Classroom Connections

English 11

The Crucible: Research Project

Resources from The New York Times

From the Archives:

The Crucible
- Original 1953 review.
“The Crucible”: Arthur Miller’s Dramatization of the Salem Witch Trial in 1692
- A follow up review (1953).
Journey to “The Crucible”
- Arthur Miller’s reflection on his conception of the play (1953).
Brewed in “The Crucible”; Author Cites Reasons For Having Written Play in 1953
- Essay in which Arthur Miller gives his reasons for writing the play (1958).
The Tucson Witch Hunt
- Column by Charles M. Blow on the “full-fledged witch hunt to link the shooter to the right” in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, with references to “The Crucible” (2011).
Opinionator: No End to the New McCarthyism?
- A call for the “blacklisting” of the term “McCarthyism” (2009).
When Suspicion of Teachers Ran Unchecked
- Article on the blacklisting of public school teachers in New York City (2009).
Extended Forecast: Bloodshed
- Op-ed discussing the relationship between climate change and witch hunts (2008).
In Small Town, “Grease” Ignites a Culture War
- Article about a Missouri high school drama group banned from performing “The Crucible” (2006).

On the Play:

Again They Drink From the Cup of Suspicion
- Essay in which Miller discusses the origins and nature of his drama (1989).
Relearning the Lessons of Miller’s “The Crucible”
- Review of a 1990 revival and a comment about the lasting power of the lessons of Miller’s play (1990).
Attention Must be Paid
- Opinion piece by playwright David Mamet considering “The Crucible” the great “American political tragedy” (2005).
Movie Review: The Crucible (1996)
- Review of the 1996 film version of the play starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder (1996). Includes a clip.
The Betwitching Power of Lies Another review of the film version (1996).
The Demons of Salem, With Us Still
- Article on the journey from play to film (1996).
Forging an Opera From Miller’s “Crucible”
- Article about an early opera adaption of the play (1961).

On Arthur Miller:

Special Section: Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller, Moral Voice of American Stage, Dies at 89
- 2005 obituary.
Tribute to a Man of the Crucible
- Tribute to Arthur Miller on his 80th birthday (1995).
Arthur Miller: Present at the Birth of a Salesman
- Article on the cultural impact of “Death of a Salesman,” with background on Miller (1999).
Arthur Miller: View of a Life
- Interview with Arthur Miller (1984).

On McCarthyism, The Red Scare, and Paranoia:

On Naming the Names, in Life and Art
- Article exploring “The Crucible” as an allegory and discussing the relationship between McCarthyism, Miller and Kazan (1997).
To Name or Not to Name: The Hollywood Ten Recalled
- Archival article on the Hollywood Ten (1973).
What Is a Communist? How Can You Spot Him?
- Archival article on the Red Scare (1948).

On the Salem Witch Trials:

They Called It Witchcraft
- Opinion piece examining the witch trails as an attempt to make sense of the unknown (2002).
Massachusetts Clears 5 From Salem Witch Trials
- Article on the exoneration of five women hanged as witches three hundred years ago (2001).
Working to Clear Ancestor’s Name, 300 Years After Her Execution
- Article on the descendant of a “witch” convicted in 1662 (2007).
Before Tripp, a Long Line of Denouncers; From the Salem Witch Trials to Serpico to the War on Drugs
- Essay putting the action of Linda Tripp in the historical context of the citizen denouncer (1999).
Op-Ed: Salem Revisited
- Op-Ed in which Arthur Miller considers the similarities and differences between the impeachment of Bill Clinton and the Salem Witch Trials (1998).
Salem Remembers, 300 Years Later
- Travel feature on Salem, Massachusetts, as it marked the tercentenary of the witch trials (1992).

Other Related:

Censorship in the Age of Anything Goes; For Artistic Freedom, It’s Not the Worst of Times
- Article examining censorship in Hollywood from the film code to McCarthy to today (1998).
Childhood Trauma: Memory or Invention?
- Science article on the role of memory in childhood trauma and the sorts of accusations that rocked Salem (1992).
The Science Police
- Article on a book on the Baltimore case, which echoes the whistle-blowing and witch hunts of the McCarthy era (1998).
Witch Hunt in the Navy
- Opinion piece on the Tailhook scandal and its effects throughout the Navy (1992).