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Monday, November 15, 2010

THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller - a Study Guide for MSC 1102 Aiken

Important Points/Notes:

Witch hunt

Setting—both time and place –
• Miller focuses on this in the information he provides in the play; read this carefully for the atmosphere surrounding the homes & the lives of the people of Salem
• How do the citizens of Salem compare and contrast to the Puritans who first settled New England?
• Note the setting of each act of The Crucible—both the introduction and the conclusion—how does the setting in each act reflect the small, narrow-minded world of the characters

Dramatic License—what is it, how is it used, why is it used
• What significant changes did Arthur Miller make in his play?

Unknown family conflicts – BEFORE the play opens

What are the suggested “hidden” factors that may have led to controversy in Salem?
• Greed
• Jealousy

Who was George Burroughs? What does he have to do with the events in the play?

What is guilt by association? Guilt by accusation?

Why did a 20th century playwright choose to focus on the village of Salem for his play?



SUGGESTED WEBSITES:
For serious information in an entertaining format, go to: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/salem/
At this interactive website, one gains important information on the atmosphere surrounding the town of Salem as well as a simulation of what happened when one was accused of witchcraft.

For a video on the Salem Witch trials, check out:
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/history/salem-witch-trials-videos-playlist.htm#video-29529

For an explanation of the real cause of the witch hunt, refer to:
http://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/drugged-salem-witchtrial3.htm

There are additional websites available . . . just do a little futzing on the internet

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