The Crucible is a powerful indictment of McCarthyism and the 'frontier mentality' of Cold War America, published in Penguin Modern Classics.Arthur Miller's classic parable of mass hysteria draws a chilling parallel between the Salem witch-hunt of 1692 - 'one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history' - and the American anti-communist purges led by Senator McCarthy in the 1950s. The story of how the small community of Salem is stirred into madness by superstition, paranoia and malice, culminating in a violent climax, is a savage attack on the evils of mindless persecution and th... View More...
In a small tight-knit community gossip and rumour spread like wildfire inflaming personal grievances until no-one is safe from accusation and vengeance. Seen as a chilling parallel to the McCarthyism and repressive culture of fear that gripped America in the 1950s, The Crucible's timeless appeal and universal themes remain as strong today as when the play opened on Broadway in 1953.
This Student Edition features an extensive introduction by Susan Abbotson which includes a chronology of Miller's life and times, a summary of the plot, commentary on the characters, themes, language, context and ... View More...
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![Image for The Crucible [play] [Methuen Student Editions]](https://sdi4.chrislands.com/sdi/978/14/08/1/9781408108390.jpg)
