Weeks 5-9Mrs. Barnett

English 3

Do you believe in witches?1. What are some examples of various cultural,

social and psychological reasons that people might have that encourage a belief in witches or witchcraft?

2. What are some classic examples of witches in literature (fairy tales; Snow White, etc.), movies (The Wizard of Oz), plays (Wicked), novels (Harry Potter series)?

3. What symbols or stereotypes are used to portray or identify witches? (brooms, cauldrons, cats, black garments, etc.).

The Crucible

By Arthur Miller

The Crucible Setting and Background

• An exploration of the historical background to The Crucible by Arthur Miller, connecting the key themes of superstition, fear and injustice with the political context of the play - the anti-Communist McCarthy era of the 1950s– http://prezi.com/t_8gy6lwasxk/the-crucible-setting-and

-background/?res_nr=4&sis=6745243829

The "Hook" and Activation of Prior Knowledge

• Video Titles– The REAL History Behind the Salem Witch Trials

– History Channel Video: Salem Witch Trials• In pairs, students will complete a video watching guide while

watching both videos.

– Focus on the religious beliefs of the Puritans and the social and historical background of the Salem community.

• In pair groups, students should work together to complete the Before, During and After Viewing Worksheet identifying what they knew about the topic before watching the videos, noting new information learned while watching the videos and asking questions after watching the videos.

Miller on The Crucible

"A political policy is equated with moral right, and opposition to it with diabolical malevolence."

The Crucible serves as an allegory for the activities of Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee.

ALLEGORY

Allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance.Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.

Morality Play

• The Crucible has been referred to as a "morality" play.

1. How would you define morality? Give examples of morality from everyday experiences or popular videos, movies and/or television programs.

2. What characteristics would encompass a "morality" play?

Arthur Miller

Born in 1915 to Jewish immigrant parentsAfter graduating from the University of Michigan, Miller worked as a freelance writer in New York

Miller’s Life• He had 3 marriages: to Mary Grace Slattery, to Marilyn Monroe, and to Inge Morath

• He won a Pulitzer Prize, 2 Drama Circle Critic Awards, 7 Tony Awards, an Obie, the JFK Lifetime Achievement Award, and others

• He received honorary doctorates from Harvard University and Oxford University

• Miller died Feb. 11, 2005

Miller’s Plays•1944 The Man Who Had All the Luck opened to horrible reviews

•1947 All My Sons was an instant success. It was concerned with morality in the face of lies and desperation

•1949 Death of a Salesman, about a little man living a little life, was a Pulitzer Prize winner

•1953 The Crucible, set in Salem in the late 1600s, served as an indictment of McCarthyism of the 1950s

McCarthyism“In the 1950s, McCarthyism meant a brave, patriotic stand against Communism. It had the support of the media and the American people. Now it has come to mean a smear campaign of groundless accusations from which the accused cannot escape, because professions of innocence become admission of guilt and only confessions are accepted.”

- Kenneth C. Davis in Don’t Know Much About History

The House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC)

•The Committee was established in 1937 to investigate subversive activities

• It supposedly investigated both left and right wing political groups (investigated Klan activities at one point, but closed the case without finding any evidence of subversive activities. The committee chairman, Martin Dies, was a Klan member)

The House UnAmerican Activities Committee (HUAC)

• In 1947 the Committee began an investigation of the Hollywood motion picture industry

•HUAC required those who testified to admit to Communist party affiliations and to “name names”

• HUAC “blacklisted” writers – over 300 writers were barred from working in film

The Hollywood 10•They were writers

accused of Communist activities in 1947 by HUAC

•They refused to answer Committee questions, citing the 5th Amendment

•They were found guilty of contempt of Congress and sentenced to 6 –12 months in prison

1957: Arthur Miller guilty of contempt

Arthur Miller had close associations with the

Communist party

•US playwright Arthur Miller has been convicted of contempt of Congress. The conviction relates to an investigation last year by the House of Representatives' Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) into a Communist conspiracy to misuse American passports.

•During the investigation 41-year-old Mr. Miller, who is married to Hollywood movie star Marilyn Monroe, refused to reveal the names of alleged Communist writers with whom he had attended five or six meetings in New York in 1947.

•He was said to be co-operative in all other aspects of the hearing but told the committee his conscience would not permit him to give the names of others and bring possible trouble to them.

1958: Arthur Miller cleared of contempt• Washington's Court of Appeals overturned playwright

Arthur Miller's conviction for contempt of Congress after a two-year legal battle. In May of 1957, a judge convicted Miller for refusing to tell the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) the names of alleged Communist writers with whom he attended five or six meetings in New York in 1947.

• He had been questioned by the HUAC in 1956 over a supposed Communist conspiracy to misuse American passports and willingly answered all questions about himself.

• But the playwright, married to actress Marilyn Monroe, refused to name names on a point of principle saying: "I could not use the name of another person and bring trouble on him.“

Arthur Miller later said his trial only went ahead because he had refused one of the members of the HUAC permission to be photographed with Marilyn Monroe.

“Why I wrote The Crucible: An artist answer to

politics”• Read pp. 1095-1096 and take notes

1. What does he believe can happen in the absence of fear?

2. Given what you know about the McCarthy hearings and the events in Salem on which Miller based The Crucible, what kind of risks did he take in writing the play?

DRAMATIC ELEMENTS

Elements of drama that playwrights often use to write their plays

http://quizlet.com/17972935/dramatic-elements-flash-cards/ (flash cards)

 http://www.slideshare.net/cesvaldez13/7-elements-of-modern-drama (dramatic elements PPT)

 http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072405228/student_view0/drama_glossary.html (glossary )

• The following is a list of dramatic elements:

acts, scenes, dialogue, stage directions, tragedy, tragic hero, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, external conflict, internal conflict, characterization, irony, theme, antagonist, protagonist, character, foreshadowing, foil, imagery, setting, symbol, tone, mood, overture

• Define the dramatic elements and give an example from The Crucible

VOCABULARY &

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Mood Words• In what ways does Miller use the words anarchy, contentious,

deposition, dissembling, iniquity, trepidation, corroborate, and adamant throughout the play to create the "mood" of the story? – How would you characterize the words (character traits, actions,

or concepts)? vocabulary graphic organizer

– When Danforth states, "Now we shall touch the bottom of this swamp," what is he referring to as a "swamp"? What does he mean by "touch the bottom"?

– What does Hale mean when he says, ... "blood on my head"?

– At the end of Act three, as Mary Warren rushes to Abigail, the stage directions state; (They all watch as Abigail, out of her infinite charity, reaches out and draws the sobbing Mary to her). Why is this comment ironic?

Theme DevelopmentTrace the following themes as you read:•Hypocrisy•Guilt•Revenge•Hysteria•Authority•Integrity and courage•Judgment•Power

What theme(s) are revealed in these quotes?

• Reverend Parris - “There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit.” (Act 1)

• Abigail Williams – “She sends her spirit on me in church, she makes me laugh at prayer!” “She made me do it!” “She made Betty do it!” (Act 1)

• Judge Danforth - “Mr. Hale, as God have not empowered me like Joshua to stop this sun from rising, so I can not withhold from them the perfection of their punishment.” (Act 4)

Symbols and Motifs

• “God’s icy wind”

• “my name”

The word “crucible” has many meanings and connotations, including:• A container that resists heat• A melting pot• A fire or furnace• A trial or difficult ordeal

– “The Crucible” is a test every recruit must go through to become a Marine. It tests every recruit physically, mentally and morally and is the defining experience of recruit training.

A Poppet is a small doll

• It was given to Elizabeth as a peace offering

• The doll was corrupted by Abigail and used as a weapon against Elizabeth

The Crucible Character List (in order of appearance)

• Reverend Samuel Parris• Betty Parris• Tituba• Abigail Williams• John Proctor• Elizabeth Proctor • Susanna Walcott• Mrs. Ann Putnam• Thomas Putnam• Mercy Lewis• Mary Warren

• Rebecca Nurse

• Giles Corey

• Reverend John Hale

• Francis Nurse

• Ezequiel Cheever

• Marshall Herrick

• Judge Hathorne

• Martha Corey

• Deputy Governor Danforth

• Sarah Good

• Hopkins

ACT 1 -

• Read Act 1– Take Notes– Define Dramatic Elements– Define Vocabulary

Character Analysis

Reverend John Hale

Church authority

on demonolog

y

Deputy Governor Danforth

• Presiding judge at Salem and highest authority

• Supremely confident

• Represents combined authority of church and state

Judge Hathorne

•Danforth’s cruel, vengeful deputy

•Fawns on Danforth

•Contemptuous of the townspeople

Lesser officers of the court•Ezekial Cheever

– a tailor appointed as a officer of the court

•Marshall Herrick

Good reading!!!!!!!!!

Test Review Material:• Article on Arthur Miller

• Crucible Plot Flashcards - Use as a refresher course to the story (You will need to hit the button on the top toolbar that says "study").  You might also consider using all of your study guides to review the events of the play.

• Be sure to know the primary setting of each act of the play. 

• Look over the notes you took on each of the introductory presentations.  Questions from the "3 main points slide" will be added to the test.

• Be sure to go back and look through your character guide sheet.  Not only will you need to know plot details about the characters, but you will also need to recognize character quotes.  As I have said before, I don't expect you to memorize every single line of the play.  However, you should be able to reasonable infer what a character sounds like based on his/her character traits that we have been discussing in class.  Find a quote and ask yourself, "why did this character say this?"  What is an allegory and how does it apply to this play?

• Why do we read The Crucible in our exploration to learn more about human nature? Think about universal ideas and themes. Why did Arthur Miller write this play?

• Theocracy

• Puritan Society

• 1950s

• Joseph McCarthy and McCarthyism

• Communism and The Red Scare

• The Hollywood Ten and BlacklistsEdward Murrow

• Look over your historical notes on the Salem Witch Trials from the documentary we watched at the beginning of the unit.

• Be sure to understand what Hysteria is and how it may have played a part in 1692 and the 1950s.

• Your essay for the Crucible will be very similar to writing assignment #2 on this page.  Consider the fact that Arthur Miller almost used this play as a warning; If we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

• Similarities between the play, historical events, and the 1950s.