Essays on McCarthyism
Human experiences are built on the context of their time, influenced by the values of individuals and collective to dictate their judgements and actions. Arthur Miller’s allegorical tragedy The Crucible (1953), explores the scenes of the 1692 Salem Witchtrials in Salem, Massachusetts, and was written to highlight the similarities with 1950’s McCarthyism. Through the Crucible,...
In 1693, a woman is hung as a witch. In 1944, a woman is shot for being an educated Jew. Both of these situations have one thing in common: they are caused by fear which becomes paranoia. ‘The Crucible’ (1952), by Arthur Miller, explores fear through being accused as a witch and the paranoia of...
Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitcock explores voyeurism as an entertaining but also dangerous act. Set to the backdrop of a country gripped by McCarthyism, the film highlights that while spying into the lives of others may begin from mere curiosity, it can lead to many consequences. These consequences are exemplified by the series of...
