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A review by bigtiddygothgf
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ah, the play that has traumatized many english classes for years past and will continue to do this for years to come!
this play centers around the accusations and trials against those accused of witchcraft during the salem witch trials, which the author uses to show the similarities between this event and the red care during the 50s.
i expected this to be a long and boring play, but i found it surprisingly compelling. the plot was interesting and i found myself angered and anxious over what would become of the accused, knowing nothing they said would make a difference in the otherworldly evidence in which they were being convicted. if i was forced to read this for an english class i probably would have hated it, but i read it for my own enjoyment, and i read it as a performer, not a student, which also helped me to connect more the characters (just acting things i suppose, or as i like to say, delusion).
i do have a few problems with this play though and that is of course, the women. the salem witch trials was an event in which women were the main victims. they were the majority of those hung and were widely known as the victims of this event. that being said, they were an afterthought in this play. not surprising, considering this was written in the 50's era by a man, but still. for a story portraying the event that affected (effected? who knows) mostly women, it has a neutral stance to it that disappoints me. the women in this story either aren't given enough stage time so we can feel for them (we can feel for them only briefly through a village man's speech) or they are portrayed as bitch.
case in point, abigail williams.
dear god.
abigail williams was an overarching choice the author chose to do that rubs me the wrong way. first of all, she slept with a 30 man (john), who was HER EMPLOYER!! and we are supposed to feel sympathy towards the man? he was obviously the adult here and CHOSE to sleep with a girl who was his employee and also did not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex, but john is the one we are meant to feel sympathy for? the character of abigail is meant to anger, she was written to be a character we all don't like, and that's fine. my personal gripe is that she is made into a villain for acting her age (SEVENTEEN) and is called a "whore", "harlot", and "bitch"? abigail is a CHILD but she acts childishly (aka, accusing john's wife of being a witch so that she will be hanged and john will marry abigail) and yet we are supposed to be feel so so so sorry for john who slept with a child and now feels bad for cheating? obviously what abigail does is wrong, but she had the potential to be such an interesting character, because so little is known about her? we don't know the truth about why the real abigail williams started the accusations (we can guess, but we won't ever know the full truth) and the reasoning miller gave was to shallow for my tastes. the main men in this play (john, hale, parris, etc) have depth to them, and the women fall flat. disappointing.
i understand why miller chose not to focus on the women in this story though, because it was not the meaning he was trying to convey. miller wanted to highlight the neighbor vs. neighbor and the game of "he said she said" that ruined countless lives during both the salem witch trials and the red scare. in looking at what story he WAS telling, miller did a great job. i was thoroughly into it and i would perform in this play if given the chance.
overall, a very good play, that was compelling and made me think ever since i've finished it. though it could do with a better portrayal of women, but oh well, my modern way of thinking and i will continue to think about communism and witches for the rest of the week at least.
NOW HERE'S SOME QUOTES I REALLY LIKE:
"...cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. It is a mistaken law that leads you to sacfrice. Life, woman, life is God's most precious gift; no principle, hower glorious, may justify the taking of it."
hale's entire monoluge at this part is so so SO good!
"To all intents and purposes, the power of theocracy in Massachusetts was broken"
wonderful WONDERFUL ending line, had me gasping for breath fr.
this play centers around the accusations and trials against those accused of witchcraft during the salem witch trials, which the author uses to show the similarities between this event and the red care during the 50s.
i expected this to be a long and boring play, but i found it surprisingly compelling. the plot was interesting and i found myself angered and anxious over what would become of the accused, knowing nothing they said would make a difference in the otherworldly evidence in which they were being convicted. if i was forced to read this for an english class i probably would have hated it, but i read it for my own enjoyment, and i read it as a performer, not a student, which also helped me to connect more the characters (just acting things i suppose, or as i like to say, delusion).
i do have a few problems with this play though and that is of course, the women. the salem witch trials was an event in which women were the main victims. they were the majority of those hung and were widely known as the victims of this event. that being said, they were an afterthought in this play. not surprising, considering this was written in the 50's era by a man, but still. for a story portraying the event that affected (effected? who knows) mostly women, it has a neutral stance to it that disappoints me. the women in this story either aren't given enough stage time so we can feel for them (we can feel for them only briefly through a village man's speech) or they are portrayed as bitch.
case in point, abigail williams.
dear god.
abigail williams was an overarching choice the author chose to do that rubs me the wrong way. first of all, she slept with a 30 man (john), who was HER EMPLOYER!! and we are supposed to feel sympathy towards the man? he was obviously the adult here and CHOSE to sleep with a girl who was his employee and also did not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex, but john is the one we are meant to feel sympathy for? the character of abigail is meant to anger, she was written to be a character we all don't like, and that's fine. my personal gripe is that she is made into a villain for acting her age (SEVENTEEN) and is called a "whore", "harlot", and "bitch"? abigail is a CHILD but she acts childishly (aka, accusing john's wife of being a witch so that she will be hanged and john will marry abigail) and yet we are supposed to be feel so so so sorry for john who slept with a child and now feels bad for cheating? obviously what abigail does is wrong, but she had the potential to be such an interesting character, because so little is known about her? we don't know the truth about why the real abigail williams started the accusations (we can guess, but we won't ever know the full truth) and the reasoning miller gave was to shallow for my tastes. the main men in this play (john, hale, parris, etc) have depth to them, and the women fall flat. disappointing.
i understand why miller chose not to focus on the women in this story though, because it was not the meaning he was trying to convey. miller wanted to highlight the neighbor vs. neighbor and the game of "he said she said" that ruined countless lives during both the salem witch trials and the red scare. in looking at what story he WAS telling, miller did a great job. i was thoroughly into it and i would perform in this play if given the chance.
overall, a very good play, that was compelling and made me think ever since i've finished it. though it could do with a better portrayal of women, but oh well, my modern way of thinking and i will continue to think about communism and witches for the rest of the week at least.
NOW HERE'S SOME QUOTES I REALLY LIKE:
"...cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. It is a mistaken law that leads you to sacfrice. Life, woman, life is God's most precious gift; no principle, hower glorious, may justify the taking of it."
hale's entire monoluge at this part is so so SO good!
"To all intents and purposes, the power of theocracy in Massachusetts was broken"
wonderful WONDERFUL ending line, had me gasping for breath fr.