Zaha Alzaabi

English 11
Mrs. Hunt
December 13th 2016
The Crucible (1953): The Past and the Present
Arthur Miller, one of Americas greatest play writers and author of The
Crucible (1953) created an allegory through his play for America to show
the similarities between the Salem witch trials and the Red Scare. Society
has progressed from then and so have their preoccupations. However,
prejudice, rumor and accusations still remain to this day and can be found
with the click of a button on any smart gadget or on social media. While The
Crucible (1953) has always been relevant, technology has enhanced the
importance of the message the author was trying to get across because it
has increased the rate at which the information is spreading and it provided
a platform for modern day witch hunts and bandwagons.
To begin with, the rate in which the information spreads whether true
or false has increased. With a whole new and versatile platform that provides
for information to be delivered, people have the ability to spread lies within
seconds. People in the play were able to deliver false information across
Salem. However, they are now capable of doing so within the comfort of their
home and at a higher speed than before. The news can not only be delivered
across the town but also across the globe. The convenience of internet and
social media has made the play more timely than ever. Lack of knowledge

also plays an important role in the spread of lies and mislead information
especially on social media. There is now a scourge that is called Twitter
where the best example of lies can be found there. Twitter is one many apps
and websites online that contain lies and prove just how much people are
ignorant. This lack of knowledge was also seen throughout the play
especially because the people in Salem were ignorant and mostly unaware of
things going around them. They believed that certain unexplained events
were caused by unexplained sources of evil. An example from the play would
be how Reverends Parris daughter Betty and the Putnams Daughter Ruths
sickness was instantly perceived to be caused by witchcraft, MRS. PUTNAM,
with vicious certainty: Id not call it sick; the Devils touch is heavier than
sick. Its death yknow, its death drivin into them, forked and hoofed (Miller
13). This example shows how people of Salem were ignorant and believed
that unexplainable things were caused by the Devil regardless of sickness or
health. Along with lack of information, the rate at which information was
spreading made it more convenient for the spread of bandwagons.
Due to the introduction of technology, the formation of bandwagons
has become easier than ever. Bandwagons can be defined as popular trends
that attract growing support. A single click can expose people to unreliable
information that they actually believe and support it without questioning the
credibility of the sources. The same thing happens in the play. Abigail
Williams tells the judges what shes done and accuses other people of
witchcraft. The judges believe her claims and accusations without

questioning her reliability. Seeing Abigails success, the other girls follow her
path, and with this pattern of hysteria the witch trials begin. Just how Abigail
created a bandwagon that started the Salem witch trials, the same thing is
happening today. People create bandwagons with a single click because of
the technological revolution the world is witnessing, making this play more
timely in this modern era.
Moreover, technology provides a platform for modern day witch hunts.
Modern day witch hunts are defined as a situation where accusations are
made freely against someone or something online. In the play Abigale
Williams makes groundless accusations of witchcraft against innocent people
in Salem. The early scene in which Abigail falsely accuses Tituba of
witchcraft lays the foundation for the unjust judicial system in Salem,
HALE: Abigail, it may be your cousin dying. Did you call the
Devil last night?
ABIGAIL: I never called him! Tituba, Tituba
PARRIS: She called the Devil?
HALE: How did she call him?
ABIGAIL: I know not- she spoke Barbados (Miller 40).
As a way of exonerating herself of sin and the possibility of being disgraced,
she accuses others of being witches, therefore shifting the burden of shame
from her shoulders to those she blamed. The way in which good and
innocent people are accused and convicted by those without integrity is very
much relevant to what is happening in todays world. The way people are

being falsely accused online for acts they havent committed and the way
they are hunted through social media and publicly humiliated. This makes
the play more timely and relevant to this modern era.
Furthermore, whether witch hunts occurred in the past or the present,
they both aimed to make attempts at smearing other peoples reputations to
further the accusers own position in the world. An example from the play
would be when Abigail Williams tries to smear the reputation of Elizabeth
Proctor for her own good by falsely accusing her of witchcraft. Abigails aim
was to become John Proctors wife after Elizabeth Proctor gets executed,
CHEEVER, wide eyed, trembling: The girl, the Williams girl,
Abigail Williams, sir. She sat to dinner in Reverend Parriss house
tonight, and without word nor warnin she falls to the floor. Like a
struck beast, he says, and creamed a scream that a bull would
weep to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in
the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out. And demandin of
her how she come to be so stabbed, sheto Proctor nowtestify
it were your wifes familiar spirit pushed it in (Miller 70).
Abigale lies about the needle in her belly, claiming that Elizabeth's
"spirit" put it into her when the truth is she stabbed herself to frame
Elizabeth. This proves how envious and deceitful Abigail is. People
nowadays are as deceitful and envious as Abigail was. However, these
people have a larger platform to spread their envy and deceit now and

share it with the world. With this being said, the actions of Abigail
correlate with the actions of many people in todays world.
In the past, The Crucible (1953) used witch hunts as an allegory for
the Red Scare. However, in this modern era it resonates as allegory for social
media corruption and modern day witch hunt. The Crucible (1953)
reinvigorates the play with a fresh look and renewed relevance in todays
world. Its message and themes are emphasized upon due to the
enhancement of technology, making it more timely than ever.