Background

=Background Information=

Author
It is essential that we know something about an author or playwright. In learning about them we gain perspective on why they may have written the works. We may understand what motivated the setting or the primary conflict. We may even find characters in the work that strongly resemble the author/playwright (many authors write themselves into works).

Here is information about Arthur Miller, the playwright responsible for //The Crucible//.

Wikipedia entry: @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Miller

PBS American Masters article: None Without Sin

Events Happening at the Time of Writing the Play
Another critical piece for readers to understand is the events that took place while or before the author wrote the piece. This provides a "setting" for understanding what may have motivated the author/playwright to take on the topic/conflict as the primary focus on the piece. This is not always helpful (if something is fictional it may not reflect the time period in which it was written), but it is important to remember that literature is often the reflection of the people, places, and events from which it came. As a result, there is often something to be gained by a reader if they take the time to brush up on their history.

Here are resources that may help you understand what was happening at the time the play was written.

McCarthyism - (A complete list of resources included online video)

"Why I Wrote the Crucible" - An article/letter by Arthur Miller

The Setting and Background of the Play
Of course, understanding the setting of the book or play is as/more important. Here are resources that will provide background about the Puritans living in North America/Salem before and during the Salem Witch Trials.

Salem Witch Trials of 1692 (from the Salem Witch Museum)

Possible Cause for the Salem Witch Hunts

Life and Times of Bridget Bishop

Interactive Game - What happens if you confess to being a witch?

The Actual Participants in The Salem Witch Trials (look at the names; they will become familiar to you)