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Table of Contents | Printable Version | Barron's Booknotes IMPORTANT / KEY FACTS SUMMARY Title: The Crucible Author: Arthur Miller Date Published: 1953 Meaning of Title: A crucible is a vessel in which metal melted for the purposes of casting. It can also refer, metaphorically, to a time in history when great political, social, and cultural changes are in force, where society is seemingly being melted down and recast into a new mold. Genre: Tragedy Point of View: Presented as a play in the present tense. There is some interjection by a third-person omniscient narrator.
Setting: Salem, Massachusetts during the American colonial period. 1692 Protagonist: John Proctor Antagonist: Abigail Williams Climax: The climax occurs when John Proctor testifies against Abigail, even though it means the loss of his reputation. Major Themes: The problem of making the right moral choice and the necessity of sacrifice as a means of redemption. Both these themes, of course, take place in the context of the larger struggle of good versus evil. Minor Themes: Hysteria; The parallels of the evils and events of the McCarthy era, which provided the initial inspiration for the play. Important Motifs: Resentment, Accusations, confessions, the trials. Mood: Dark, serious, and tragic. Table of Contents | Printable Version | Barron's Booknotes | |
