Matthew

McCarthyism
**Arthur Miller,the Crucible and McCarthyism** Arthur Miller's response to theMcCarthy anti-Communist hysteria: a period of conflict in the USA in the 1950s,was to write the Crucible. He created an allegory to present the conflict, inwhich he was personally involved, to his contemporaries. In his play, heexamined the witchcraft trials in Salem. In 1692, which he saw as having manyparallels to his own experience. In creating a comparison between both theevents which occurred and the dilemmas faced by those directly involved, he wasable to thinly disguise the identities of acquaintances, while simultaneouslypresenting his views about the injustice which he believed had occurred. Hisplay is still very relevant as an examination of the way in which ordinarypeople can courageously confront unjust authority and the importance ofprotecting personal integrity.


 * 1) What was the crime of Elia Kazan? **He was a member of a commnist party for only a matter of months, and was told if he did not name other members (directors, writers, actors) then he would never be able to direct another picture = end of his career .**
 * 2) Why did Arthur Miller and Elia Kazan come into conflict? **Kazan was associated with HUAC, which therefore spent Miller's name to guarantee his reform.**
 * 3) What was the relationship between Miller and Kazan prior to the McCarthy period? **Labelled them as old friends, who only spoke to each other when it was about work.**
 * 4) What was the response of the former friends to the conflict? **Miller held no hatred or contemp towards Kazan, because "he's suffering was to papable"**
 * 5) How did the social values of America in the 50s contribute to the conflict? How did the depression contribute to the values of Miller and Kazan? In the play,society's values also play a role. What are these values and their effects?
 * 6) What was the role of bureaucracy / authority in the conflict? What is the parallel with this play? **Although being seperated by 250 years, both events show the importance of unmatched power weighted in favour of the authorative entities. The politcal bodies of the 1690's and 1950's both pretentious qualities.**
 * 7) How could the discrediting of HUAC, Hollywood 10, blacklisting, be seen to be paralleled in the play?
 * 8) How was the loyalty of ordinary people tested in both situations?
 * 9) What dilemma did Kazan faced with regard to the house un-American activities committee? What was his stance in his first appearance? How did this affect him? What extra pressure was placed on him?
 * 10) What were the ensuring events at the subsequent Oscars?
 * 11) How did Kazan perceive a silent position on communism?
 * 12) Kazan and Miller discuss the upcoming trial, but years later saw the event verydifferently. How?
 * 13) How was Kazan's next appearance before HUAC differ from the first? How did he justify what he did? What parallel could be drawn between the significance of the naming of names by Kazan and John Proctor? What were the differences? How did others respond?
 * 14) What was the response of Arthur Miller? How did it contribute to his writing of theCrucible?
 * 15) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">What role does hysteria play in both events?
 * 16) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Explain the metaphor connecting Salem and the McCarthy witch hunts. How does theCrucible also reflect Miller's own personal moral conflict?
 * 17) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">How was the Crucible received by the audience?
 * 18) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">How was guilt by association seen in the McCarthy era and the play?
 * 19) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">How does John Proctor's private and public betrayal reflect both Kazan's and Miller's conflicts?
 * 20) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">How did the critical response to the Crucible reflect the dangerous times it wasproduced in?
 * 21) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">What was the personal and professional cost of Kazan's testimony to him? What does this show us about involvement in conflict for its participants?
 * 22) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">What was Kazan's final revenge?
 * 23) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">How ultimately has history judged Miller and Kazan?

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