The Crucible
by Arthur Miller

Name: The Crucible
Brand: Arthur Miller
SKU: 9780141182551
Rating: 3.61 (410602 reviews)

The Crucible Book Cover — The Crucible Cover

Highlights

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Large Cast

Female

Male

120 mins American

What readers are saying

Readers appreciate the profound themes and historical relevance of 'The Crucible', often citing its exploration of mass hysteria, reputation, and societal pressures. Many find it an essential read that resonates with contemporary issues, particularly regarding the parallels to McCarthyism. The writing style is praised for its emotional impact and compelling narrative, even though some mention challenges with formatting in certain editions.

Timeless relevance Powerful exploration of hysteria Emotionally impactful story Some editions poorly formatted

Synopsis

Arthur Miller''s classic parable of mass hysteria draws a chilling parallel between the Salem witch-hunt of 1692 - ''one of the strangest and most awful chapters in human history'' - and the American anti-communist purges led by Senator McCarthy in the 1950s.

The story of how the small community of Salem is stirred into madness by superstition, paranoia and malice, culminating in a violent climax, is a savage attack on the evils of mindless persecution and the terrifying power of false accusations.

A depiction of innocent men and women destroyed by malicious rumour, The Crucible is also a powerful indictment of McCarthyism and the ''frontier mentality'' of Cold War America.