‘The Crucible’ by Artur Miller

For this year’s Celebration of the Arts, the ‘Trinity Theatre Players’ will be performing Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible’, but with a significant twist. They will be presenting a series of deleted scenes that could have been (but weren’t) included in the actual text. Your task is to write the SCRIPT of a deleted scene for the play. It should occur at a specific point within the play and develop the storyline further. It may provide insight into the life of a minor character or add depth around a character’s actions/decisions that occur in the play. You will also need to include the relevant stage directions and setting descriptions. The subject matter contained within your scene cannot alter the events of the play and your character representationsmust be in keeping with the original text. You may select one of the ideas listed below or have another option approved by your teacher.

• At the meeting house, where one character is defending themselves against charges of witchcraft/making an accusation of witchcraft against another character (with supporting ‘evidence’).
• In the forest, amidst a frenzied discussion between the girls around their choices, morals and possible consequences of their behaviour.

On the way to the gallows, before the curtain falls, during a final and very candid conversation between John, Hale and Rebecca – the three ‘sensible’ members of Salem.

TRINITY COLLEGE, BEENLEIGH – WRITTEN IMAGINATIVE CRITERIA

NAME:

1.Understanding and responding to contexts The student work has the following characteristics: * exploitation of the conventions of a dramatic text  to engage readers * discerning selection, organisation and synthesis of relevant and substantive subject matter to support opinions and perspectives. * manipulation and control of the writer’s role and their relationship with readers. * effective control of the conventions of  a dramatic text  to engage readers * effective selection, organisation and synthesis of relevant subject matter to support opinions and perspectives * establishment and control of the writer’s role and their relationships with readers. * use of the conventions of a dramatic text to engage readers * selection, sequencing and organisation of relevant subject matter to support opinions and perspectives * establishment and  maintenance  of the writer’s rol``````e and their relationships with readers * use of aspects of the conventions  of a dramatic text  to achieve some purpose * selection and organisation of subject matter to support opinions and perspectives * establishment of some of the writer’s role and relationships with readers. * use of aspects of a dramatic text * selection of some  subject matter to state an opinion * use of roles of the writer. 2.Understanding and controlling textual features The student work has the following characteristics: * a discerning combination of a range of grammatically accurate language structures for specific effects, including clauses and sentences *discerning use of cohesive devices to develop and emphasise ideas and connect parts of the written text including paragraphing * discerning use of a wide range of apt vocabulary * discerning use of conventional spelling, punctuation and stage directions. * control of a range of grammatically  accurate language structures to achieve effects including clauses and sentences *effective use of cohesive devices to develop and maintain ideas and connect parts of the written text including paragraphing * effective use of a range of apt vocabulary * effective use of conventional spelling, punctuation and stage directions. * use of a range of mostly grammatically accurate language structures to achieve purposes including clauses and sentences *use of  cohesive devices to link ideas and connect parts of the text including paragraphing * use of suitable vocabulary * suitable use of spelling, punctuation and stage directions. * inconsistency in the use of grammar and language structures to meet a purpose *use of  some appropriate cohesive devices to connect parts of the text including paragraphing * use of vocabulary that varies in suitability for a dramatic text. * use of  spelling, punctuation and stage directions that vary in suitability *grammar and language structures that impede meaning *some connections between parts of the text * use of  vocabulary that distracts from purpose * Spelling,  punctuation and stage directions  that distract from meaning

3. Creating meaning

The student work has the following characteristics: * discerning manipulation of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin the dramatic text and influence readers * subtle and complex creation of perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times and places * discerning use of aesthetic features * * effective manipulation of the ways, ideas, attitudes and values underpin the dramatic text and influence readers * effective creation of perspectives and representations  of concepts, identities, times and places * effective use of aesthetic features* * appropriate use of the ways ideas, attitudes and values underpin the dramatic text and influence readers * creation of perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times and places * use of aesthetic features* to achieve a purpose * use of ideas, attitudes and values that underpin the dramatic text * creation of some perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times and places * use of aesthetic features* to achieve some purpose * use of ideas in texts * creation of some concepts, identities, times and places * use of some aesthetic features*

• Aesthetic Features: Imagery, metaphors, representation, symbolism and dialogue

COMMENT:    Grade

The play Crucible is a play that was written by Arthur Miller and first performed on January 22 in 1953 at the Martin Beck Theatre as time went by he found some the style of production as cold and very stylized he was almost dropping it as he thought he was becoming hostile. The play has been formally accounted for as the central work of the American drama canon. One of the deleted scenes in this play is at the meeting house, where by one character is defending themselves against charges of witchcraft and makes the accusations of witchcraft against another character. In this deleted panorama, Abigail meets up with Proctor where their discussion is on the town’s happenings. She claims to have mentally suffered for the town’s sakes. She has physical exhibits depicting her suffering she has some holes on her feet. She has a wound in the abdomen which she claims Proctor’s spirit revives each and every night. To the audience who are well aware of the fact that there is no connection between Abigail and witchcraft neither does she have the ability of seeing spirits, Abigail materializes as insane. She is sufficiently insane to a point of self- mutilating her body so that Salem’s court can believe her. She selflessly deceives her own thinking and inner self that she will get married to John someday. It becomes evident to all on how Abigail is deceived. Therefore John decides to stop the influence she has been enjoying over the court. He decides to blackmail her by threatening to expose their secret love in the court room this prompts Abigail to accuse the people of Salem who she commonly refers to as hypocrites for stealing the innocence, goodness and honesty of John. Abigail claims that John hates Elizabeth; his wife, and that he will get married to Abigail on the event that Elizabeth droops for witchcraft. The scene is important as the reader is now able to see the extensive consequences of witch court trials on the character of Abigail. Regarding the character development in the play, this happens to be the best of all the scenes present. The sudden respectful power and fear of Abigail is shown having seized completely her wits and discarded them off through the door. The scene shows that Abigail is power thirst no more but rather her new motives are of playing a spirits victim while in the court room. It is only in this scene where Abigail’s motive is accusing witchcraft on the people of the town instead of executing revenge on John’s wife. She has overtime learnt of the hypocrisy of the people who pretend to be good but are however so evil. The reasons for deletion of this important scene are depicted below. Abigail’s new attribute as insane and deluded is present only in this deleted scene and therefore we can theorize that Arthur perhaps wanted to develop a vengeful character that is no insane. Of course Abigail was not expected to become insane but rather the author needed to reveal to the writers what would be the outcome of unscrupulous gullibility of power. Based on this scene, the man’s downfall is not blamed on individual sanity or insanity levels, but rather on the individual’s deceitful and manipulative behaviour. In conclusion, as it is evident that Abigail together with other girls have allowed power to be in control of them. Without having this scene as deleted, this is far much evident. Obsession of Abigail with power appears as enough for the readers to comprehend without really questioning her sanity levels.

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