The Crucible of Our Crucible: Problematizing Past and Present through Historiographic Approach

Abstract

This article explores the historiographic lessons embedded in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible by recounting conceptual approaches to a 2016 university production that I directed and by examining Miller’s own retrospections about the play. Historiographic inquiry also informs my approach to writing this article in that I consider the ever-shifting contexts that shaped and reshaped the ways I’ve thought about the script throughout the production and writing processes. Through this examination, I ruminate on this play’s effectiveness today, particularly given its continued popularity in school curricula and production seasons.