People cannot control their destiny but must live through the hardships and change their perspectives/personality to survive the hysteria. Mankind must persist through the failures and as long as courage drives ambition, their voice will be heard across the world. This power of inspiration is expressed during Mccarthyism, an era where Arthur Miller faces contempt with congress but persists on writing many plays to express his voice and make an impact on the world. In one of his many striking plays, ‘The Crucible’, Arthur Miller indirectly express his anger and frustration with Mccarthyism through the traits of multiple characters, thus signifying the title as a struggle to win individual liberties in a stubborn, theocratic government.
Mary Warren, a cunning women, portrayed as an animal under the absolute control of the theocratic government, makes her a robotic species with no actual voice in the play. Mary Warren fears the theocratic government laws making her vulnerable and an easy target for the rest of the characters to convict her of witchcraft. She is afraid that “Witchery’s a hangin error” and “Abby [must] tell” to not suffer the consequences of death penalty (67). Here, Mary’s tone shifts to a frenzy state as she knows her actions will result in detrimental effects. Thus, she wants to follow the government’s rules to stay on the safe side. Apart from her tone, Mary is restricted to express the art of dances for it is considered as a crime. Keeping in mind of these restrictions, the hysteria itself creates a whole new extension of various crimes. Being aware that “Common vengeance writes the law”, Mary warren fears the “Little crazy children jangling the keys of the kingdom” demonstrating the Puritanistic approach of god’s chosen one and the concept of false accusations (87). Mary’s anxiety to escape the crazy children haunts her as Abigail tries to convict her of witchcraft. Mary is tied between vengeance and morality resulting in a narrowed.
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John Proctor struggles to express himself as he faces discrimination against the court but his strong attitude represents Arthur Miller’s discontent with McCarthyism. He wants to protect his rights thus, expresses his fierce nature claiming that “God’s icy wind, will blow” symbolically demonstrating that prejudice will prevail and truth will reveal itself (35). Although he resists the government’s opposition and puts forth his ideas, indirectly he claims that god will create equality while absolute dictatorship will be destroyed. This powerful expression exemplifies Arthur Miller’s anger upon the communist government. Miller’s ferocity with McCarthyism mirrors John Proctor’s anger upon the Supreme court. Although John seems courageous, he questions himself of “How [his] children [will] walk like men in the world [when] he [had] sold [his] friends” signifying Arthur miller’s message to his readers that John attempts to become a great role model for his kids (87). John understands the detrimental effects of the consequences but persists to save the lives of the innocence. John’s resistance against the government is seen as more of a courageous attempt to empower a stronger entity. Although he can confess, Mr. Proctor decides to set forth his own doctrine as an expression of righteousness disregarding the fatal consequences. Through John, Arthur miller advocates his will to fight back and determination in advancing the rights of others. Thus, John Proctor implements compassion derived by courageousness to deny the false accusations and redeem his spirit to fight back despite his struggles.
Giles Corey, a vulnerable man extreme to accusations, struggles to maintain his rights among the town of Salem but persists to resist against the government’s threats. Mr. Corey seeks to promote his sons’ lives with enriched lands of his own thus persisting through “More weight” and deny to falsely accuse the innocence (665). His character is expressed as overcoming the government’s control and seeking to benefit others. In order to empower Giles, the government’s routine continues as restriction enables to exercise free will over the vulnerable. It is a struggle for Mr. Corey as either way he will face detrimentality of consequences more importantly losing his land. The government ignores his opinions as he claims that “She were [only] readin’ books” and opposes with arrogance as it is “The highest court of the supreme government of this province” demonstrating that the court has more knowledge than a piece of literature (86). Giles Corey struggles to retain his voice for he must not oppose God and the puritanistic values. Mr. Corey isn’t god’s chosen one thus he has no rights to express his thoughts through reading literature. The government endows restrictions on learning and gaining for that will result in consistent rebellion against the Puritanistic laws themselves. Giles Corey faces condemnation from the court as he voices out his opinions resulting death. Thus, Mr. Corey died as an honorable man who resisted the force of the hysteria from empowering him prevailing his legacy.
Arthur Miller expresses his thoughts and grievances of McCarthyism through the analysis of proposing a similar configuration of conflicted characters in the ‘The Crucible’. He emphasizes his ideas on the inevitably of facing struggles in life and the way to persist through hardships. Regardless of one’s status and power, one must not get discouraged and absolutely no one has the power to defy others. Thus, Arthur Miller persuades the readers to bring unity or a common entity to fight for a cause that may change the world dramatically.
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