The Crucible

The Crucible is the second play that I have read from Arthur Miller. Although Death of a Salesmen was a good play (after I understood it), The Crucible by far, was so much better. The setting is in Salem, Massachussetts in 1692. We all know that time specific time in history is most well known for the witchcraft accusations and burnings that have rose in the city. The story starts out as the Reverend Parris's daughter takes ill right after he sees her and a group of women including his niece Abigail dancing “naked” in the woods, in what seemed like a ritual with Lucifer. Then the entire catastrophe unravels itself as more and more people are getting accused by others either out of spite, or to save their own skin. The book really shows the importance of religion at this time; especially since this was early before America even became an official country, and english were leaving their country because of religious persecution. We are able to see the ways that they lived and how theocracy truly governed their state. Miller did a great job with character development and capturing his audience with a very interesting moment in history.