The Crucible written by Arthur Miller in 1953, and based on the Salem Witch trials continues to be relevant in today's context, especially in times when polarization is a counter to globalization. We are living, in a world that is becoming more and more divided, intolerant, and based on exclusion rather than inclusion. It wouldn't be wrong to state that history repeats itself. McCarthyism or the 'Red Scare' syndrome was based on hunting disloyal citizens, those with leanings in favour of the Communist school of thought based on the premise that they were working against the state and were more likely to be traitors and spies working for the Soviet Union. If you remember, the early fifties saw a race between USSR and USA to place the first satellite in space and for that effect the first man in space. USSR trumped the space race in many ways. Laika was the first living being to have travelled to space, the first satellite (Sputnik) was Soviet, and the first man in space was a Cosmonaut (Yuri Gagarin) and not an Astronaut. The successes of the Soviet Space program dealt a major blow to the aspirations and ambitions of the United States of America and it was in this context that a program of witch-hunting took place (probably) to save face. People who were accused of being Communists, or supporters of Communism had to undergo a loyalty trial to prove that they were not a member of the Communist Party. It was, of course, at the height of the Cold War when all those who were suspected of being subversive were working in favour of the Soviet Union. In India, the British made use of the Sedition act to counter nationalism.
Interestingly, the novel, Code to Zero by Ken Follet is set in the year 1958 when America was about to launch its first satellite in a desperate attempt to match the Soviet Sputnik and regain the lead in the space race. The novel describes the attempt by three Soviet turned characters, Elspeth, Anthony and Theo to sabotage the Jupiter Rockets space mission to launch a satellite into the Earth's orbit. Follet's novel is set in the period of McCarthyism when Soviet Spies were hunted and people had to prove their loyalty to the country. While the novel suggests the existence of disruptive forces, it also questions the system's ability to detect the actual spies, disruptive agents who exist under the garb of true patriots working for the CIA, in the case of Anthony and Elspeth who works for the Space mission. In many ways, the novel suggests the very failure of McCarthyism in its objective of identifying and punishing disruptive elements.
Ulterior motives fuel Witch hunting
Arthur Miller was frustrated by the actions of US Senator Joseph McCarthy and the eventual spread of McCarthyism, an era of persecution, political repression, and false accusations of espionage by Soviet spies, most of which were excuses to put down dissent, rivalry competition and in short to take personal revenge on people who did not fall in line with one's personal views. In the Crucible, Giles Corey states, "If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property- that's law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbours for their land!"-Act 3 page 87 A lot of the trials taking place in the play and the United States at that time were based on greed, and ulterior motives. In the Crucible, well-meaning people were accused of witchcraft so that their land could be grabbed by greedy neighbors.
Theocracy leads to Persecution
The fear of losing power is also a major reason behind persecution and those in power would do anything in order to remain in control. McCarthyism in America and the Salem Witch hunts were driven by the fear of losing authority, loss of face, loss of dignity, and being proved wrong. One wouldn't even think of backtracking on one's errors of judgment even if it led to a gross miscarriage of justice. Theocracy deals with dictatorial governance that is supposedly based on divine guidance and therefore sacrosanct. Who would dare to mock divinity and thus invite eternal damnation? However, theocracy rules when most of the people are less educated and easily misled by those who might profess a superior education and thus are more enlightened. The parallel can be seen in the context of the period when the Salem Witch trials took place and perhaps even in the 50s when people in America could be easily misled by propaganda techniques. Unfortunately, the so-called upholders of the faith cannot be seen wavering in their resolve to bring the unrighteous to task as it would expose their hypocrisy and vulnerability before the uninitiated and would result in an uprising. In the trial that takes place in the fourth act of the play, Governor Danforth states, "I will not receive a single plea for pardon or postponement...Twelve are already executed; the names of these seven are given out, and the village expects to see them die this morning. Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. While I speak God's law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering...Now draw yourselves up like men and help me, as you are bound by Heaven to do." - Act 4 page 113 In other words, Danforth is aware that he had made an error of judgement, that he has sent twelve innocent people to the gallows and that he will not rescind his orders for the remaining seven. He further invokes 'Heaven' and 'God's Law' to prevent dissent and dares the people of Salem to object to his decisions. Puritanism, conservatism, Calvinism and strict obedience are all fear-induced means to drive subservience and followership. They induce obedience and conformity through superstitious beliefs, dead rituals, and archaic beliefs.
Mass Hysteria is driven by a superstitious fear of eternal damnation
In today's more enlightened society, FOMO might drive trends. One jumps into the bandwagon so that one doesn't appear different or odd. One wants to conform to accepted trends as the desire for acceptance induces a sense of security in a rather insecure world. There is safety in numbers, therefore do as the others do! Arthur Miller's play The Crucible describes Mass Hysteria in great detail. One of my favorite descriptions can be found in the third act of the play during the Court scene where Mary Warren claims that she "thought she saw spirits" and that she "heard the other girls screaming" and that what was "only sport in the beginning" became something else. Abigail, the clever one then plays her cards by whipping up hysteria by claiming that "A wind, a cold wind has come." her eyes falling on Mary Warren. While Proctor claims the girls are all pretending, Mercy Lewis wonders if Mary might be sending the "shadow" on her. This melodrama ends up with Mary Warren backtracking on her deposition later in the court. Later during the court proceedings, Abigail acts as if she can see a bird on the beam behind the rafter. The rest of the girls jump onto the bandwagon and claim that they too can see a bird. The girls start screaming rather hysterically as if they have been bewitched, victims of witchcraft attacked by an evil creature, a bird sent by Marry Warren to kill all of them. Frightened by an almost uncontrollable situation, Danforth asks Marry Warren if she has "compacted with the Devil". The whole episode ends up in chaos with all the girls running helter-skelter ultimately and conveniently leaving the courthouse with only Marry Warren to face the music. Mass hysteria can be seen as a powerful tool for swaying public opinion, a form of Mass-hypnosis induced state of mind which can be conveniently used by skilled orators, and actors to sway mob sentiment and send them on a spree of irrational madness.
The righteous need to be silenced lest they should topple the rulers!
Unfortunately in this chaotic world of induced confusion, those who are rational, awake and alert need to be silenced forever since they pose a serious threat to the existing system. Dissent is anti-establishment and harmful therefore people like John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Giles Corey need to be executed. John Proctor would rather hand to death than live a life of falsehood. The same can be said of Rebecca Nurse and Giles Corey. They would rather die with their dignity intact than accept a life of falsehood by accepting that they had covenanted with the Devil.
It would be apt to claim that Arthur Miller's The Crucible is driven by a sense of frustration and disgust towards a system of governance that is intended to be divisive, dictatorial, irrational, biased and Puritanical, reminiscent of the age of the Spanish Inquisition. Strangely enough, witch hunting, kangaroo courts, mob lynching, vigilantism and ostracization can seen thriving even today, in the age of technology and Democracy! Nothing, it seems, has really changed! History repeats itself and what took place in 1692 has parallels in the McCarthyism of 1950 and the intolerance and polarization that exists in the world today. Persecution, false accusations and the madness of superstition flourish in the world today, perhaps, fanned by social media, fake news and misinformation.
Last but not least, it would be pertinent to reiterate how Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible is indeed a comment on the polarization that exists in the world today. You are either with 'US' or you are not. If you don't belong to 'Us', then you belong to the 'Others' and thus are not entitled to the privileges of belonging to 'Us'! The 'Others' are the misfits, outcasts, rebels and doomed ones while the 'Us' are the rewarded ones, those who are rewarded for toeing the line, for conforming and falling in line.
References have been taken from -
1.Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New Delhi: Penguin Random House, 2015.
2. Follet, Ken: Code To Zero. London : Pan Macmillan, 2012
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