The literature is a powerful tool for provoking the thought process by various means. One of those mediums is a political analog, seen in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. By focusing on the events that happened in the late 17th century in the United States, during the Salem Witch Trials, the author provides a metaphor for the events that occurred at the time of writing called McCarthyism. Despite specific differences between Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism, Miller creates a compelling and convincing metaphor by focusing on the similarities between the events.
At the current time, the development of science has assisted in solving most of the mysteries which have puzzled humans for centuries. Belief in witchcraft among Americans has declined significantly, mostly due to high literacy rates and improvements in technology. Nevertheless, ancient Americans believed in witchcraft and blamed its effect on most of the mysterious incidences. For instance, the Salem witch trials, which took place between 1692 and 1693 in colonial Massachusetts, resulted in the execution of at least twenty suspected individuals (Schiff, 2015). Any person accused of witchcraft was banished by the community and, in most cases, set on fire while being tied at a pole, where all the people were able to watch.
The differences between Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism may include the subject and the scale of the investigations. During the witch-hunt, the investigation included people of the small town of Salem. On the contrary, the hunt for communists included launching investigations of many artists, media personas, people in the army, and labor unions. After being accused, the authorities brutally executed suspected individuals of the Salem Witch Trials. McCarthyism was not as brutal in its measures, as it added the suspected individuals to a blacklist, preventing them from getting a job and leading to social isolation. Hence, most of the differences between the events are regarding the details and specifics of the cases.
The most vital reason why the Salem Witch Trials are a good political metaphor for McCarthyism is their similarity in essence. Despite witchcraft being debunked, during the late 17th century, it was perceived as real as communists were during the 1950s. Therefore, the terror that the perceived communists and witches had caused was similar and can be described as mass hysteria. In addition, lack of knowledge can be filled with rumors, which act as evidence in the play The Crucible. Mass hysteria leads to chaotic decision-making that violates the rights and freedoms of individuals who are framed as “wrong”. It can be seen in the quote, “I have seen too many frightful proofs in court – the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points!” (Miller, 2015, p. 68).
In conclusion, Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible is an example of a successful political analogy in literature. The use of the Salem Witch Trials is an effective metaphor that resembles the aspects of mass hysteria that was present during McCarthyism in the United States. Hence, the author wanted to create parallels between two events to point out how unjust and inhumane McCarthyism is. Unfortunately, the human psyche functions in a way that can be easily manipulated by propaganda. Under conditions of fear and anxiety, in a group that is cohesive, people may tend to groupthink, which can lead to cases of mass hysteria, as can be seen in the aggressive Russian propaganda used against Ukraine to justify the invasion to its citizens. This example proves that modern societies are not immune from cases of mass hysteria and there are many recent examples such as anti-vax conspiracies. I believe that I am able to withstand the pressures of propaganda because for me it is important to hold on to my values, where freedoms of others and human life is of the highest value. Hence, questioning that based on the accusations of certain political preference, or even magic, would be against my beliefs and principles.
References
Miller, A. (2015). The crucible. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Schiff, S. (2015). The Witches: Salem, 1692: A History. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.