Talk:The Crucible/Archive 1

Reverend John Hale
"Hale is somewhat the story's hero" The description of Hale isn't really factual in relation to the play. Hale comes across as a deeply flawed character who is stuck in his ways, superstitious and wrapped up in the idea of witchcraft. True, his character turns around towards the end of the play, but he is in no way the 'hero' or even a particularly 'good' character. Mercury Rising 10:07, 14 March 2007 (UTC)

Uncited Statement
The following statement has needed a citation for quite some time. It is at least misleading, and at most untrue. Does anyone object to its removal? --In Defense of the Artist 05:57, 2 February 2007 (UTC) "It has therefore been taken quite seriously, and has even been banned from production at certain schools throughout the United States"

Removed the "today's world" section...
...it read, well, very oddly, and didn't seem encyclopedic, more like a puff piece for a little-known director.

Had the director, theatre, or that particular production been notable (and they don't seem to be), I would have left it in, but as it stands it comes from out of left field and info-dumps an essay almost as long as the main article that is, at best, very tangential.

If I'm in the wrong here, revert. MattShepherd 13:49, 9 January 2006 (UTC)

Spoiler Warning Added
I just added a spoiler warning above the third paragraph of "Historical Road to the Crucible" because the end of it contains the ending of the play (John Proctor hangs), and I had not yet finished the play. Argh!
 * well what did you expect to find in an article about the crucible (o; 205.188.116.137 00:06, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

Wrong Locations
The first production of The Crucible was not actually on Broadway. It was done in Wilmington, Delaware directed by Jed Hariss. Miller was very much involved in this production. It is true that the reviews were not good. The second production was still not done on Broadway. It was one of the very first productions in New York to be off-Broadway. This show ran for 2 almost two years and was extremely popular.
 * I was referring to the first performance of the work on Broadway. I wasn't saying that the play's first production was on Broadway--Swiftblade21 19:33, 27 March 2006 (UTC)
 * Then, you should reword it because that is what is sounds like.

Is the crucible considered a prose, poetry, or drama? and it would be considered fiction?

I personally think it would be considered as drama, as it is a play and fiction because of the large amount of historical inacccuracies. --User:Phillipmorantking

Copyrighted Material
Someone added http://www.essays.cc/free_essays/b1/mts83.shtml to the page word for word. I removed it because it is copyrighted even though it says "Free Essay". At the bottom it says "Copyright 2004, Essays.cc, All Rights Reserved" If you want to add this information, it's fine, just do it in your own words and tell where the information came from. Thanks --Jowan2005

This plot discription isn't very good.
All they mention is that he didn't want to say it because it wasn't true. There was more to it than that. He also didn't want to ruin his good name, he didn't want to convict anybody else, and he didn't want everybody to think that these trials were justified.

I agree with whoever put this above paragraph. In addition, he didn't want his friends who would hang for silence to have their names ruined when people find out they associated with a witch. The confession would be hanged on the front door of the church. To sum up, he also tore it up to help his friends.--69.229.16.102 03:56, 13 November 2006 (UTC)


 * If you think something needs to be added/fixed just do it. :) ---Jowan2005

I cleaned up the plot description and revised it. I hope that it is better. I would like to note that the play doesn't end with Proctor saying The Lord's Prayer; that is in the movie. Bizzako 23:46, 20 December 2006 (UTC)

Les Sorcières de Salem
Although this wiki states, "Despite the many parallels between the Salem Witch Trials and the Red Scare, Miller had said that he had meant the play to explore a "wider and deeper" purpose. He said that he did not mean to show "a historical allegory." If this is so, the play is probably written as a commentary on moral panic." the article linked in the reference page at the bottom clearly indicates Miller's original intent for the play was to parallel the communist hearings.

I edited the wiki to indicate Miller's intent more accurately. Miller himself acknowledges that, “For others, it may simply be a fascination with the outbreak of paranoia that suffuses the play—the blind panic that, in our age, often seems to sit at the dim edges of” but this is not what the play was “probably written as a commentary” of. 209.7.99.38 15:58, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

minor stylistic changes
The English is overall a bit stilted, looks like a GCSE essay in parts. Removed less-than-neutral analytical judgements. Bobstar The Motivation behind the writing still needs copy-editing. [[User:Alexs letterbox|Alexs letterbox 06:40, 7 Feb 2005 (UTC)

characters
The Salem witchcraft trials involves real historical figures as put on record; they are not literary people invented. The links completely treat them as literary figures without bothering to find out about their true historical background. Mandel 16:53, Oct 23, 2004 (UTC)

jail time
he got a $500 fine and a suspended sentence (for refusing to "name names" before the committee). Anyone know for sure, before I change it? Antandrus 00:23, 13 Feb 2005 (UTC)
 * You are correct. He was blacklisted, but not imprisoned, due to committee resistance. I don't know about the fine, but having just watched Alan Yentob's biography of him, I can tell you he wasn't imprisoned. Also, I'm changing "Today the play is often studied in American, Canadian and British high schools" to "Today the play is often studied in high schools around the world", since a) It is, and b) the former wording is very clunky. Nick04 21:33, 19 Feb 2005 (UTC)

origin of the title
a piece of lab equipment?--TomaydoDemato 22:38, 11 September 2005 (UTC)

Yes, the name of the crucible came from the chemical aparatus. The crucible is the place where all of the volatile reactions take place, as they did in Salam with all of the witch trials and executions. The name has a sort of 'irony' to it because it is bringing a sense of chemistry and reality to a very supersticiously themed play.

Question
Hello, is it possible for this very short page to be extended as I really think that this novel deserves more regocnition?
 * I have been trying to think of ways to improve this page. I added the plot overview back (last month), which was lost a while ago due to vandalism. I am going to try to add more to that sometime. --Jowan2005

Great! Because the novel is a very important part of literature/plays and the article is lacking the attention it needs, the plot is great, as is the history...I added a breif chaarcter overveiw, so this is a start. RaptorRobot 12:33, 7 February 2007 (UTC)

Question 2
Does anybody know of some examples of human cruelty in the name of righteousness in the Crucible? Thanks.

and.. (addition 10/24/05)

Isn't it an emotional trial by fire or something? BY:Ċēċîłîâ —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.113.212.3 (talk) 15:04, 7 December 2006 (UTC).