The Crucible
The Crucible is a
play written and published by
Arthur Miller in
1953. It describes the
witch trials of
Salem,
Massachusetts in
1692, an event that Miller used as an
allegory for
McCarthyism in the USA of the
1950s. Miller was himself questioned by the
House Un-American Activities Committee in
1956.
The play was first performed on January 22, 1953 on Broadway, New York. The reviews of the first production were hostile, but a year later a new production succeeded and the play became a classic.
Cinematic versions of the play were produced in 1957 (Les Sorcières de Salem) and 1996.
Important Characters
John Proctor, Abigail Williams, Reverend John Hale, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Parris
References
Arthur Miller, Why I Wrote 'The Crucible': An artist's answer to politics, published in October 21 & 28th issue of The New Yorker, pages 158-164.
The Crucible is a theatre in Sheffield, England; see Crucible Theatre.