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Allegory is a symbolic imitation

Now that you have finished the play, you can clearly analyze the themes. But before we turn to that business, we must understand that this play is not only about the Salem Witch trials. The Crucible is an allegory.

Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in reaction to (and frustration against) the McCarthy hearings that emerged from the Red Scare of the 1950s. Read one or more of the following articles about McCarthyism to understand what happened and how Arthur Miller was involved:

• Arthur Miller, "Are You Now Or Were You Ever?"
  The Guardian / The Observer (on line), Saturday, June 17, 2000
• McCarthyism
  Spartacus Educational

Once you understand a little about McCarthyism, answer the following questions by filling in the text boxes and then clicking on the "Answer" button to review the explanations.

Which character represents Joseph McCarthy?

Danforth

What does witchcraft symbolize?

Communism

How is The Crucible an imitation of the McCarthy hearings?

Like in the witch hunts during McCarthyism, the accusers were safe from prosecution, the accused refused to lie and say they were Communists even in the face of dire consequences, the officials kept prosecuting long after they realized that the whole thing was paranoid and destructive, and intolerance of an idea caused the fear to spread.

What is the lesson of The Crucible?

Intolerance and fear should never guide a ruling body, and “guilty until proven innocent” is a destructive way to conduct legal matters.