Essay on Act III of the Crucible Essay Example for Free

Essay on Act tercet of the Crucible EssayIn the play The Crucible Arthur Miller creates a successful melodramatic climax at the end of Act III. Integral to this success is Millers continued engagement with the reference. The principal reason why the climax is so dramatic and cliff-hanging is because the audience is involved with what is happening on stage. Throughout The Crucible Miller has achieved a powerful relationship with the audience both on an emotional and expert level. The audience in Act III continue to have an understanding of the personalities of the characters and an insight into their behaviour and how they react in different circumstances. In Act III the audience maintains a deep emotional relationship with the characters. They persist to despise certain characters much(prenominal) as Abigail who is exemplified as remorseful, untruthful and vengeful. In contrast the audience develops a more empathic relationship with some characters such as Elizabeth invigi late and Mary warren. The context of Act III within the play lies upright after the incarceration of several villagers on the alleged charges of witchcraft including the wives of three esteemed men within the village John Proctor, Francis Nurse and Giles Corey. The driving temporary hookup line of Act III is these three mens attempt to redeem their wives a particular focus is on Proctors struggle. Part of Millers dramatic success is attributed to the way he is able to manipulate the historic and social context.The historical setting of the play is a theocratic Puritan settlement in 1692 in the Massachusetts. The theocracy is a real part of the play as it leads to mounting frustration for the audience and it is the basis to the plot Miller also uses the theocracy in Salem to convey an important center about Millers own social setting in 1950s America. When Miller was writing the play he was living in a society where McCarthyism was prevalent. The dramatist in The Crucible partic ularly in Act III is conveying how McCarthyism is using communism as a false pretence to hunt fell McCarthys enemies in the same way that Salem is using the guise of witchcraft to rid themselves of threats or adversaries. Perhaps Miller is illustrating to the contemporary audience that the hysteria and difficulties of theocracy be strikingly similar to McCarthyism.An important part of the success towards the end of Act III are Millers stage directions they give a vivid instruction to the actors of how to lay out to the audience the emotions felt by the characters. Miller begins the scene on a remarkably dramatic moment Proctor becomes enraged when Abigail attempts to call Heaven. Proctor cries How hardihood you call Heaven Whore Whore in this historical context the word whore has signifi crappertly powerful connotations with what the society would see as wicked and sin. The characters on stage react to this in an expected way Danforth appears to be confused and horrified and is shouting at Proctor Man Man, what do you-we can see how severe the potential charge of whore could be.When Proctor attempts to justify this charge he is shown on stage as trembling and petrified he shouts I have known her, sir, I have known her this echo of biblical terminology shows the absolute control theocracy has upon Salem and how language from the Bible has managed to integrate into occasional language. The audience can see the impact and power of this scene by the emotion and bewildered reactions of other(a)s. Following this scene of commotion Miller creates a comparatively calm scene, Proctors anxiety turns into confidence as he is sure his wife is able to verify his claims ,my wife cannot lie. Abigail, although not revealing much with speech, she is portrayed in contrast as enraged to the audience.Upon Elizabeth Proctors entry, there is a situation of suspense and importance, the audience can tell this because Elizabeth sees Proctor with his back turned which conveys to the audience it is a suspenseful moment and she is ordered by the Deputy-Governor to Look at me only. The audience can see the initial impact this has upon her as she appears weak and confused. The scene escalates in tension and a tremendous amount of pressure is being put upon her. Elizabeth is clearly fearful of the situation and the substantial implications of her testimony as she uses vague descriptions such as dissatisfied and she repeatedly states her husband is a good and righteous man. Elizabeth is intimidated by Danforth, at several times during her interrogation Goody Proctor attempts to look at her husband and he shouts at her woman, look at meThe use of this phrase shows a derogatory attitude towards women that was prevalent during this period of history. During Elizabeths inquisitive Danforth uses violence against her he holds her face and she is portrayed to the audience as full of agony and the clear impacts of the stress being put upon her. When Elizabeth is eventu ally shouted at Is your husband a lecher? she replies no and she is removed from the courtroom.This enrages the audience how Elizabeths answer which has essentially been forced out of her after being interrogated and not for a piece been reconsidered. Empathy is also felt for Elizabeth because of the difficulty of the situation that has been forced upon her. The passion felt betwixt the Proctors is evident here Elizabeth has lied putting her life at peril in order to save her husbands name, Proctor then shouts, she only thought to save my name in desperation to save his wife. This devotion towards each other contrasts with the beginning of Act II where there was a sense of awkwardness between the couple.Following Good Wife Proctors ejection from the court-room, The Reverend healthful makes a passionate speech declaring his objection to the situation, I may shut my conscience to this no more- private vengeance is working through this testimony. Miller perchance uses Hale in this situation to represent the audiences opinion on stage, Hale is finally able to see clearly what is going on, and the audience is relieved that the lies of Abigail may be exposed.Furthermore there is a prospect of hope as Hale could possibly lead the demise of Abigail he cries This girl has always struck me as false. Once Abigail is under pressure and she is at risk of being undermined she is able to control the situation by creating an imaginary scene. Abigail lets out a loud demoralize cry, which would have tremendous impact on the audience and stunned both the other characters and perhaps the audience also into silence. Abigail and the rest of the girls pretend that Mary Warren has shape shifted into a yellow bird which would have bewildered an audience.The girls are described as transfixed and hypnotized (upon the bird) showing how convincing their performance mustiness have been. During Abigails genuine conservation with the bird she says But God made my face Maryenvy is a d eadly sin Millers use of the word sin perhaps implies that Abigail is appealing to Danforth by making her language correspond to the Bible also by using the term sin Abigail makes Mary appear more sour to the rest of the characters on stage and make her appear to be associated to the devil. The girls mimicking of Mary has a remarkable impact upon the atmosphere and pace of the scene, all the shouting between Mary and the girls adds to the drama and builds up excitement in the scene .The audience becomes horrified at the situation, with Abigails power and dominance she is able to shift the accusations from her to an innocent which must disgust the audience. Compassion is felt towards Mary because of the horrendous situation she is put in. It seems Millers original impression of the girls as ruthless appears to be fulfilled during these scenes.