Skip to main content

What are the religious influences of the historical period in The Crucible?

The religious climate of the Salem Witch Trial period was one of Puritanism. Puritans were called such for two reasons: They sought to purify new Protestant practices from any vestiges of the Catholic Church. In the eyes of new-world Protestants, no branch of Protestantism had yet gone far enough in throwing off all remnants of Catholic thought and ritual. Puritans were also given their name due to their puritanical way of life, which sought to...

The religious climate of the Salem Witch Trial period was one of Puritanism. Puritans were called such for two reasons: They sought to purify new Protestant practices from any vestiges of the Catholic Church. In the eyes of new-world Protestants, no branch of Protestantism had yet gone far enough in throwing off all remnants of Catholic thought and ritual. Puritans were also given their name due to their puritanical way of life, which sought to rid all bodies and communities of sin, with a particular focus on lust/sexual sin, which is an evident theme in The Crucible. Women were branded witches for many reasons in Puritan society, but most often -- as in Miller's play -- women were punished for inspiring lust and for performing any acts perceived as ritualistic, as ritual is a strong component of the Catholic faith. It's also important to note that the time of The Crucible's writing was reflective of the Salem Witch Trials' period, at least culturally. Arthur Miller used the setting of the Salem Witch Trials to comment on the Red Scare going on at the time, Senator McCarthy's congressional hearings in particular.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What are the cobra's physical features in Rikki-Tikki-Tavi?

There are two cobras that Rikki-tikki faces off against.  Nag is the male cobra and Nagaina is the female cobra.  The first snake that Rikki-tikki sees is Nag, and he is a rather imposing figure. Then inch by inch out of the grass rose up the head and spread hood of Nag, the big black cobra, and he was five feet long from tongue to tail. … he looked at Rikki-tikki with the wicked snake's eyes that never change their expression, whatever the snake may be thinking of. Nag raises himself up and shows off his great hood.  On his hood there is a “spectacle-mark on the back of it that looks exactly like the eye part of a hook-and-eye fastening.”  Rikki-tikki is only intimidated for a moment, and is not tricked when Nagaina tries to come up behind him. Nag and Nagaina know that a mongoose is very bad news for them.  As the new house mongoose, it is Rikki-tikki’s job to kill all of the snakes.  The cobras would definitely be on his hit-list, and this worries them because they have a family...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more