A Dolls House, The Crucible - Sybmols

Symb Symbol ols s can can help help a writ writer er conv convey ey idea ideas, s, deve develo lop p char charac acte ters rs,, establish atmosphere atmosphere etc. To what efect were symbols employed employed in at least two o the works you have studied? “The Crucible” by Arthur miller is an allegory using the Salem witch trials of  1692 to directly criticise 195s !cCarthyism and the "#AC$ As a microcosm of 195s America% !iller uses symbols such as &ohn 'roctor% 'roctor% light% witch trials% the cruci crucible ble as well well as the theme themes s of indi( indi(idu iduali ality% ty% )ower )ower%% hyste hysteri ria a and witchcraft to show the in*ustice of 'uritan society as a direct )arallel to 195s Ca)italist society$ society$ Similarly% “A “A +oll,s "ouse” by "enri- .bsen uses characters as symbols for themes or ideas such as realism and e/istentialism to criticise 19th centur century y 0orweg 0orwegian ian socie society% ty% which which is hea(i hea(ily ly inuen inuenced ced by icto ictori rian an 3ngland,s model of an ideal middle class family$ 4irstly% the title “The Crucible” is a symbol in itself$ A crucible is a small container where things are )uried after heating andor stirring$ This symbol could be inter)reted in a few di7erent ways$ The crucible could be used to signify the tension and hysteria in society as it heats u)% as shown with the (erb (erb )hrase )hrase “cows “cows wander wander on the street streets”$ s”$ The theme theme of mass mass hyster hysteria ia created by the witch trials has caused com)lete chaos in society as e(eryone is tense and ho)es they will not be the ne/t one to be accused$ The crucible could also be seen as )urication of 'uritan society which is ironic due to the seemingly seemingly )erfectly )erfectly regulate regulated d and su))osedly su))osedly (irtuous (irtuous nature nature of society society$$ !iller !iller critic criticise ises s socie society ty throug through h the laclac- of indi(i indi(idua dualit lity% y% which which is furthe furtherr

shown through &ohn 'roctor$ The crucible is a subtle yet a7ecti(e symbol in showing )uritan society,s downfall as well as hysteria during the witchcraft trials$  The witch trials are symbolic of the trials held by the "#AC 8"ouse of #n American Acti(ities Committee:$ !iller uses this to show the unfairness of the trials due to the mass hysteria creased$ !iller himself was accused and refused to name names when as-ed to; howe(er one of his colleagues did% which ended their coo)eration as well as moti(ating !iller to write “The Crucible”$ The leading ebecca 0urse% the )aragon of (irtue% is also accused by the court is a direct criticism by !iller of the blind court who con(icts anyone they can$ !iller uses 0urse as a symbol of the good and innocent who were wrongly con(icted due to the hysterical and illogical society at the time$ !iller uses these symbols e7ecti(ely to criticise 195s !cCarthy Society$  "owe(er% the starter of all the accusations for the trials in “The Crucible”% Abigail% can be seen as the hero of the )lay from a deconstructionist

)ers)ecti(e$ The )arallelism of “. want the light of ?od% . want the sweet lo(e of &esus@” when Abigail starts the accusations by seemingly freeing herself  from Satan shows her mani)ulati(e nature as well as intelligence$ The hysteria created from the accusations re(eals the true nature of society and many of its members% such as Thomas 'utnam$ The e/clamatory )hrase by ?iles Corey when attem)ting to e/)ose the court “Thomas 'utnam is reaching out for land@”% shows the greed in society% des)ite it being one of  the se(ere sins in a su))osedly strict 'uritan society$ The noun )hrase “. cannot )ardon these when twel(e are already hanged for the same crime” shows how +anforth only cares for his re)utation rather than actual *ustice$  Therefore% !iller may ha(e been using Abigail as a symbol for the hero as she re(eals all the corru)tion and greed in society which can be remedied in the future$ Similarly% in “A +oll,s "ouse”% 0ora can be seen as the hero of the )lay from a feminist )ers)ecti(e as she re)resents an indi(idual woman see-ing for her rights as an ins)iration to other women$ .bsen initially )resents 0ora as a wea- and )owerless character% in accordance with the stoc- character of  women in 195s 0orwegian society as the careta-er of the household% a subser(ient wife and a lo(ing mother$ The (ocati(es used by Tor(ald% her husband% to address 0ora include “my s
husband$ hen attem)ting to as- Tor(ald to gi(e !rs$ Binde a )osition in the ban-% 0ora uses the )remodication “frightfully an/ious to wor- under some cle(er man% so as to )erfect herself”% to show how 0ora understands how to atter her husband for her own needs$ "owe(er% ibsen also uses interru)ted constructions to show how Tor(ald is in )ower on the surface as he falls more$ 4rom a )sycho analytical )ers)ecti(e% this could show 0ora,s id where she has a desire to be an indi(idual and be in )ower% but she does not realise it yet$ As .bsen li-e to )lay on stoc- characters% he also changes 0ora to be the one in )ower$ 0ora uses the im)erati(e “sit” to command Tor(ald% suggesting the re(erse in roles and a change in character in which 0ora is no longer the inferior )arty in this relationshi)% instead she has the same social status as Tor(ald$