The Crucible pdf:

[Link]

Question:

How does the play convey ideas about human experiences?

Thesis:

Source: [Link]

Additional reading: [Link]

Main ideas
  Love
 Redemption
 Reputation
 Hysteria
 Power and authority
 Guilt
 Portrayal of women
 Deception
 Goodness
 Judgement
 Jealousy
 Intolerance

Additional notes: [Link]

[Link]

Refer to “Deconstruction Student Handbook” for more detail.

Improving language

Words from “The Crucible” you need to know and use:

- Dramatic purposes
- essential nature
- Strangest and most awful chapters
- Drawn to the best of my ability in conformity with their known behaviour
- Villainous path
- Persecuted
- dark houses snuggling against the raw Massachusetts winter
- vain enjoyment
- strict and sombre way of life
- The parochial snobbery
- citadel
- homage
- innate resistance
- persecution
- defiled and corrupted by wrong ways and deceitful ways
- communal society
- autocracy
- autocratic
Purposefulness
Ideology
Perpetuation
Sufferings
Self-denial
Vain pursuits
hard-handed justice
Antagonistic
Differentiation
Speculation
Victims
Salem tragedy
Paradox
Theocracy
Repression
Exclusion
Prohibition
Perverse manifestation
Individual villainy
Vengeance
Bickering
Morality
Heavenly combat between Lucifer and the Lord
Intellectual superior
Vindictive nature
Deeply embittered
Disproportionate
Accusations
Corroborating
Supernatural
Partisans
Deepest resentment
A fool felt his foolishness instantly
delusion
Social status
Resented his rise
Systematic campaign against
Inferentially against
Errand
Pondering
Searching scrutiny
Methodical inculcation
Inquisition
Cultivating
Contemporary diabolism
Abrogation
Diabolical malevolence
Snobbish objection
Conventionalised propitiation
Tremendous responsibility
Consequent hypocrisy
Atomisation
Lascivious
Demonology
Improving your writing

Techniques and stylistic features from “The Crucible” you need to know and use:
1) Dramatic, verbal and situational irony
2) Refer to “Deconstruction Student Handbook” for a more comprehensive list of techniques.

Additional information: [Link]

Act 1 – Overture

 Overture is a stylistic feature which can be used as a technique. A stylistic feature is a feature which a composer uses within the
composition that makes the text distinct.
 These quotes provide an understanding of the context of Salem in relation to its social, cultural, political, historical, spiritual context

Overture:

The overture of "The Crucible" provides relevant and interesting background information on the events that occurred during the
Salem witch trials. Miller gave us a history of the events, along with crucial information on the mindset and attitudes of the
Puritan people at this time. If we didn't have this information, we might read through or watch the play itself and think that these
were just a bunch of crazy people and dismiss the events as that. Instead, Miller helps us to understand that the Puritan people at
this time had a dangerous combination of beliefs: a thorough belief in the actual existence of the devil and his influence through
witchcraft, and, no way to atone for or purge their sins and grievances. Because people did and felt bad things all the time, they
felt guilty for it, but the Puritans had no confessions, or atoning for those sins, or a way that they could work out those sins in a
healthy way. So instead, they had to let them fester. That festering, in combination with their belief in the devil, combined to
create the trials. It provided a place for people to openly confess their sins (for example, Abby confessing that she "laughs during
prayers,") and not be held accountable for those sins through blaming them on the witches and the devil.

Miller, in providing that necessary background information, helps us to understand why so many would so cruelly accuse their
neighbors of crimes that they didn't commit. The overture also provides information on their culture, society, beliefs, religion and
the lead-up to the trials themselves. It is very useful information that Miller has provided--background research that often we
don't get with plays. (Source: [Link]

Stylistic feature: The ways in which aspects of texts (such as words, sentences, images) are arranged and how they affect
meaning. Style can distinguish the work of individual authors (for example, Jennings’s stories, Lawson’s poems), as well as the
work of a particular period (for example, Elizabethan drama, nineteenth-century novels), or of a particular genre or type of text
(for example, recipes, scientific articles, play-by-play commentary). Examples of stylistic features are narrative viewpoint, structure
of stanzas, juxtaposition, nominalization, alliteration, metaphor and lexical choice. (Source: [Link]/senior-
secondary-curriculum/English/glossary/?letter=S)

Understanding the context of Salem

 The overture is important because it provides insight into the motivations and behaviors of the people of Salem.
 An overture is a passage of writing that provides important information about the backstory of something. In the context of The
Crucible, it provides important information about individual and collective motivations and behavior.

Key quotes (including short explanations):

1) “He was a widower with no interest in children, or talent with them. He regarded them as young adults”- {page 14}
 Parris didn’t have a wife and children
2) “His house stood in the “town” - but we today would hardly call it a village.” - {page10}
 Village connotes love, relationships, closeness
3) “No one can really know what their lives were like. They had no novelists - and would not have permitted anyone to read a novel if one
were handy.” - {page 13}
 They weren’t educated people
4) “Their creed forbade anything resembling a theater or “vain enjoyment.” They did not celebrate Christmas, and a holiday from work meant
only that they must concentrate even more upon prayer.” - {page 14}
 Creed refers to religious beliefs and doctrine
 They weren't allowed to enjoy the pleasures of life.
 They weren’t allowed to participate in any activities of entertainment.
5) “This predilection for minding other people’s business was time honored among the people of Salem, and it undoubtedly created many of
the suspicions which were to feed the coming madness.” - {page 14}
  People had suspicions and these suspicions led to madness and chaos
 Predilection: a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something.
 In Salem, people had a narrow point of view which led to a sense of ignorance and heedlessness in which people became very jealous,
envious and suspicious of others.
6) “The Salem tragedy, which is about to begin in these pages, developed from a paradox. It is a paradox in whose grip we still live, and there
is no prospect yet that we will discover its resolution.”
 A paradox is a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or
true.
 “Vengeance taken despite the Bible’s charitable injunctions”
 The paradox is that the chruch promotes truthfulness and honesty nonetheless Salem was founded on fabrication and lies and people
attempting to reinforce the power, authority and wealth.
7) “Simply, it was this: for good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious
power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material
or ideological enemies.”
 Theocracy: a system of government in which priests' rule in the name of God or a god.
8) “The witch-hunt was a perverse manifestation of the panic which set in among all classes when the balance began to turn toward greater
individual freedom.”
 Fear, hysteria, panic and chaos
 Individual freedoms were not promoted because this would be a source of revolution and change and hence, to maintain the status
quo, a sense of collectivism needed to be maintained.
9) “It was also, and as importantly, a long overdue opportunity for every-one so inclined to express publicly his guilt and sins, under the cover
of accusations against the victims. It suddenly became possible - and patriotic and holy - for a man to say that Martha Corey had come into his
bedroom at night, and that, while his wife was sleeping at his side, Martha laid herself down on his chest and “nearly suffocated him.” -
{page 17}
 Human motivation
 Lies were truth, and truth was lies.
 Victims were always believed over the accused.
10) “Long-held hatreds of neighbors could now be openly expressed, and vengeance taken, despite the Bible’s charitable injunctions. Land-
lust which had been expressed before by constant bickering over boundaries and deeds, could now be elevated to the arena of morality.”
 People use religion to justify oppression and the pursuit of personal interests.
11) “Old scores could be settled on a plane of heavenly combat between Lucifer and the Lord; suspicions and the envy of the miserable
toward the happy could and did burst out in the general revenge”
 Good vs Evil
 Binary opposites
  Dichotomy
 Two groups in society. 1) Those who were with the Lord 2) Those who were with Lucifer; nonetheless, membership to a group was not
determined by the individual but rather collective consensus.

Additional quotes:

1) They believed, in short, that they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world. We have inherited this belief, and it has
helped and hurt us. It helped them with the discipline it gave them. They were a dedicated folk, by and large, and they had to be to survive the
life they had chosen or been born into in this country.

Character/s Quote Technique Rubric Explanation Related Additional Key

Themes words
Parris Act 1 Parris states -Tone -Human -Parris is attempting to Reputation -Despair
Hale [his eyes going -Repetition motivations save himself because Lies and -Vulnerability
wide]:-no - -Descriptive and behavior he knows the girls were deceit -Paranoid
no. There be no language -Individual dancing in the woods, Supernatural -Dignity
unnatural cause -Comparative and collective but he is concerned Good vs Evil -Hysteria
here. Tell him I have language human about his reputation. Justice -Shame
sent for the -Unnatural -Love
experiences His worried tone
reverend hale of causes -Arrogance
-Human provides emphasis to
Beverly, and Mr. -Punctuation -Fear
Hale will surely -Dramatic Irony qualities and his concerns. -Selfishness
confirm that. Let -Stage emotions -It is the perception of -Aggressiveness
him look to Directions -Storytelling witchcraft that -Stubbornness
medicine and put -Anomaly concerns Parris because
out all unnatural -Challenging in Salem, perceptions
causes here. There Assumptions are enough to find or to
be none. page 18 charge someone with
guilt.
Parris Act 1 Parris states -Rhetorical -Anomaly Heathen: A person who -Retribution -Fear
[pressed, turned to question -Human is not a part of the -Redemption -Anger
her]: and what shall - Hypophora behavior and established religion in -Reputation -Threat
I say to them? That (when u answer motivation the community. -judgment -Survival
my daughter and the rhetorical -Human Parris is contemplating -Corruption
 niece I discovered question) qualities and whether to conceal -power and -Adversity
dancing like -Simile emotions what happened in the authority -Community
heathen in the -Stage woods, in an attempt to -Tragedy
forest? Page 18 and directions manipulate the -Love
19 community’s -Disapproval
perceptions. -Paranoia
Furthermore, Parris
was fearful in relation
to the ramifications of
the charge of
witchcraft.
Abigail Act 1: Abigail -Short -Storytelling -Abigail is attempting to -Lies and -Fear
Parris stated: “...uncle, we sentences -Motivation depict the event as an deceit -Despair
Girls did dance; let you -Tone and Human inconsistency because -The -Vulnerability
tell them I -Diction Behavior in this society they do Supernatural -Love
confessed it - and ill -Inclusive -Human not promote activities -Appearance -determination
be whipped if I Language qualities and which were fun and vs reality -apprehension
must be. But they -Imperative emotions entertaining -Reputation -distraction
are speakin’ of language -Anomaly nonetheless it is an -deception -anticipation
witchcraft. Betty’s - Syntax anomaly because they -Good vs evil -vigilant
not witched”. Page were doing witchcraft.
19

Truncated sentences are often referred to as short sentences, but there is a difference between short sentences and
truncated sentences. A truncated sentence has to have been cut short – there need to be words missing.
[Link]

-Parris Act 1 Parris states -Tone -Motivation -He’s concerned about -Reputation -Hate
-Abigail now look you, child, -Imperative -Human his reputation and -Justice -Anger
your punishments Language Behavior wants to know what -The -Dignity
will come in its -Diction -Anomaly they were doing. He Supernatural -Identity
time. But if you -Dramatic Irony -Storytelling wanted to conceal what -Love
trafficked with he really knew which -Fear
spirits in the forest I was that they were -arrogance
 must know it now, attempting to practice
for surely my witchcraft and he didn’t
enemies will, and want people to know
they will ruin me what they were doing
with it. in the woods.
page 19

Parris Act 1 Parris stated -Interrogative -Motivation White represents good. -Reputation -Identity
Abigail to Abagail: “Now Question -Human Name is symbolic of -Position -Honesty
give me upright -Symbolism Behaviour identity respect and -Power -Desperation
answer. Your name (name and -Human honor. There are -Corruption -Fear
in the town- it is white) Qualities rumors that Abigail is -Lies and -Anger
entirely white, is it -Imperative -Collective not an honest person Deceit -Annoyance
not?” Page 20 Language and Individual and hence her -Rage
-Motif human credibility has always -Disapproval
experiences been questionable; -Aggressiveness
nonetheless in an -Disgust
attempt to protect his
own position they
believe Abigail version
of events.
Abigail Act 1 Abagail: -Tone -Human Abigail is denying that -Lies and -Injustice
“[with an edge of -Declarative Behaviour she hasn’t done Deceit -Corruption
resentment] why, I Sentence -Human anything wrong in the -Appearance -Identity
am sure it is, sir, -Stage direction Qualities past. vs Reality -Rebellion
there be no blush
about my name”.
page20
Abigail Act 1: Abagail: [in a -Exclamatory -Human Abigail is saying that -Lies and -Injustice
Goody Proctor temper]: my name Language Behaviour she hasn’t done Deceit -Corruption
is good in the -Motif (name) -Human anything wrong in the -Appearance -Identity
village! I will not -Diction Qualities past. Her use of vs Reality -Rebellion
have it said my -Syntax (short -Motivation exclamatory language -Anger
name is soiled! dramatic provides emphasis to -Jealousy
 Goody proctor is a sentences) her confident
gossiping liar. page -Descriptive character.
21 language
-Stage
directions
Parris Act1 Parris: -Diction -collective and Parris is still trying to -Religion -Fear
Thomas Thomas, Thomas, I -Tone individual dismiss any idea of -Reputation -Desperation
pray you, leap not -Repetition human witchcraft. Still only -Power and -Vulnerability
to witchcraft. I -Personal experience worried about what will authority -Frailty
know that you-you language?? -storytelling happen to him and -Supernatural -Adversity
least of all, Thomas, -Onomatopoeia shows no thought
would ever wish so towards Betty. This
-Imagery
disastrous a charge promulgates his selfish
-Imperative
be laid upon me. and power-hungry
We cannot leap to Language character.
witchcraft. They will -Collective
howl me out of Language
Salem for such -High Modality
corruption in my
house.
Page 22
Arthur Miller Overture: The motif -Motif -Human Within the town, -Resentment -Jealousy
of resentment is (resentment) emotions human experiences and -Envy
clear here Page 23 -Overture -Human actions and behaviors -Contempt
qualities are being influenced by
-Human hatred and revenge.
behaviour
Putnam Putnam: “...whom Stage directions -Human Abyss: a deep or -Retribution -Injustice
he has only behaviour, seemingly bottomless -Supernatural -Oppression
contempt, to move motivation chasm. It refers to the -Religion -Identity
toward the abyss.”- -Human deepest part of hell. -Distraction
{page 23} emotions The abyss also refers to -Terror
-Storytelling the chaos and -Contempt
community upheaval -Fear
 which will result in the -selfishness
formal declaration of -manipulation
the presence of -indoctrination
witchcraft.
Putnam Putnam stated: -Descriptive -Human Putnam believes that -Supernatural -Hate
Children “there are hurtful, Language behavior, there are witches and -Hysteria -Fear
vengeful spirits -Tone motivation witchcraft being used in -good vs evil -Apprehension
layin’ hands on -Diction -Human the town. Moreover, he -vengeance -envy
these children” emotions believes that these -jealousy
Page 23 -Storytelling witches and spirits are
-Individual contributing to the
human deaths of children
experiences including his own.
Mrs Putnam Mrs. Putnam -Declarative -Human Putnam believes that -Supernatural -Hate
Tituba stated: Tituba sentence behavior, there are witches and -Hysteria -Fear
Parris knows how to speak (syntax) motivation witchcraft being used in -Good Vs Evil -Apprehension
with the dead, Mr. -Human the town. In addition, -Stubbornness
Parris. Page 23 emotions Mrs Putnam wanted to -Vengefulness
-Human know what happen to -Loathing
qualities her children so she -Scornfulness
-Storytelling sends her daughter to
-Individual Tituba and asked her to
human conjure the spirits in
experiences the hope that she will
discover who killed her
children.

Putnam to Parris Act 1 Putnam -Exclamatory -Human Putnam is encouraging -Supernatural -Hate
stated: you are not Language behavior, Parris to confess that -Hysteria -Fear
undone! Let you -Imperative motivation there is witchcraft. He -Apprehension
take hold here. Language -Human does this through the -Stubbornness
Wait for no one to -Declarative emotions use of exclamatory -Determination
charge you-declare Language -Storytelling language. He uses -
it yourself- you have -Collective imperative language to Resourcefulness
 discovered and Individual persuade Parris to -
witchcraft- human confess to the presence Trustworthiness
Page 24 experiences of witchcraft. However,
Putnam had his own
personal interests in
the dissemination of
the rumors about
witchcraft, which
included the acquisition
of land and conagainst
those who were his
enemies.
Mary Warren Act 1 Marry Warren -Rhetorical -Storytelling Mary Warren and the -Supernatural -Fear
stated: What'll we question -Human other girls are afraid -Hysteria -Apprehension
do? The village is -Hypophora behaviour, that they will be caught -Good vs Evil -Terror
out! I just come -Exclamatory motivation for witchcraft and -Disapproval
from the farm; the language -Human punished. The use of a -Contempt
whole country's -Hyperbole emotions rhetorical question and -Duplicity
talkin’ witchcraft! -Irony -Collective exclamatory language -insensitivity
They’ll be calling us and Individual conveys her worried -arrogance
witches, Abby! Page human and fearful tone. -trauma
25 experiences

Putnam Act 1 Putnam -Exclamatory -Human Putnam is encouraging -Supernatural -Desperation

stated: now look Language behaviour, Parris to declare -Good vs Evil -Fear
you, sir. Let you -Imperative motivation witchcraft in the town. -Reputation -arrogance
strike out against Language -Human Again, Putnam uses -Religion -selfishness
the devil, and the -Biblical Allusion emotions exclamatory and -vengefulness
village will bless you -Metaphor -Storytelling imperative language to -insensitivity
for it! Come down, further persuade Parris -Despair
speak to them- pray to declare witchcraft. -Vulnerability
with them. They’re -Awe
thirsting for your
word, mister! Surely
 you’ll pray with
them.
Page 25

Abigail Abigail stated: let -Aggressive -Human Abigail is warning the -Good vs Evil -Anger
either one of you Tone behaviour, other girls that if any of -Appearance -Hate
breathe a word, or -Intimidating motivation the girls confess to vs Reality -Desperation
the edge of a word, Tone -Human witchcraft, she will -Deception -Fear
about the other -Diction emotions make them pay. The -Hysteria -Threat
things, and I will -Syntax -Collective positioning of the final -Weakness
come to you in the and individual sentence reassures -empowerment
black of some human Abigail’s threat and
terrible night and I experiences confirms her aggressive
will bring a pointy character.
reckoning that will
shudder you. And
you know I can do
it;
page 26
Betty Act 1 Betty stated: -Repetition -Human -Betty is telling Abigail -Reputation -Fear
you did, you did! -Emotive behaviour, that she did do - Supernatural -Dignity
You drank a charm Language motivation something and that she -Jealousy -accusations
to kill John proctor's -Exclamatory -Human wanted to kill John -trauma
wife! You drank a Language emotions Proctor’s wife (Goody -Disgust
charm to kill Goody -Fearful Tone -Storytelling Proctor).
Proctor! Page 26

Overture He is a sinner, a -Repetition -Human -John is a sinner. He has -Good vs evil -Hypocrisy
sinner not only -Reflective tone behaviour, done something wrong -Reputation -Injustice
against the moral motivation (adultery) which -Redemption
fashion of the time, -Human contradicts the
but against his own emotions acceptable norms of
vision of decent that society.
conduct. Page 27
Overture These people had Declarative -Human The Puritans had a zero -Good vs evil -Confusion
no ritual for the sentence behaviour, tolerance for sins and -Reputation
washing away of Metaphor motivation there was no such thing -Redemption
sins page 27 -Human as seeking repentance
emotions in private and hence
everything needed to
be public.
Overture Proctor, respected -Juxtaposition? -Individual Proctor saw himself as -Good vs evil -Tragedy
and even feared in human a kind of fraud which -Reputation -Regret
Salem, has come to experience meant that he was a -Redemption -Remorse
regard himself as a -Human tragic hero and his flaw
kind of fraud emotions was his lust and this led
Page 27 to a conflict with his
wife; nonetheless to
redeem himself he goes
on a path to liberate his
wife...
Aristotle tragedy

Source: [Link]

In the Poetics, Aristotle's famous study of Greek dramatic art, Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) compares tragedy to such other metrical forms as
comedy and epic. He determines that tragedy, like all poetry, is a kind of imitation (mimesis), but adds that it has a serious purpose and uses
direct action rather than narrative to achieve its ends. He says that poetic mimesis is imitation of things as they could be, not as they are — for
example, of universals and ideals — thus poetry is a more philosophical and exalted medium than history, which merely records what has
actually happened.

The aim of tragedy, Aristotle writes, is to bring about a "catharsis" of the spectators — to arouse in them sensations of pity and fear, and to
purge them of these emotions so that they leave the theater feeling cleansed and uplifted, with a heightened understanding of the ways of
gods and men. This catharsis is brought about by witnessing some disastrous and moving change in the fortunes of the drama's protagonist
(Aristotle recognized that the change might not be disastrous, but felt this was the kind shown in the best tragedies — Oedipus at Colonus, for
example, was considered a tragedy by the Greeks but does not have an unhappy ending).

According to Aristotle, tragedy has six main elements: plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle (scenic effect), and song (music), of which
the first two are primary. Most of the Poetics is devoted to analysis of the scope and proper use of these elements, with illustrative examples
selected from many tragic dramas, especially those of Sophocles, although Aeschylus, Euripides, and some playwrights whose works no longer
survive are also cited.

Several of Aristotle's main points are of great value for an understanding of Greek tragic drama. Particularly significant is his statement that
the plot is the most important element of tragedy:

Tragedy is an imitation, not of men, but of action and life, of happiness and misery. And life consists of action, and its end is a mode of activity,
not a quality. Now character determines men's qualities, but it is their action that makes them happy or wretched. The purpose of action in
the tragedy, therefore, is not the representation of character: character comes in as contributing to the action. Hence the incidents and the
plot are the end of the tragedy; and the end is the chief thing of all. Without action there cannot be a tragedy; there may be one without
character. . . . The plot, then, is the first principle, and, as it were, the soul of a tragedy: character holds the second place.

Aristotle goes on to discuss the structure of the ideal tragic plot and spends several chapters on its requirements. He says that the plot must
be a complete whole — with a definite beginning, middle, and end — and its length should be such that the spectators can comprehend
without difficulty both its separate parts and its overall unity. Moreover, the plot requires a single central theme in which all the elements are
logically related to demonstrate the change in the protagonist's fortunes, with emphasis on the dramatic causation and probability of the
events.
Aristotle has relatively less to say about the tragic hero because the incidents of tragedy are often beyond the hero's control or not closely
related to his personality. The plot is intended to illustrate matters of cosmic rather than individual significance, and the protagonist is viewed
primarily as the character who experiences the changes that take place. This stress placed by the Greek tragedians on the development of plot
and action at the expense of character, and their general lack of interest in exploring psychological motivation, is one of the major differences
between ancient and modern drama.

Since the aim of a tragedy is to arouse pity and fear through an alteration in the status of the central character, he must be a figure with
whom the audience can identify and whose fate can trigger these emotions. Aristotle says that "pity is aroused by unmerited misfortune, fear
by the misfortune of a man like ourselves." He surveys various possible types of characters on the basis of these premises, then defines the
ideal protagonist as
. . . a man who is highly renowned and prosperous, but one who is not pre-eminently virtuous and just, whose misfortune, however, is
brought upon him not by vice or depravity but by some error of judgment or frailty; a personage like Oedipus.
In addition, the hero should not offend the moral sensibilities of the spectators, and as a character he must be true to type, true to life, and
consistent.

The hero's error or frailty (harmartia) is often misleadingly explained as his "tragic flaw," in the sense of that personal quality which inevitably
causes his downfall or subjects him to retribution. However, overemphasis on a search for the decisive flaw in the protagonist as the key
factor for understanding the tragedy can lead to superficial or false interpretations. It gives more attention to personality than the dramatists
intended and ignores the broader philosophical implications of the typical plot's denouement. It is true that the hero frequently takes a step
that initiates the events of the tragedy and, owing to his own ignorance or poor judgment, acts in such a way as to bring about his own
downfall. In a more sophisticated philosophical sense though, the hero's fate, despite its immediate cause in his finite act, comes about
because of the nature of the cosmic moral order and the role played by chance or destiny in human affairs. Unless the conclusions of most
tragedies are interpreted on this level, the reader is forced to credit the Greeks with the most primitive of moral systems.

It is worth noting that some scholars believe the "flaw" was intended by Aristotle as a necessary corollary of his requirement that the hero
should not be a completely admirable man. Harmartia would thus be the factor that delimits the protagonist's imperfection and keeps him on
a human plane, making it possible for the audience to sympathize with him. This view tends to give the "flaw" an ethical definition but relates
it only to the spectators' reactions to the hero and does not increase its importance for interpreting the tragedies.

The remainder of the Poetics is given over to examination of the other elements of tragedy and to discussion of various techniques, devices,
and stylistic principles. Aristotle mentions two features of the plot, both of which are related to the concept of harmartia, as crucial
components of any well-made tragedy. These are "reversal" (peripeteia), where the opposite of what was planned or hoped for by the
protagonist takes place, as when Oedipus' investigation of the murder of Laius leads to a catastrophic and unexpected conclusion; and
"recognition" (anagnorisis), the point when the protagonist recognizes the truth of a situation, discovers another character's identity, or
comes to a realization about himself. This sudden acquisition of knowledge or insight by the hero arouses the desired intense emotional
reaction in the spectators, as when Oedipus finds out his true parentage and realizes what crimes he has been responsible for.

Aristotle wrote the Poetics nearly a century after the greatest Greek tragedians had already died, in a period when there had been radical
transformations in nearly all aspects of Athenian society and culture. The tragic drama of his day was not the same as that of the fifth century,
and to a certain extent his work must be construed as a historical study of a genre that no longer existed rather than as a description of a
living art form.

In the Poetics, Aristotle used the same analytical methods that he had successfully applied in studies of politics, ethics, and the natural
sciences in order to determine tragedy's fundamental principles of composition and content. This approach is not completely suited to a
literary study and is sometimes too artificial or formula-prone in its conclusions.

Nonetheless, the Poetics is the only critical study of Greek drama to have been made by a near-contemporary. It contains much valuable
information about the origins, methods, and purposes of tragedy, and to a degree shows us how the Greeks themselves reacted to their
theater. In addition, Aristotle's work had an overwhelming influence on the development of drama long after it was compiled. The ideas and
principles of the Poetics are reflected in the drama of the Roman Empire and dominated the composition of tragedy in western Europe during
the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries.

Article 2:

Source: [Link]

The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, largely conforms to Aristotle's paradigm of tragedy. Aristotle argues that tragedy is a mimesis, which means an imitation
of an action, and it "shows" like a drama rather than "tells" like a narrative. In addition, he claimed that tragedy amplifies “what may happen” rather than
scribing "what has happened"(McManus, 3). In this novel, the tragedy revolves around a character, John Proctor, who is considered as the anti-hero of
the play. With this and many other elements, the play reflects the genre of Aristotle Tragedy.

The first principle of Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy is "the plot". "The plot" contains an arrangement of incidents, which result in a tightly constructed
cause and effect chain. This is evidenced in The Crucible that Abigail committed retaliation causing the whole hysteria in Salem as a result of being
cast aside by John Proctor.

The beginning of “The plot” is called the “incentive moment” according to Aristotle. This is when the tragedy is triggered by a particular incident. In The
Crucible, this happens when Betty Parris didn’t wake up because she was trying to get attention as women and children were marginalised in Salem. It
is also when Abigail scapegoated Tituba as involved in witchcraft and then Tituba scapegoated Goody Good and Goody Osborne who were suggested
by Goody Putnam. The people who were accused were brought up for trial, which lead to the arising fear of witchcraft in Salem.

Next comes the “the climax”, which is the pinnacle of the tragedy. The Crucible is at its apex when John Proctor came to court to save his wife and
Elizabeth was brought in for questioning but she lied. John Proctor didn’t envisage the situational irony because he thought that his wife never lies so
he assumed she would tell the truth. But to save John’s name, she lied and the incongruity causes the erratic contingency of her being hang.

Finally, the tragedy reaches its “denouement”, which is the resolution to the turmoil. John Proctor could no longer abide Danforth’s perversity so he
decided to die to protect his name because if he let Danforth hang his blackened name in front of the church door, he would be a bad model to his
sons.

Aristotle argues that the plot must be “complete”. This means that it must be “structurally self-contained” and the incidents are bound together by
internal necessity, each action leads to the next. John Proctor is an example this. He cared too much about his name that he ignored Elizabeth’s advice
and this lead to Abigail accusing Elizabeth for the practice of witchcraft. Later on in the play, every decision that John Proctor made brought him
negative consequences such as not confessing of being a lecher.

Aristotle argues that the plot should be complex because more incidents can convene an “organic unity”. This can include the “catastrophe” which a
simple plot could also have. The “catastrophe” is when Elizabeth is arrested for witchcraft after being named by Abigail. Elizabeth was a just so being
accused for witchcraft is a change of fortune.

The elements that a simple plot doesn’t have but a complex one does are “peripeteia” and “anagnorisis”. Aristotle explains that “peripeteia” occurs
when there’s a reversal of intention, and in The Crucible, it is when Mary Warren turned her back on John Proctor and accused him as the Devil
because she was being foisted to confess the truth. First she was just helping John Proctor but then she knew that it wouldn’t bring her any good so
she could just easily accuse him. “Anagnorisis”, as explained by Aristotle, is the recognition or a change from ignorance to knowledge. This occurs in
The Crucible when John Proctor decided to confess his lechery because he recognised that he couldn’t defeat Abigail. It is also when Hale changed his
side against the court and believed in John Proctor at the end of Act III.

Aristotle stated that “Character” has the second place in importance. One of the terms that are included in this is “hamartia”. This is the tragic flaw of the
character in the play, such as John Proctor’s hubris that exacerbated the tragedy he was dreaded to sabotage his name. “Goodness” of character is
also included in the sense of being a realistic character and consistent throughout the play. This matches with John because he didn’t believe in the
fraud throughout the whole play and he also confessed to Elizabeth that he committed lechery.

Coming third in importance is the “Thought”. The message of the tragedy in The Crucible is that the whole witch-hunt is a severe trial and that the
Salemites are the Devil themselves. Everything developed because of vengeance and that reality is being ignored.

Finally comes the other element of a tragedy. The “diction” (metaphor) is appropriate to the plot such as "There are wheels within wheels in this village
and fires within fires." The metaphor suggests that there is retaliation happening from the inside not just how the villagers see the events. Another
element is “the spectacle”, which creates a sense of not just the terrible, but of the monstrous. In this case, “the spectacle” is the vengeance of an
individual (Abigail) leading to the whole chaos in Salem. Katharsis is also included with a sense of purging and cleansing. An example of this is that with
John’s death, he regains his “goodness”.

In conclusion, The Crucible is an allegory of McCarthyism but with the outline structure of an Aristotelian tragedy. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in
1952 reflecting the same situation America was in (like Salem): a severe trial by HUAC. McCarthy called up names and accused them for being
communist while his evidence was just hasty generalisation and ad ignorantiam. In my opinion, this exquisitely conforms to the tragedy of Aristotle’s
style of drama.

Abigail Act 1 Abigail stated: -Repetition -Human Abigail is attempting to -Hysteria -Love
Proctor Give me a word, -Stage direction behaviour flirt and win John - Jealousy -Affection
John. A soft word -Tone -Human Proctor back to her. -Corruption -Selfishness
[her concentrated emotions -Compassion -Despair
desire destroys his
smile] page 28
Proctor Act 1, Proctor -Hyperbole -Human John is informing Hysteria -Affection
stated: Abby, I may -Diction emotions Abigail that he likes her, Guilt Despair
think of you softly -Syntax -Individual but he will not continue Jealousy -Annoyance
from time to time. -Imagery human to show any type of Corruption Love
But I will cut off my -Imperative behaviour affection towards her, Individuality
hand before I’ll ever language. for the sake of his
reach for you again. redemption and his
Wipe it out of mind. wife.
 We never touched,
Abby. Page 29
Abigail I know how you -Simile -Collective Abigail is stating that Hysteria -Love
Proctor clutched my back -Exclamatory and individual during the time that Jealousy -Annoyance
behind your house Language Human John and Abigail met he Corruption -Aggressiveness
and sweated like a -Rhetorical Behaviour was deeply attracted to Individuality
stallion whenever I Question -Human her.
come near! Or did I -Hypophora emotions
dream that? Its she -personal
put me out, you language
cannot pretend it
were you. I saw
your face when she
put me out, and you
loved me then and
you do now! Page
29
Abigail [now softening]: -Stage -Human The utilization of -Reputation -relationships
Proctor and you must, you directions motivations repetitions through the -Love -deceit
are so wintry man. I -Tone and promulgation of the - -disillusionment
know you, John. I -Personal behaviours stage directions Determinatio -individuality
knew you. [she is language conveys how the stage n -Corruption
weeping] I cannot -Repetition -Humans directions explicate her
sleep for dreamin; I emotions
personal language.
cannot dream but I
Therefore, Abigail is a
wake and walk
about the house as femme fatale. This use
though id find you of language techniques
comin’ through conveys her lascivious
some door [she character. In addition,
clutches him through the utilization
desperately] Page of stage directions we
29 can see that she is using
her feminine qualities
 and emotions to sway
Proctor to come back to
her. We can deduce
that that she is creating
a façade that allows
proctor to sympathize
with her. By clutching
him it creates a sense
of physical and
emotional connection
between the two.
Abigail knows that men
are think and are
driven. by sexual
chemistry. Thus, by
Abigail touching proctor
he feels a sense of
affection towards her.
Abigail [with a bitter anger] -Stage Human Abigail is extremely -Love -Relationship
oh I marvel how Directions Behavior angry of the fact that, -Jealousy -Desire
such a strong man -aggressive tone John Proctor would -Anger -deceit
may let such a sickly -Descriptive rather choose his wife -disillusionment
wife be- language over her, and attempts -individuality
Page 29 to label his wife by
describing her as,
“sickly”.
Abigail You loved me, john -Exclamatory Human At first, she was trying -Love -Relationships
proctor, and Language behaviour and to lure him by touching -Jealousy -Desire
whatever sin it is, -Tone emotion and feeling, but now -Anger -Resisting
you loved me yet! -Stage Direction she is trying to lure him temptations
[ he turns abruptly Repetition (pity via guilt and empathy.
to go out. She me )
rushes to him] john,
 pity me, pity me!
Page 30
Parris Act 1, Parris: -Stage Direction -Human Betty is acting -anger -resisting
[trembling] -Repetition behavior and hysterically and -fear temptations
Rebecca, Rebecca, -imperative emotions attempts to fly from the -hysteria -despair
go to her, we’re language window. Rebecca Nurse -guilt -selfishness
lost. Suddenly she -tone -individual is a wise old woman -aggressiveness
cannot bear to hear experiences who’s later accused of -disillusionment
witchcraft as well. The
the lord’s- Page 31
claim is that Betty
cannot stand to hear
words from the Bible.
The stage directions
show how Parris is
feeling, he is scared for
betty and also afraid
that the claim of
witchcraft will become
fact
Putnam Putnam: I never -Exclamatory -Human Putnam is suspicious -Truth and -Distrust
heard you so Language behavior and with Proctors Deceit -Doubt
worried on this -Pondering tone emotion intentions, by stating -Reputation -Suspicious
society, Mr. Proctor. -Collective that he never seems to
I do not think I saw and individual involve himself in the
you at sabbath Human towns problems and
meeting since snow Behavior tends to keep to
flew. Page 33 himself for the most
part.
Proctor to Parris Proctor: Then let Rhetorical Human Proctor is telling Parris -Guilt -Determination
you come out and Question behaviour and to tell the people that -Appearance -Threat
call them wrong. -Tone emotion the Devil is not among vs Reality -Doubt
Did you consult the them, since Parris said
wardens before you he believes so. But
called the minister Parris himself is unsure
 to look for devils? whether the devil is
Page 33 amongst them or not,
so he is hesitant.
Parris A wide opinion’s -Assertive Tone -Human Proctor doesn’t believe -Resilience -determination
running in the -Diction Behaviours in the superstitions that against the -rebellion
parish that the devil -Imperative and people have about the widespread -courage
may be among us, language Motivations. devil surrounding them belief -honesty
and I would satisfy -Syntax -Igniting new and is confident in what -Hysteria
them that they are ideas. he believes, despite not -alienation
wrong. Page 33 having the opinion of
the majority.
John Proctor Proctor: I have -Biblical allusion -Anomalies Proctor doesn’t come -Appearance -Bitterness
trouble enough -Idiom and to church anymore as vs Reality -Resentment
without I come five - Bitter tone. paradoxical Mr. Parris would always -Reputation -Hate
mile to hear him - Irony behavior and talk about going to hell, -Animosity
preach only hellfire - Contrast motivation. rather than praising -Contempt
and bloody god.
damnation. Take it
to heart Mr. Parris.
There are many
others who stay
away from church
these days because
you hardly ever
mention god
anymore.
Page 33/34
John Proctor Proctor: can you -Rhetorical -Individual Proctor dislikes the way -Good vs Evil -Frustration
Parris speak one minute Question collective Parris preaches. He -Appearance -Anger
without we land in -Hypophora -human finds his style very vs Reality -Hate
hell again? I am sick -Exclamatory experiences pessimistic and -Disapproval
of hell! Language -Story telling negative and he finds -Rebelling
-Emotive -Challenge no motivation to attend -Distrust
Parris: it is not for Language assumptions church because of it.
 you to say what it is -Medium -Ignite new
good for you to Modality ideas
hear! -Human
behaviour and
Proctor: I may motivation
speak my heart, I
think! Page 35
Arthur Miller Overture: page -Overture -Individual We use religion to -Appearance -Powerlessness
37/38 (dramatic collective condemn others, vs Reality -Oppression
When we see the technique) -human persecute others and to -Reputation -Injustice
steady and -Simile experiences accuse them of many -Retribution
methodical -Imagery -Story telling things.
inculcation into -Biblical Allusion -Challenge
humanity of the assumptions
idea of man’s -Ignite new
worthlessness-until ideas
redeemed- the -Human
necessity of the behaviour and
devil may become motivation
evident as a
weapon, a weapon
designed and used
time and time again
in every age to whip
men into a
surrender to a
particular church or
church state.
Abigail Abigail: she made -Exclamatory -Human Tituba begins accusing -Reputation -Powerlessness
Tituba me do it! She made language emotions a number of women of -Retribution -Injustice
betty do it! -Shocked and witchcraft. This is a -Good vs evil -Hate
Tituba: [shocked angry tone result of fearing that -Hysteria -Anger
and angry]: Abby! she will be hanged. This -Betrayal
… leads to Abigail to do
 Tituba: [frightened the same thing
by the coming
process] mister
reverend, I do
believe somebody
else be witchin’
these children.
Abigail Abigail: I want to -Listing -Human Abigail is taking this -lies and -Selfishness
open myself. [they -Biblical Allusion behaviour and opportunity to save deceit
return to her, -Short motivation herself from the -reputation
startled. She is sentences punishment of -good vs evil
enraptured, as -Dramatic irony witchcraft by accusing -supernatural
though in a pearly -Stage Direction many other people in -religion
light] -Syntax -Corruption
the town. She acts as if
“I want the light of -Exclamatory she has been affected
God; I want the Language
sweet love of Jesus! by the devil and
I danced for the controlled by the
devil; I saw him; I witches in which they
wrote in his book; I named. The use of
go back to Jesus; I accumulative listing
kissed his hand. I through the semi-
saw Goody Osborn colons provides
with the devil! I saw emphasis to the
Bridget bishop with accusations. It creates a
the devil!” pause which amplifies
[as she is speaking, the tension. Abigail’s
betty is rising from
use of exclamatory
the bed, a fever in
language and short firm
her eyes she picks
up the chant]. Page sentences makes her
49 accusations and the
devil'sJ effect on them
to be real and genuine
Elizabeth Elizabeth: I do not Stage Directions Human Elizabeth attempts to -Truth and -Sarcasm
judge you. The -Facial behaviour and show John Proctor, her Deceit
magistrate sits in Expressions emotions husband, that she is in Guilt
your heart that full support of him. She
judges you. I never labels him as a “good
thought you but a man” and also her facial
good man, john- expressions suggest her
[with a smile]- only compassion and love
somewhat towards him
bewildered. page
55
Mary Warren Mary warren: I -Stage Storytelling Mary sat in the court -Appearance -Jealousy
made a gift for you directions Human and made a poppet for vs Reality
today, goody -Short behaviour and Elizabeth, which at first -Truth and
proctor. I had to sit sentences emotions seems innocent but Deceit
long hours in a later in the act, it is
chair, and passed used as evidence of
the time with witchery, which causes
sewing Elizabeth to be
Elizabeth: imprisoned
[perplexed, looking
at the doll]: why,
thank you, it’s a fair
poppet.
Page 56
Mary Warren Marry warren: Stage directions -Human Mary Warren is -Appearance -Resilience
[ backing from him Exclamatory behaviours terrified of John vs Reality -Determination
but keeping her language and emotions Proctor, her master, but -Truth and -Oppression
erect posture, Collective she stands her ground Deceit Fear of the
striving, striving for pronoun (we) and tells him that he -Good vs Evil unknown
her way]: the devils must commit to the
loose in Salem, Mr court and accuse the
Proctor; we must girls of lies and deceit.
discover where he He had refused before
is hiding! Page because he still had
58/59 slight feelings for
Abigail, but now he is
being swayed by Mary.