THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller

(Studied in comparison to The Dressmaker by Rosalie Ham)

At first glance, the contrast between the comedy of The Dressmaker and the high drama horror of The Crucible is glaring. But there are obvious similarities too. Both are set in small-town frontier com- munities, 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 Dressmaker exposes elements of their stylistic differences. The hysteria in The Crucible has farce-like 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

Reserve your spotNO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED