Monday, November 25, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Be thinking about..
- How is each character affected by, or responsive to the themes in the play?
- The nature of the characters and how their actions are affected by them. Are they hypocrites? (Parris is supposed to preach simple values, whereas he lectures over and over about golden candlesticks.) Are they honorable? (Giles being pressed to death for his silence.)
- Think about the settings of the play- physical setting temporal(time) setting, theological/societal setting(better understand the puritans!)
- Think about the relationships between the characters, and how their actions are affected by them.
Puritanism(1600's) + Witchcraft(The Salem Witch Trials) + McCarthyism + Arthur Miller
Themes in "The Crucible"
- Helplessness in the face of large and incomprehensible social forces.
- Helplessness of one's sense of self and in family relationships.
- Self-awareness.
- Moral responsibility and individual responsibility to society.
The play is widely performed when social unrest is present in a culture. Why might the play be performed today?
What's a Crucible?
- A vessel made of material that does not melt easily, used to melting materials at high temperatures. (Metaphor)
- A severe test or trial of patience or belief. (searching, self reflection)
- A place, time, or situation where powerful intellectual, social, economic, or political forces meet.
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