Certainly one of the most prominent literary works of the mid-20th century is Arthur Miller's drama "The Crucible". On the outside it is a play in which private disputes erupt into enormous conflicts that affect the entire community. This much is obvious. At the heart and soul of the play, however, lies so much more. Because the characters' conflicts draw such an emotional response from the reader, an important element like the setting might …showed first 75 words of 1920 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1920 total…and become the play's hero. The mood of the play is also defined by its setting. The Puritanical belief in total depravity closely resembles the mood of impending doom throughout the play. Finally, the play is greatly influenced by Miller's views on McCarthyism. Miller is able to make public his views on McCarthyism and the Red Scare through the Salem witch trials in "The Crucible" because the two periods are so strikingly similar in nature.