The Crucible

This book was written during the height of the Army McCarthy Hearings, when writers were investigated by Senator Joe McCarthy and his side-kick Roy Cohen for their suspected left-wing leanings, and were often alleged to be Communists or Soviet spies. The infamous Hollywood Ten of writers were blacklisted and their movies could not be produced. Arthur Miller was one of them but he got off by agreeing to testify.Improbable as it may seem nowadays, these things really did happen at about the time that Arthur Miller wrote “The Crucible”. They happened to Arthur Miller, too.Arthur Miller preferred not to have to jump out a window to protect his works. So, he is now remembered primarily for having been the husband of screen actress Marilyn Monroe for two years and he wrote screenplays for some of her movies.Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible about the real Witch Hunts that took place in Salem Massachusetts in 1692, which can be compared to the Army McCarthy Witch Hunts of 1952.And Ishi Press is reprinting this book now in comparison with the actual Witch Hunts taking place in Washington DC in 2020, being led by the greatest and most ruthless Witch Hunter of them all, Donald J. Trump.Even though The Crucible is a novel, it is based on actual historic facts. All of the characters in The Crucible were real people. Their names and dates were real. Arthur Miller lived in Salem Massachusetts for several months to research this book while writing it.The principal characters are John Proctor. His wife is Elizabeth and his former domestic servant is Abigail. John Proctor is a farmer in Salem Massachusetts. Mary Warren is a servant girl who works as a domestic for the Proctors. She is arrested and charged with being a witch. She saves herself by testifying against the Proctors. Abigail is carrying on a sexual affair with John Proctor even though she is only eleven years old!!! Both Elizabeth and Abigail are jealous of each other. Abigail wants Elizabeth executed as a witch so she can carry on her affair and sleep with with John Proctor.