Nutriologa

Real Encounter: The Crucible
The Crucible is based upon the 17th century witch hunts that took place in the community of Salem - a small religious colony of Puritans near Boston, Massachusetts. The Crucible is a story of a village overtaken by religious fervor; the entire community is in pandemonium yet certain characters are also fighting internal conflicts where people are arrested for beingwitches without evidence. In Salem, matters of good and evil are clearly defined; dissent is not merely unlawful, it is associated with satanic activity. The composer of this powerful drama was born in Manhattan, 1915 died in Roxbury, Connecticut, 2005; Arthur Miller transformed American theatre. Following the end of World War II, he tapped into a sense of dissatisfaction and unrest within thegreater American psyche. His dramas were provocative, insightful and probing. He became the ‘public conscience’. Regarded as a brilliant writer, a staunch humanitarian, and a man of great dignity, it is said that not a day goes by when one of Miller’s plays is not being performed somewhere in the world.
Spring 1692, a collection of girls from the colony fall victim to supposed hallucinationsand seizures after dancing in the forest with a black female slave named Tituba. Suspicion surrounds Tituba and soon accusations and fears of witch craft fill the town. Abigail Williams, 17 years old and beautiful, appears to be the girls’ ringleader, and when Tituba and Abigail begin accusing various townsfolk of conspiring with the devil, the other girls join in. Soon the colony is beset withjealousies, bitter quarrellings, and deeply held hatreds rise to the surface. Local farmer John Proctor is a deeply honest man and he suspects Abigail of being a fraud.
Abigail Williams is a tormented character who represents absolute evil and the devil. She is the ‘mass murderer’ whose actions bring about the death of so many innocent people. She was deeply in love with John Proctor and now thatlove has been taken away from her. However, Proctor has a guilty secret to protect – the affair with Abigail when she was a servant in his house. This proves to be his downfall. Jealous and vindictive, Abigail accuses Proctor’s wife of dealings with the devil, and as the hysteria grows, Proctor hesitates to expose Abigail in fear of having his secret exposed and losing his good name. Her vengeanceis powerful. She wants revenge. But her life is not an easy one. She is an orphan whose parents were murdered by the Wabanaki (Native American tribes), she has raised herself, feeling somewhat on the edge of society, and observing all the manipulation and hypocrisy around her. Her power comes from her intelligence, empathy and courage. She’s like an animal, instinctual and strong. She knows whatshe has to do to get what she wants. Old grudges and religious fervor result in tragedy, as good people are hanged for witchcraft, others are jailed, and a community is left with its conscience in tatters.
Elizabeth Proctor is a good woman who has been treated badly and she pays the ultimate price. Her love and understanding of her husband John is powerful, but if she accepted his adultery, shedid not intend to let it continue. She is no fool and understands Abigail’s intentions well, better than Proctor himself. She is a loving mother, and is sent to prison even though she carries a child. She is appears on her performance as being cold, but is perhaps merely accepting of her life. Reverend Parris is Pastor of the church in Salem. He is the father of Betty, uncle of Abigail Williams,and master of Tituba. He believes that he is being persecuted and that the towns’ people do not respect his position as a man of God. The people have ousted the last few pastors and Parris fears the same fate. He chooses to believe the girls, because to do otherwise would mean that the trouble would be connected to his own household. If this happened, he may not be trusted by the village....