McCarthyism

(McCarthyism from the perspective of Arthur Miller)

Senator Joseph McCarthy

   McCarthyism was a movement started by Senator Joseph McCarthy.  It was focused around the idea that there were communists in the government and in the media industry.  It started as a reasonable concern but it quickly turned into mass hysteria that affected many innocent people.  The government started an organization for Un-American Activities.  However, towards the end of the era of McCarthyism, people began to want it to end in fear of their friends and family being accused.

       McCarthyism affected me personally because I was thought to be a communist.  I was questioned about my activities with the American Communist Party.  I had attended a few meetings in the past, but I was not a communist.  I also refused to implicate others which put me in contempt of court.  I was arrested for this, but I was later released.  This gave me inspiration for my play The Crucible.

     I wanted to write The Crucible as a statement against McCarthyism.  Through this play, I gave an image of what can happen with mass hysteria and false accusations.  Because I was affected by McCarthyism, I wanted to warn the public so that no more innocent people would be affected by this movement.  In my play, I referenced the Salem witch trials which were similar to McCarthyism because it was a period of mass hysteria.  Even though my play was not widely successful, I believe that it made an important statement against McCarthyism.