Homework - 10/17/19

Nicky Glassman
  • How does Arthur Miller's play reflect on what was happening during his era (1950s)
    • Jim Crow Laws and segregation in the South
  • In your own words, describe the tragic character or the tragic hero. 
    • A tragic hero is responsible for their own downfall. Some examples are like Macbeth or Oedipus.
  • In your opinion, do the issues addressed in the play draw a modern parallel?  
    • Gender equality relating to strong women being hated on.

Reading response

John Flynn Lydon

It reflects on the Salem which trials and how women were looked down upon during that era. Very much like in the 1950’s. They reflect the same from the 1950s and 1600s in which countless women were getting killed because they were thought to have been witches. 

Questions

Ella Val

Racial segregation/Civil Rights Movement. Within the Crucible there are characters that are being accused of things that they are not and have no control over. This is very similar to what was happening during this era (civil rights movement)


Tragic Hero:

  1. The hero is in a position of power: this position is deserving- deserves the honor and respect that he gets
  2. The hero has a tragic flaw- a flaw that is so big that causes mistakes, judgment, and a downfall
    1. Flaw= Hubris(excessive pride)
    2. Mistake= thinks he can change his fate
  3. Hero suffers downfall but recognizes, learns and owns his mistakes


The tragic hero in "The Crucible" Is John Proctor as he is the story's protagonist but he suffers from many mistakes throughout the stories. 

One of the events in the crucible relates to the slam witch trials. One of the social issues affecting the Salem witch trials is gender inequality which is something that is still prevalent in the current day.

Crucible Questions

Ethan Smyke

In the Crucible there are people getting accused of and punished for something they have no control over. The same thing was happening during the 1950s with racial segregation.

As far as I know, a tragic hero is the main protagonist in a tragedy. They always have some sort of internal struggle or issue to overcome which is part of the storyline. A tragic character has these issues too but is unable to overcome them.

Of course there are parallels to today! People all around the world are being oppressed because of something they can't control similar to what happens in the play.