The Crucible is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller which blends fiction with history as it examines the events leading up to the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, MA -- as well as the trials themselves.
It is widely acknowledged that the play examines the Salem Witch trials as an analogy to the hysteria and accusations of the Red Scare. Recommended reading on McCarthyism and its connections to The Crucible are included throughout the lesson plan. A good introduction can be found here.
Key Aspects of The Crucible
Tone
Because this is a play, each character's tone is slightly different. However the overall tone of the piece is Miller's own charged and critical view of the...
