(Studied in comparison to The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham)
At first glance the contrast between the comedy of one and the high drama horror of the other is glaring. But there are obvious similarities too. Both are set in small-town frontier communities, riddled with political alliances and hidden tales of infidelity, resulting in a woman being scapegoated. Both explore deceit, guilt, and the loss of identity.
Contrasting ‘The Crucible’ and ‘The Dress Maker’ exposes elements their stylistic differences. The hysteria in The Crucible has farcelike qualities as did McCarthy’s own ‘witch trials’. The grotesque comedy of ‘The Dressmaker’ is counterpointed and sharpened by sitting against the backdrop of tragic and sinister aspects of ‘The Crucible’.
Our workshops will explore some of these themes as well as examining points of comparison between the two texts’ characters.
Because it is my face, and it is yours