusetts, in the spring of the year 1692..." (more)
Key Phrases: Goody Proctor, John Proctor, Sarah Good (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A drama based on the witch trials in Salem Village.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (October 28, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140481389
• ISBN-13: 978-0140481389
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (192 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,390 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Controvesy: The Crucible, April 25, 2001

By	Jenna O'Shields (Lyman, SC USA) - See all my reviews

Using the historical and controversial subject of the Salen Witch Trials, Arthur Miller's play The Crucible presents an allegory for events in contemporary America. Miller's play employs these historical events to criticize the moments in humankind's history when reason and fact became clouded by irrational fears and the desire to place blame for society's problems on others. The play deals with the corrupted town of Salem, Massachusettes, in 1692. John proctor, a blunt, out-spoken farmer and the play's central character, gets caught up in a conspiracy not even his own stength can control when his ex-lover, Abigail, throws false accusations in his wife's direction. As Proctor tries to free his wife and prove all others also accused of withcraft innocent, he finds himself being accused as well. This play is a story of vengeance; one man stands in a tug-of-war battle between God and Satan, pride and damnation, and good and evil. It all leads up to a climactic ending in which one lost soul finds peace with himself and realizes the importance of one's integrity.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clever and Disturbing, March 4, 2002

By	L. Park (Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This play is truly and epic for recent times. The language used by Miller for his characters are intelligent and eloquent, but not to such an extent as to make for difficult reading (like Shakespeare for instance). Miller's Crucible is largely based on the Salem Witch Trials and contains more than a few actual quotes for his characters that came from transcripts of the real trials. The plot is so very clever with many layers and themes and subplots running throughout. There is the obvious top layer that almost anyone can understand about the horror of the witchhunt, and then there is a more subtle layer about the inner nature of humans... sometimes it can be quite dark (like Abigail, the girl who really leads the accusations) or cowardly (like Parris, whose only real drive seems to be saving his own skin and reputation) and yet there are others that are good (John Proctor, who takes on almost like a Christ figure) and righteous (like Rebecca Nurse who is practical and strong willed through the whole ordeal). The writing is brilliant and it is easy to become thoroughly entrenched in the horror that life in Salem in 1692 came to be. There are many tense moments, and many agonizing situations, and I was quite swept up with the futileness and frustration that many of the accusees more than likely felt. This play is brilliant, and was written in response to the McCarthy horror that swept the 1950's, and serves as a disturbing warning that the intolerance and hysteria of the Salem Witch Trials has happened before, and can happen again.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hysteria, McCarthyism Exposed, November 25, 2000

By	Matthew M. Yau "Voracious reader" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts (Twentieth-Century Classics) (Paperback)

While Arthur Miller was more likely known for his most popular play DEATH OF A SALESMAN, which won the Pulitzer Prize as the best play in 1949, THE CRUCIBLE is regarded by many critics to be a much more superior work.

THE CRUCIBLE was written in response to the ridiculous charges made by Senator McCarthy, who accused the Democratic administration of harboring and supporting Communists in the United States Government. Miller wrote the play in 1953, at the same time America was involved in a formidable struggle with the former Soviet Union. America in general had this secret and unexpressed xenophobia of this social-communist power.

Miller had used the famous McCarthy saying in the play - the senator oftained maintained that those who opposed his hearing were Communists, and consequently, any public official who offered criticism, questions, or doubts of the hearings soon found himself defending himself against the charge of being a part of the Communicst conspiracy.

In THE CRUCIBLE, we also found struggle and conflict between the Salem people and the Authority. At a more personal, narrower level, this conflict exists between John Proctor vs. Reverend Parris. John Proctor was a local member of the church who had opposed and challenged many of Parris' unnecessary expenditures. Like those who dared the power of the government and questioned authority of hearings back in 1950s here in America, anyone who opposed the authority of the Salem judges was automatically suspected of trying to undermine the court in the 17th century.

Besides McCarthyism at the time when the play was written, THE CRUCIBLE reflected so much the concepts of Puritanism back in the 17th century. The unusual nature of the Puritan religion led to all kinds of and different levels of fear of witches and persecution. Puritans, like the authority in THE CRUCIBLE, deeply felt that their way of life was absolutely right and all other ways were wrong. Therefore, Puritans believed that government should be totally controlled by the church.

THE CRUCIBLE is an authentic examination of the Puritan Age of America. It was written at the time when McCarthyism outburtsed and people lived in hysteria. It served to parallel the Salem Witch0hunt which brought about fear and persecution some 300 years ago. Interesting play. Fun to read.