In early 1692, in the small village of Salem, Massachusetts, a group of girls fell ill, suffering from hallucinations and convulsions. In extremely religious Puritan New England, frightening or surprising events were often attributed to the devil or his acolytes. The inexplicable illness sparked fears of witchcraft, and it wasn't long before the girls, and then many other Salem residents, began accusing other villagers of consorting with demons and casting spells. Old grudges and jealousies came to light, fueling the atmosphere of hysteria. The Massachusetts government and justice system, heavily influenced, even blinded by religion, sprang into action. Within weeks, dozens of people were imprisoned for witchcraft, and by the time the “fever” had worn off, nineteen people (and two dogs) had been convicted and hanged for witchcraft. “Crazy little kids jingle keys. of the kingdom and common vengeance writes the law! » More than two centuries later, Arthur Miller wrote “The Crucible,” a play based on the events in Salem that are considered one of the darkest moments in American history. The play is a device created and used by Miller to express his dislike of the McCarthy trials that took place in America in the 1950s. The trials grew out of the fear of communism that enveloped the United States during the Cold War, and were such that speaking out against them meant you had to be a communist; Miller himself was put on trial during this time. With fear and mass hysteria driving the trials, accusations could be made by anyone, no matter how unfounded. As in "The Crucible", many of the accusations did not come from reliable, indisputable sources...... middle of paper...... what's happening in Salem: There is a resounding lack of trust and many underlying tensions that are only now fully surfacing rather than just bubbling beneath the surface. Elizabeth informs John of the activities taking place in Salem: Miller uses her as a device to tell the audience what is happening. He uses exposition rather than flashbacks to prevent loss of scene tension and allow the audience to empathize with the main protagonist of the play, thus forging the bond between character and audience that will later be crucial in maintaining the tension in the final act. .1. BooksMiller, Arthur, 1986, The Crucible, Reading, Penguin Books2. Websites http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/arthur_miller.html