Comparing Mccarthyism And Communism In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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In the play The Crucible, Miller uses the story of the Salem witch trials as a parallel to 1950s McCarthyism. Just as Americans feared oppressive force of communism, the people of Salem were paranoid about the alleged evil forces pursuing their town. The Crucible is essentially an allegorical analogy to 1950s McCarthyism. Joseph Mccarthy, a 1950s U.S. senator, had made unsubstantiated claims that more that 200 “card carrying” members of the communist party had invaded the U.S. The delusional girls in the Crucible made similar claims about the existence of witches in Salem. The primary accuser, Abigail, “confesses” to consorting with the devil in the end of Act 1: “I want to open myself! . . . I want the light of God, I want the sweet
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