The Crucible Flashcards
After the production of the Crucible
Miller was suspected for associations with the Communist Party
The Crucible was parallel to the hysteria surrounding
McCarthyism
1956 testified against the House Committee on Un American Activities was found _________
Guilty of contempt of congress for his silence. The sentence was later overturned
Married _______ for 5 years who also starrred in his play The Misfits
Marilyn Monroe
Died in 2005 at
89
Drama
Focuses on a characters in conflict written to be performed by actors
Tragedy
Shows downfall or death of the main character or tragic hero(noble person)
Tragic flaw
Mistage or unwise decision
Dramatic conventions
Literary devices that break the illusion of reality
Suspension of disbelief
The audience agrees to accept these conventions while watching or reading a play
Direct characterization
Writer tells reader directly sbout character traits
Indirect characterization
Describes character’s appearence, words, actions, inner thoughs and feelings, shows other character’ reactions to that character, stated other character’ words about that character
Themes of the Crucible
Importance of moral honesty, self discovery, necessity of well reasoned independent thinking, the crucible is about self awareness and the discoveru of one’s own truth, no matter how opposed that truth may be to the society around
Irony
Contrast between expectation and reality
Dramatic irony
Contradiction between what a character thinks and what the audience knows
Verbal irony
A contrast between what a character says and what is really meant
Tragedy
A dramatic form that was first developed in ancient Greece
Characteristics of a Tragedy
The main character is involved in a struggle that ends in disaster, the tragic hero’s downfall is usually a result of some combo of fate, an error in judgement, and a personality weakness called a tragic flaw
The tragic hero gains
Wisdom or insight by the plays end
Audiences enjoy watching tragedies becuase
They enjoy piting others and hoping the same fate does not befall them
A tragic drama may suggest that
The human spirit is capable of remarkable nobility even in the midst of great suffering
Allegory
A story with more than one layer
