I have made this FAQ available due to of the enormous amount of e-mail I receive
daily from having posted a brief outline on the web, "Fact
& Fiction: Arthur Miller's The Crucible (or Picky, Picky, Picky)"
of the differences between what actually occured historically during the Salem
witch trials of 1692 and how those events were portrayed by Arthur Miller in
his play and movie. Little did I know how much e-mail that page would
generate! All the questions on this page are ones which I have actually been
asked.
The e-mail I get most usually asks questions about a play in which I have only
a passing interest, and only because it is a 20th century telling of the story
of the Salem witchcraft trials. I don't even think it's an especially compelling
explanation for the horrific events and actions of the people at the time. Please
read this FAQ before you even consider e-mailing me any questions. I do
not reply personally to any but the most interesting, thoughtful questions about
the actual history of the episode, but what I give here are my answers to the most
frequent questions I do get asked, just so I don't have to keep dealing with
them. Forgive me if my responses seem overwhelmingly negative, but please remember:
my interest is 17th century history and not 20th century dramatic criticism,
and my purpose in posting that essay was to clarify where the historical facts
were manipulated by Miller so that anyone whose only understanding of these
historical events might learn where the line is between what really happened
and what Miller literally made up.
Please do not expect me to hand out answers on a silver platter here. You will be sadly
mistaken if this is the case. If you were to ask me, "What is two plus two?" I would help
you find the answer for yourself, not just tell you, "Four." I am a teacher. Throughout
this FAQ I will suggest strategies to find your own answers. Yes, I may know the answers, but
I spent a lot of time figuring them out on my own. I hope you are willing to accept
some help to learn how to find answers yourself, instead of expecting to be spoon-fed.
Answers alone will get you neither an education nor success in life. It's learning
how to work through a problem that will. If you don't know how to find an answer, then
please consider this advice from a long-time student: learning ways to find answers will
always serve you better than simply having an answer in hand. I know this is not comforting to hear when your assignment is due first thing in the morning and you are desperately surfing the net at midnight for someone to provide you with the answers your assignment requires. Math teachers require that you show your work when doing problems because learning how to do the problem is more important than getting the right answer. Understanding what you are doing will always be more challenging, but ultimately more rewarding - but it does take time, which is why you shouldn't leave your homework to the last minute, or for a late-night session, when your brain is tired.
1. Is The Crucible available on-line anywhere? No. It is a copyrighted work which continues to produce income from its sales for its owner(s), the heir(s) of its author, Arthur Miller. If purchasing a printed copy is not an option for you for any reason, most public and academic libraries should have copies which you can check out. You can buy one from Amazon.com...
You might also pay close attention to how important copyright is to the owner(s), by reading this text from the beginning of the script, as published by the Dramatists Play Service:
THE CRUCIBLE
Copyright © Renewed 1980, 1981, 1982, Arthur Miller
Copyright © 1952, 1953, 1954, Arthur Miller
All Rights Reserved
CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that performance of THE CRUCIBLE is subject to payment of a royalty. It is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, and of all countries covered by the International Copyright Union (including the Dominion of Canada and the rest of the British Commonwealth), and of all countries covered by the Pan- American Copyright Convention, the Universal Copyright Convention, the Berne Convention, and of all countries with which the United States has reciprocal copyright relations. All rights, including professional/amateur stage rights, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television, video or sound recording, all other forms of mechanical or electronic reproduction, such as CD-ROM, CD-I, DVD, information storage and retrieval systems and photocopying, and the rights of translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved. Particular emphasis is placed upon the matter of readings, permission for which must be secured from the Author's agent in writing.
The English language amateur stage performance rights in the United States, its territories, possessions and Canada for THE CRUCIBLE are controlled exclusively by DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC., 440 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016. No nonprofessional performance of the Play may be given without obtaining in advance the written permission of DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC., and paying the requisite fee.
Inquiries concerning all other rights should be addressed to International Creative Management, Inc., 40 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Atm: Mitch Douglas.
SPECIAL NOTE
Anyone receiving permission to produce THE CRUCIBLE is required to give credit to the Author as sole and exclusive Author of the Play on the title page of all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all instances in which the title of the Play appears for purposes of advertising, publicizing or otherwise exploiting the Play and/or a production thereof. The name of the Author must appear on a separate line, in which no other name appears, immediately beneath the title and in size of type equal to 50% of the size of the largest, most prominent letter used for the title of the Play. No person, firm or entity may receive credit larger or more prominent than that accorded the Author.
And while I'm at it, has anyone noticed how many people have totally ripped off the contents of MY "Fact & Fiction" page? It's copyrighted (the notice is no longer required by law, but I put one on anyway, just to remind people), and although I give permission for teachers to make handouts for their students (see #19 below), you might be amazed (or not...) by the number of times I've found my work posted at other people's websites without attribution. Some are posted at term paper mills (they sometimes even put someone ELSE's name as the author!), but even worse, all too often I find copies of my work at high school websites, posted by AP English teachers. Unattributed, uncited (even though I show how to cite it (at #29 below)... SHAME! btw, my reaction, when I am feeling really cranky about it, is to go to the school's home page, find the principal's name and phone number, and call to have a chat about the teacher, copyright, academic integrity, ethics & technology, and how teachers are supposed to be role models... They usually sound VERY tired by the time I say goodbye... So if you find that someone has posted my work at another site, let me know! Bonus points if it's a teacher or professor, and double bonus points if it's YOUR teacher, especially one who has lectured your class on the proper citation of sources.
2. Where can I find the Cliff Notes for The Crucible on-line? Ditto on the copyright: you will need to either buy a copy or borrow a copy from the library. You can buy one on-line from Amazon.com.... or you can access free SparkNotes or Dramatica for this play on-line.
3. Can you give me a character analysis for Abigail Williams (or John Proctor, or some other character in the play)? No, my interest and expertise is not in this literary work, but in the history of the events and in the real people who lived them. The easiest way to do a character analysis is to take notes on the characters' traits as you read the play. (Isn't that your homework anyway?) If you use SparkNotes or Dramatica, you may be answering the questions, but not actually learning anything.
4. Do you know where I can find an act by act summary of The Crucible? No, I don't. The only thing I can tell you about reading anything for school is that the easiest way to get a summary of it is to read it yourself and stop at the end of each section and write down a brief sentence which includes 1) the names of anyone who was in it, 2) what they did, and 3) anything else you noticed that seemed important to you. If you have a question, or there's something you can't figure out, write that down, too, then continue reading. At the end, you will not only have read the work, but you will have a custom, personalized summary, and what you read will remain fresher in your mind -- all of which should help you get a better grade in the class. (This practice will hold you in good stead for all your reading throughout high school, college and graduate school!) Again, if you use SparkNotes or Dramatica, you may be answering the questions, but not learning how to figure things out for yourself.
5. I am reading your article and I am having trouble reading it. I have to write an analysis for it for my English class. Could you please help me out by giving me a quick summary of what you are saying in your article. No. You must do your own work. Read the article again. If you are still having a hard time with the homework assignment, please speak to your teacher.
6. Will you write my paper for me? You are kidding, aren't you?
7. But I'll pay you to write my paper for me! I've already called one high school assistant principal and reported an attempt to solicit plagiarism from me. Don't make me do it again.
8. Why did Miller name his play The Crucible?
Start by looking up the word "crucible" in a good dictionary (i.e.,
go to the library and look in one of the big thick hardcover ones, not a paperback
one), so you know what it means and you might get a pretty good idea why. English
teachers like to know you know how to use a dictionary. If you are in college,
use your library's 20-volume 2nd edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, a.k.a.
the OED, if you really want to impress your professor that you know what you
are doing.
9. Can you tell me what the parallels are between The Crucible
and the McCarthy era? No. My interest in history lies solely in the 1700s, not
in the 1950s.
10. Would you mind telling me what the theme of The Crucible is? I don't do literary analysis of plays. Look through your notes for your English classes and find out what a "theme" is to begin with. Your teachers must have already given you some examples if this is part of the homework. Then after reading the play, see if you can figure out what it is for yourself. It can't be that difficult if you are doing the homework as it is assigned.
11. Why did Arthur Miller write the play? I'd only be guessing, so you'd be better off guessing for yourself so it would be original, or getting it directly from the horse's mouth, Arthur Miller himself. He wrote an article in the New Yorker about it when the movie first came out in 1996: "Why I Wrote The Crucible: An Artist's Answer to Politics"
12. My teacher told me that if I were able to get Arthur Miller to come to our classroom, even just for a minute to answer my question, then I would get an A+ for the rest of the school year. Considering the fact that Arthur Miller is still alive, how may I contact him? Well, this question came in when Miller was actually alive (he died February 10, 2005), but even then he and I didn't exactly exchange Christmas cards, so he's not in my address book. But if I wanted to contact any author, I would start by sending a letter to the person c/o his or her publisher. Most well-known authors have some "stock" replies to fan mail, and as for getting a personal appearance, those are usually something a school has to pay for, or get a grant to underwrite. (You may have to do something else if you want to get that A+.)
13. What does Arthur Miller think about your page? I haven't the faintest idea what he thought, and frankly, I doubt that he even cared what I have to say, even if he knew about it, which I also doubt. He didn't need to care what I have to say, and he doesn't need to be defended. I'm not criticizing his work, and he knew very well that what he wrote is not accurate historically. My issue is with the people who see the play and read the script who start thinking they know what really happened, based on the play. The Arthur Miller Society doesn't seem to have a problem with me, and says the following about its link to my site:
" 'The Crucible': Historian Margo Burns tries to separate the fact from the fiction in Miller's play, pointing out historical details which differ from Miller's artistic recreation of events. This is part of an historical site with an interest in 17th century colonist New England. Burns lists historical inaccuracies in The Crucible, and points to resources where these details can be confirmed. She ends by asking some interesting questions regarding how inaccurate historical recreations (often created in the name of art) might impact the historical awareness of the reader/viewer."
14. I would appreciate a list of secondary sources regarding The Crucible that I can check out at the library. Again, I don't do literary criticism, so I don't have any such list. To find lists of secondary sources, first find one book about the subject you are interested in, then look in the back for that author's bibliography as a place to start. Better yet, just start at the library and ask a librarian to help you find what they actually have available on their shelves. Librarians are an incredible -- and often overlooked -- resource.
15. Did Abigail Williams and John Proctor really have an affair? No, the real people didn't, but the characters in the play did. Miller made that up, and to make it more credible, he changed their ages to 17 and 40. In real life, Abigail was 11, and John Proctor was 60. Elizabeth Proctor was his third wife. If you are writing about the play for an English paper, you have to stick to the characters as Miller wrote them, not the real people. If you are writing a paper for history class, you need to write about the real people: do not use the play as a reference.
16. I was wondering if there is a website about Arthur Miller's marriage to Marilyn Monroe? I really don't know any biographical information about Arthur Miller. Sorry. (I even had to check with a friend to make sure it wasn't the other author, Henry Miller, she was married to!)
17. Do you want to exchange Arthur Miller links? No: please remember that my interest is in 17th century New England colonial history, not 20th century American drama.
18. I have to write a paper for school to prove that The Crucible is a historically significant piece of literature. Could you e-mail me some ideas for it? No. I don't do anything with literary criticism.
19. If the play had maintained historical accuracy, what problems would have arisen? I really don't know what the author would have done. I do know that the true story of what happened in Salem is far more interesting than Miller's play, and I am always wary of any "single bullet" theory used to explain the complex events that took place in Essex County in 1692.
20. I would like to make your webpage "Arthur Miller's The Crucible: Fact & Fiction" available as a handout to my students who are studying the work. Would it be possible for me to do so? Yes (finally a YES!!!), please be my guest to do so -- as long as my name remains on the handout as the author. You should also include the date of version, since I sometimes to return to it and edit it - but that's just good practice for Internet citations, isn't it? Please remind students that there are no footnotes -- I did this on purpose because I did not want to publish a paper on-line which students could plagiarize. (When I find that it or parts of it are being republished on a school's or teacher's website without proper attribution or citation or a link back to my page, however, I sometimes get cranky and hunt down the principal's telephone number: teachers, you are supposed to be GOOD role models!) By the same token, I think it is important that students learn how to do research, so each of my assertions about what happened historically can be proven, and is worth exploring. I also enjoy hearing about additional differences that people have noticed.
21. Haven't you ever heard about "poetic license"? Of course I have, but that is entirely beside the point. I wrote my "Fact & Fiction" page not to criticize Miller, but to clarify what it is about Miller's play that is artifice, not historical fact. It may come as a surprise, but what most people in this era think they know about how the events unfolded in Salem in 1692 is how Miller tells the story. The historical inaccuracies are immaterial to what Miller wants his story to convey, but as a descendant of one of the women hanged in 1692, it is important to me that people know there is a difference between a) Miller's use of artistic license to tell what happened to those people and b) an historically accurate rendering of the events which led to such a real-life tragedy. Haven't you ever heard of "propaganda"?
22. Can you help me with my paper about Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman? No -- and the story line doesn't even have anything to do with Salem or colonial New England.
23. Can you tell me where I can find websites that do have information about Arthur Miller? I have one page of links about literature inspired by the trials which includes a lot about Miller -- http://www.17thc.us/index.php?id=20 -- but why don't you just dig a little deeper in Google or some other search engine?
24. Can you send me everything you have on the witchcraft trials? You are kidding, aren't you? I've been collecting materials since 1995, and most of them are books and my personal notes. If you've got a paper due in a week or two, I hardly think you'll be able to get through even a fraction of my library, and since some of it is written by scholars with doctorates, it could likely be over your head if you are still in high school, or even an undergrad. So let's get real. Spend some time looking through the sets of links I have spent my time compiling and annotating to other places on the net about the witchcraft trials.
25. Who are you and what are your credentials to back up the things you state on your page? Excellent question! Always question the authority of the person who is claiming something. I have a bachelor's degree in English from Mount Holyoke College, an M.A. in fiction writing from the University of New Hampshire, and a second M.A. in linguistics from the University of New Hampshire. I began by researching my family tree, starting in the early 1980s, based on files left to me by my paternal grandmother, who found the line back to Rebecca Nurse. I have no academic background in history, but I have read and researched extensively about 17th century colonial New England (See my annotated bibliography), and I am the list owner of the e-mail Salem Witch List. As an independent scholar, however, I have a growing reputation. I am the Project Director and an Associate Editor of Records of the Salem Witch-Hunt, with Bernard Rosenthal, General Editor. This reference book is a scholarly edition of new transcriptions of all the legal records of the trials in Salem, and published by Cambridge University Press in 2009. In this context, I worked with many of the historians who published the books listed in my bibliography mentioned above. I co-authored an article with Bernard Rosenthal, based on our presentation at the 2006 Conference of the Omohundro Institute of Early American History: Margo Burns and Bernard Rosenthal, "Examination of the Records of the Salem Witch Trials," William and Mary Quarterly, 3d ser., 65, no. 3 (July 2008): 401-22. I was asked by Mary Beth Norton to chair a panel of papers on Salem by her undergraduate students at Cornell at the 2005 Berkshire Conference on the History of Women. I have given papers at universities in Finland and Sweden, one of which is forthcoming in the peer-reviewed journal Studia Neophilologica: "'Other Ways of Undue Force and Fright': The Coercion of False Confessions by the Salem Magistrates". In 2011, I am appearing in two new video documentaries on the subject: "Salem: Unmasking the Devil" on the National Geographic Channel (on the BBC in the UK, as "Salem Witch Trial Conspiracy"), and "Salem Witch Hunt: Examine the Evidence", commissioned by the National Park Services to play at the Visitor Center in Salem, MA, starting Oc tober 4, 2011. You may still want to be looking for someone with a doctorate in history and/or a published book about the trials, since my own book isn't finished yet. Of course, the fact that I don't have the degree does not mean that what I have to say is untrue. Always check and double-check your primary sources before counting on any secondary source, even if it is someone with good credentials: they can make mistakes.
26. A relative told me that our family is descended from Rebecca (Towne) Nurse, too. Do you have any information to help me trace my lineage back to her? Probably not. There are literally thousands of descendants of Rebecca and Francis Nurse alive today, and I am descended from only one of those many lines. You might, however, be interested in contacting the Towne Family Association.
27. Do you have genealogical information about
other families in that area from the 17th century? If I'm not related to
them, then probably not. Go to the libraries
and historical societies in those various towns -- the best being the New
England Historical and Genealogical Society in Boston. You can also try
accessing the huge database of information compiled by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
-- the Mormons. They have family history centers in all over. You can access free information from them at
this site: https://www.familysearch.org
I would also recommend the surname lists at Rootsweb.
28. What really happened to the real Abigail Williams
after the trials? Did she become a prostitute, like Miller claims? No one
knows for sure what happened to the real person. We don't even really know where
she came from before or exactly how she was related to Reverend Parris -- the
term "niece" could have applied to any younger female relative, sort
of like "cousin" can be used today for someone who's even remotely
related. In other places she is only referred to as his "kin." Some
of the possibilities include an early death, which is not entirely unlikely,
considering the times and the fact that neither of Betty Parris's two siblings
apparently lived to adulthood, or Abigail could have married and her maiden
name was lost to us. We really do not know.
29. I could not find anywhere stating who did an "editorial"
or "consultant
review" on your work. I was just wondering if there was any? My
site (when it was at a previous URL) was reviewed in the OAH (Organization
of American Historians) Magazine of History, Vol.
7, No. 4, July 2003,
in the article "Elusive
or Illuminating: Using the Web to Explore the Salem Witchcraft Trials" by
Stephanie Hurter.
30. How do I cite your "Fact & Fiction" page
in a bibliography? It depends on what format you choose, MLA,
APA, Chicago, etc. Here are the key pieces of information you will need,
no matter what the format. The dates shown below are generated dynamically,
reflecting the actual date the page was last modified, and today's date
as the date the page was viewed.
Author: Margo Burns
Name of Page: Arthur Miller's The Crucible: Fact & Fiction (or Picky, Picky, Picky...)
Name of institution/organization publishing the site: This site has no institutional affiliation, although you may want to include the name of the entire website,17th Century Colonial New England, depending on the format you use.
Date of Posting/Revision: Feb. 14, 2024
Website address: http://www.17thc.us/docs/fact-fiction.shtml
Date Retrieved/Viewed: Apr. 25, 2024
31. Thomas Putnam is the character that I am researching for my paper for my AP class, but I was not able to find any information about him besides the given fact of his marriage with Ann Putnam, so if you could please tell me how he differed in real life compared to Miller's perspective of him in "The Crucible" that would be greatly appreciated! Uhm, tell you? That would mean I would be doing your homework, wouldn't it? Are you sure you're in an AP class? There is plenty of genealogical information on the internet about the entire Putnam family. I suggest googling his name and looking at the family history sites that come up, making sure that you have found the right Thomas Putnam -- as you said, married to Ann, and alive in 1692 in Salem Village. At the very least, you will find out information about his age, his occupation, his parents, siblings and children. I also suggest looking at the University of Virginia website and searching through some of the primary sources there to find legal records that either the real man wrote and that were written about him. There are a fair number of books with information listed in my bibliography that have information about the Putnam family -- I'd start with something by Enders Robinson, who does a lot of family profiles.
32. I'm doing a report on The Salem Witch Trials for my Honors English class and was wondering if you would be willing to answer a couple questions I have. An interview is mandatory for my report and I would be very appreciative if you would consider helping me. Some questions I have are: What was the aftermath of the trials? Why and how did it get so out of hand? What was the reason behind the accusations and trials? Honors English. Really? Your questions are so broad and general (never mind backwards chronologically), the "answers" you seek are not simple and are explored in whole books on the subject. Could you maybe be a smidge more specific? Let me know what you've already read about the trials and by whom (you have done some of that, right?), and which cases you're particularly interested in and why. Show me you've done your homework first.
And now for some verbatim samples from the mailbag (yes, all spelling, punctuation, capitalization & grammar are exactly as in the email), posted here so you have some idea why I really do hate my Fact and Fiction page and took it down once for a weekend, except for all the kind, supportive mail I also receive. I suppose I shouldn't encourage these bozos by publishing them, but what the heck? (When you're done, read my fan mail from teachers!)
A. "hello id just like to say you are dead wrong,the witch trials had absolutly nothing to do 'aurthur miller's play' ok,the witch trials began when someone put something they wernt supposed to in the bible and and then a couple of girls went and pretended that their babysitter was a whitch and trying to kill them with magic and of coarse people believed it.,i am very offened when people like you make a webpage like this and know absolutly nothing about it,it is absolute crap. if you would like to contact me write to: [name deleted]@hotmail.com or [name deleted]@aol.com thank you for your time" I'm speechless -- laughing too hard!
B. "I read the FAQs and all I had in my mind was disgust. I know your probably very bright and well respected but you sound very arrogant. How you answered those question came to me like you thought you were better than everyone because you have studied about a book. I know I am not nearly as smart as you but it just angers me that you have such arrogance. I would like to hear what you have to say about my opinion so please write back. Sincerely, [name withheld]" Okay, so some of you think I'm an egotistical, snotty known-it-all... Well maybe I am. I can live with that. As for inviting me to correspond to discuss my reaction to such name-calling, I'll pass, okay?
C. "you arragont know it all jackass how could you waste your pathetic meaning less live doing this? jackass" I may be pathetic and my life meaningless, but at least I spell, capitalize and punctuate properly when I insult someone so I don't look like a total idiot. I'll bet you're also the one who sat there and called me that name nearly a thousand times on my feedback survey. And my life is pathetic?
D. "Sir,I truly respect you,and your work.I also believe that if you had taken your time to do your work,no other person has the right to come and ask you for it.But it's just the choice of words you choose that make you sound so arrogant.I'm not here wasting my time to insult you,i believe that if there something i want to tell you i would say it to your face,is not like it would be impossible to find you.Anyway,do you really think you are better than some other people?I will appreciate a response to this comment as soon as possible." Give me a break. The best way to treat someone you think is "arrogant" is to IGNORE them! (P.S., I am not male.)
E. "u stupid bitch" And I'm supposed to say what to this?
F. "You may not be an illeterate fool, and you may consist of some witty combacks, however, your answers to most of the questions seem to be intollerably sarcastic. why bother making a site to disregard the questions? I advsie that others who come on the site dont bother trying to find anything cos the creator is obviously a lemming, or just an arrogant bitch with no social life You probably wont be brave enough to publish this on ur FAQs u cow" I win!
G. "I was wondering why are you such a fricking jerk to all the people that ask you questions about your website. Your answers make you sound like a piece of crap bum with no life, I have never seen a ruder webmaster. " Don't get around much on-line, do you? I'm tame. And as for having no life, do you really think that I'd have a life if I did spend my time spoonfeeding high school students answers to their homework assignments? Riiiiight...
H. "actor about to play John Proctor. thanks for nothing. it's hard to believe ANY decent actor would rely on your drivel for help. glad you wasted your a good portion life ripping apart the best play of the American cannon. stick to history, and avoid trying to ruin theatrical icons in the future. dolt." Silly me: I guess I was wrong to think that "decent" acting comes from making an original interpretation of a character in a given situation, based on how the playwright created it in the script, perhaps with a little help from a good director, and not by reading what anyone else has to say about the play. (P.S. If you're this touchy about what anyone has to say about someone else's work, either get yourself a thicker skin or don't bother reading the reviews of your own performance!)
I. "Hello! I am an A.P. English student in 11nth grade and I just wanted to let you know that I found your web site to be not only very helpful, but extremely interesting as well. During the process of writing my paper on Arthur Miller's play, your web site was exceptionally useful as well as enlightening. However, although I agree with you in many instances, I found it slightly disturbing how inconsiderate you seemed in your response to your readers. Most of them, like me, are simply looking for help. They figure that since you are an expert on the subject, they have the opportunity to learn a lot from you. I am not denying that some of the people who write to you are absolute idiots; however I just found it inappropriate that you, being a mature and well-educated adult, would sink to their level by insulting them in the ways that you did. I was offended by the way you generalized high school students, as if we are all stupid, lazy, and annoying. Most of us are simply on a quest for knowledge. By no means am I criticizing your work; I find it fascinating. I just hope that in the future you would encourage your readers to ask questions and to learn, instead of getting angry at them for writing to you. If you don't want people to write to you, don't keep up the web site. You probably won't even read this, but if you did, thank you for your time and have a wonderful holiday!" I pay for this webspace. I give considered and considerate replies to people who ask me questions that intrigue me, as is my perogative. Beyond what I offer at this website, I will share what I know with people who have something to offer me. (I am also unabashedly fond of MAD Magazine's "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions": this FAQ is my version. So much for my maturity!)
J. "I think that your criticisms of The Crucible are insane. It is an amazing piece of literary work, and though it does not exactly match up to historical records, it is an extremely popular play. Maybe if you didn't spend all of your time researching the Salem Witch Trials, and you read famous literature, you would have an understanding for the love and appreciation of Arthur Miller and his works. Literary history is extremely interesting, and I suggest maybe you study that instead of just witch trials. Expand your horizon, and stop criticizing literature because of discrepancies in true history and the story. No where does Miller deny changing the concepts and characters, and he has never claimed that he wrote non-fiction. Thank you for your time. If you get a chance, I am interested to hear your response to my opinion." Really? I doubt it. But maybe I'm insane that way, too.
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This page was last updated 01/18/24
by Margo Burns, 
.