Casual Cruelty

The 1600's, a time without any modern convinces, many people make the mistake of thinking that life was simpler back then. The citizens of Massachusetts in the late 1600's were constantly plagued with fear and anxiety. 1692 was the year of the famous Salem Witch Trials, the towns people of Salem, Massachusetts would enter one of the strangest and most horrible moments in history; however, history has a tendency to repeat itself and the repetition of the Salem Witch Trials was no exception. In America in the 1950's there was a similar epidemic of fear and pandemonium, McCarthyism. The Crucible, which was written in 1953 around the same time as the McCarthy incident, serves as a window to the past. Arthur Miller does an outstanding job of communicating the feelings of the accused, in the past and the present.

The 1940's and 1950's in America was filled with the overwhelming fear of the Communist movement in Eastern Europe and China. Tensions throughout the country would come closer to a breaking point when Senator Joseph McCarthy took advantage of American's fear of Communist threats. "A young Senator named Joseph McCarthy made a public accusation that more than two hundred "card-carrying" communists had infiltrated the United States government." (American Masters. McCarthyism). Anyone that refused to admit their political views under oath were condemned as communists and were added to the Black List. If on that list, you were likely to lose your job and your reputation.

During the time of the Salem Witch Trials no one was safe, anyone accused was to be condemned.

Hale: When did you compact with the Devil?

Tituba: I don't compact with no Devil!

Parris: You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!

Putman: This woman must be hanged! She must be taken and hanged! (The Crucible Act I)

During the McCarthy scare, no one was given a fair trial, and many people's first amendments rights were denied. Anyone that refused to answer questions or name names was imprisoned. "'I would prefer, if you would allow me, not to mention other people's names. Don't present me with the choice of either being in contempt of this Committee and going to jail or forcing me to really crawl through the mud to be an informer.'" (McCarthyism) The only way out was through artificial apologies and accusations. The Crucible does an excellent job of illustrating this.

I want to open myselfÐ'...I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil! (The Crucible Act I)

In both the Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy Trials, the trial was unfair and biased. The government system would only hear what they wanted to hear. The McCarthy trials targeted Hollywood, actors, writers, and film makers. Just by being accused of being Communism Sympathizers, their reputations would be demolished. "The trials, which were