The Crucible (Penguin Classics) Summary and Reviews

The Crucible (Penguin Classics)
by Arthur Miller

The Crucible (Penguin Classics)
List Price: $13.00
Our Price: $5.41
You Save: $7.59 (58%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Arthur Miller
Introduction: Christopher Bigsby
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2003-03-25
ISBN: 0142437336
Number of pages: 176
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Product features:

Book Reviews of The Crucible (Penguin Classics)

Book Review: The Crucible
Summary: 4 Stars

Miller's play, The Crucible, is on the surface about a small town in Massachusetts, America. In 1692, there was an outbreak of mass hysteria as accusations about others dabbling in witchcraft spread. The now famous witch trials resulted in the deaths of 19 people.
From the outside you would be forgiven for thinking that The Crucible is the result of Miller's over-imaginative mind, infact it is quite the opposite. The Crucible is based on historical truth. The events of 1692 did actually take place. People worldwide have knowledge of the horrors that took place in the small town of Salem and these events are very believable. However, in order to create drama, some changes have been made. Abigail's age has been raised in order for the audience to believe that her relationship with John Proctor did take place and, although there were several judges all with the equal authority and power, Miller symbolised all of them in Hathorne and Danforth. Something that has remained the same, though, is each characters fate.
The play tells the stories of a variety of characters living in Salem, from the victims of the trials, such as Goody Osburn, to the young girls who were to blame for the hysteria that was created by their lies.
Miller may have had many reasons for writing The Crucible. However, the main reason for the writing of the play was desperation. Miller was concerned that America was becoming paranoid and the Americans were too fearful of the unknown. Miller was motivated to write a play about the hunt for Communists in America because of the silence that had fallen on many of the liberals. People who, despite their unhappiness with the inquisitor's violations of civil rights, remained silent. Miller wanted to encourage people to stand up for what they believed in.
The Crucible is a powerful play and everyone who reads the play will be able to find at least one character to relate to.
Horror is a dramatic technique used by Miller to create an effect on the audience. The witch trials of Salem were nasty and turned the people of the village against each other. The villagers couldn't trust anyone as people named others as witches in order to save there own skin. This creates a feeling of shock and horror among the audience as they try to imagine if their family and friends turned against each other and for some, this technique is relevant to them as they have experienced back-stabbing in their lives, maybe when they were younger in school or been made to look as though you're to blame by others at work.
I would recommend that everyone reads The Crucible as it is a wonderful play that tells the story of a fascinating time in history without been boring as is typical among historic plays. Millar has written a play that everyone, of all ages, can relate to and this creates for an exciting read.

Literature & Fiction Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Tony-Winning Best Plays, 1947-1986
I'm Not Rappaport ImageI'm Not Rappaport
by Herb Gardner
Grove Pr; Published: 1988-04; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops: $7.95
Biloxi Blues ImageBiloxi Blues
by Neil Simon
Samuel French Ltd; Published: 1998-12-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.98
The Real Thing (Playaway Adult Fiction) ImageThe Real Thing (Playaway Adult Fiction)
by Tom Stoppard
Playaway; Published: 2009-12; Preloaded Digital Audio Player; Book
Best price: $35.99
Price in other shops: $39.99
Torch Song Trilogy (Signet) ImageTorch Song Trilogy (Signet)
by Harvey Fierstein
Signet; Published: 1988-01-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.58
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby ImageThe Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickelby
by Charles Dickens
Heron Books; Published: 9999; Hardcover; Book
Amadeus: A Play by Peter Shaffer ImageAmadeus: A Play by Peter Shaffer
by Peter Shaffer
Harper Perennial; Published: 2001-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.15
Price in other shops: $15.99
Children of a Lesser God. ImageChildren of a Lesser God.
by Mark Medoff
Dramatists Play Service; Published: 1998-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.75
Price in other shops: $7.50
The Elephant Man: A Play ImageThe Elephant Man: A Play
by Bernard Pomerance
Grove Press; Published: 1979-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.84
Price in other shops: $14.00
Da (Methuen Drama) ImageDa (Methuen Drama)
by Hugh Leonard
A&C Black; Published: 2003-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.57
Price in other shops: $13.95
The Shadow Box: A Drama in Two Acts ImageThe Shadow Box: A Drama in Two Acts
by Michael Cristofer
Samuel French; Published: 1977-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.98
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Their Eyes Were Watching God ImageTheir Eyes Were Watching God
by Zora Neale Hurston
Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Published: 2006-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.45
Price in other shops: $15.99
The Catcher in the Rye ImageThe Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger
Back Bay Books; Published: 2001-01-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.75
Price in other shops: $13.99
A Raisin in the Sun ImageA Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
Vintage; Published: 2004-11-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.50
Price in other shops: $7.00
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Puffin Classics) ImageThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Puffin Classics)
by Mark Twain
Puffin; Published: 2008-03-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.55
Price in other shops: $4.99
The Glass Menagerie ImageThe Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams
New Directions; Published: 1999-06-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.25
Price in other shops: $10.95
The Scarlet Letter: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) ImageThe Scarlet Letter: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Penguin Classics; Published: 2009-08-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.19
Price in other shops: $16.00
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ImageThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
CreateSpace; Published: 2009-04-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.15
Price in other shops: $6.94
The Great Gatsby ImageThe Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Scribner; Published: 1999-09-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.95
Price in other shops: $14.00
The Scarlet Letter ImageThe Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne
CreateSpace; Published: 2009-04-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.94
The Crucible (Cliffs Notes) ImageThe Crucible (Cliffs Notes)
by Jennifer L. Scheidt, Denis M. Calandra
Cliffs Notes; Published: 2000-06-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.44
Price in other shops: $5.99