Common Module - cruc Flashcards
Overall thesis
In his 1952 tragedy, The Crucible, Arthur Miller presents the conflict between the authority’s collective desire for control and self preservation and the individual’s need for autonomy in their actions as a critique of his own McCarthyist context.
P1: Miller develops the theocracy…
Miller develops the theocracy in Salem and individual transgressions to explore the conflict between them
P1
- theocracy reliant on control of authoritative figures (2)
The set - “narrow window” “leaded panes” “clear sparseness”
“there be no unnatural cause here” - Parris
P1
- individual transgressions resulting from need for agency in restricted society (2)
“I like not the smell of this authority” - Proctor
“my enemies…with ruin me with it”
P2: Miller further develops this conflict between…
Miller further develops this conflict between the collective and the individual through the representation of mass hysteria that arises and the individual conflict between acting morally and self preservation
P2
- fractured theocratic authority leading to accusations (2)
“no, no, I accept no depositions” - Danforth
Hale “slams the door to the outside behind him”
P2
- individual submission to authority to protect themselves (2)
“they’ve come to overthrow the court, sir” - Parris
P3: Miller presents to his audience that a resolution…
Miller presents to his audience that a resolution is unattainable without sacrifice, as the collective and individual human experiences will always be in conflict with one another.
P3
- individuals who chose to act with autonomy against collective desire must sacrifice - Proctor (2)
name motif
“I have given you my soul: leave me my name!”
“Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!”
P3
- society in forever state of chaos (2)
“the balance has yet to be struck between order and freedom” - enduring conflict
stage direction at end of play - “the final drumroll crashes then heightens violently”
P3
- epilogue (1)
title - ‘echoes down the corridor’
ongoing nature of conflict - haunting tone
P4: Motivated by greed and power…
Motivated by greed and power, individuals sacrifice morality and integrity, placing their needs about those of the community.
P4
- Hale (2)
“you will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!”
“you surely do not fly against the gospel”
P4
- Danforth (3)
“no, no, I accept not depositions” - rejection of reason, irrationality in bringing about justice
“no uncorrupted man may fear this court”
“postponement now speaks a floundering on my part” - continues unjust persecutions to preserve reputation
P5: Miller explores paradoxical notions…
Miller explores paradoxical notions of love to reveal the lack of meaningful connections and how this impacts the quality of the human experience
