Introduction+to+The+Crucible Unit

//The Crucible// by Arthur Miller

This unit will be focused on the 1953 play //The Crucible// by Arthur Miller. As a piece taught in Junior English classes, //The Crucible// is an excellent allegory for the McCarthyism of the 1950s. Centered around a small rural farming family in Salem, Massachusetts, the play details the horror and chaos that ensues when a group of adolescent girls begins accusing citizens of witchcraft and association with the devil. Caught in a strict Puritan religious environment, the accusations spread like wildfire, causing several unfortunate deaths.



Though Miller fabricated the central plot line of the play, an adulterous farmer who is caught between protecting his wife and the temptations of a young foolish girl, much of the storyline is based off of true events in early American history. The setting and historical depictions in the play accurately portray the events that took place in Salem, Massachusetts from 1963 to 1963, most commonly known as the "Salem Witch Trials."

Some websites for further independent research about the Salem Witch Trials: [] [] []



While teaching this valuable play, I am also hoping to strengthen your writing skills with multiple styles of writing assignments, with emphasis on the review and editing process. I have made an attempt to combine both artistic form and technology in this unit, as I see both as a value to students. To appeal to those of differing strengths, we will watch documentaries and film to learn about the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare, conduct research into the era, and read the play. We will also examine cartoons and artistic renderings. This unit will count for a considerable portion of your semester grade.

Click here to see //The Crucible// Unit Schedule Click here to see Assignments for //The Crucible// Unit.

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