Dramatic Tension in Act 3 of The Crucible
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Introduction
Dramatic tension is a literary element that is used to enhance suspense in a story, which helps to make plays more interesting and lively. Dramatic tension describes the potential of conflict occurring in a play. Tension can be categorized into four different groups and these are tension of relationships, tension of mystery, tension of the task, and tension of surprise. Some of the techniques that are important in the creation of tension are condensation of time, condensation of information, foreboding, thwarting expectations, and making changes without expectations. Tension can be enhanced through mood setting, use of language, relationships, use of symbols, time and place settings, and character movement (Bloom, 2008).
This essay explores the use of dramatic tension in Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible. The play was written in 1953 depicting the human condition with a particular focus on McCarthyism. Its setting is in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, and revisits an outbreak of mass hysteria that is based on witchcraft. In particular, the essay focuses on Act 3 of the play and discusses the various techniques used to create dramatic tension in this act. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of tension in the act.
Tension in Act 3 of “The Crucible”
Tension in act 3 of “The Crucible” is created in several ways. To begin with, Miller creates tension by way of the foreboding technique. In foreboding, the author creates an intense feeling that something bad or unpleasant is about to happen. The author sets the mood and heightens tension descriptively. This is best exemplified by the phrase describing the vestry room as “solemn, even foreboding” (Miller, pg. 68). This description creates suspense and tension in the reader as it leaves the reader with a feeling that something unpleasant may happen in the vestry room. It leaves the reader feeling that occurrences in the rest of the act will not be agreeable.
Tension is also created in act 3 by way of the facial expressions of the characters in the play. Miller makes use of expressions to leave the reader with a sense of morbid vividness. To describe the facial expressions, use is made of vivid language hence language is used as a tool for creating tension in the act. For example, Miller uses phrases such as “breathless and in agony” to describe Porter’s pain while in court and “dumbfounded” to illustrate Danforth’s shock. This not only helps the readers better to understand the inclinations of the characters in the play but also enhances the tension of relationships. Other examples of how language is used to describe facial expressions and hence create tension are through the use of adjectives such as “with indignant slowness”, personification such as “fire in her eyes”, similes such as “she looks as though searching for passion to faint”, and metaphors (Miller, 2011).
The third example of how Miller creates tension in the third act is by way of movement. As mentioned in the introductory section, movement is a powerful tool for creating tension in a play. Movement entails images that are in action and creates tension through stillness and contrast. As such, movement is closely linked to stage direction. In act three, Miller uses movement to create tension by way of stage direction as exemplified by the statement “Francis is still standing, horrified”(Miller, 2011).
Additionally, use of relationship tension is evidenced by Proctor’s statement that “I say – God is Dead!” Procter made this statement in response to Mary Warren’s accusation that the former engages in the practice of witchcraft. As the play was set in the late 15th century when religious sensibilities were very high and cursing God was scandalous almost unheard of, the statement helps to create tension of relationships and makes the reader wonder what will happen next (Miller, 2011).
Character description is yet another way through which tension is created in act three of the play by Miller. With regard to character description, Miller for example depicts Judge Hathorne as not only “remorseless” but as also “bitter”. The effect of this is to portray the judge as a vindictive and resentful person who cannot make proper judgments. This creates tension because it leaves the reader with the feeling that the judge has already set his mind that the accounts provided by the girls are entirely truthful and will be hard for him to change his mind. This being the case therefore, the reader is left convinced that Abigail and the girls will be let to walk away as free people and people accused of witchcraft will be found guilty as charged and hanged almost always(Miller, 2011).
Mood setting is also another powerful way through which Miller helps to create tension in act three. For instance, several scenes in the act are set in a dingy atmosphere. This helps to evoke feelings of mystery and foreboding and as such advances dramatic tension in the act. The description of the vestry room as earlier discussed is also an example of how settings of mood can be used to achieve tension (Miller, 2011).
Additionally, tension is created through the play’s contents. The play is about witchcraft and hysteria and these are themes that evoke feelings of suspense and tension. In particular, they enhance tension of the task and mystery. Further to this is the testament produced by Procter to demonstrate that his wife is not guilty as charged. Upon enquiry by Danforth as to the number of names contained in the testament, we learn that there are ninety one more names and this helps to create tension as the reader is left wondering who else will be arraigned in court(Miller, 2011).
In conclusion, tension is also created through the use of dramatic irony. The use of dramatic irony to create tension is best exemplified by For example, the accusations by the girls that the people in Salem are witches. This is a case of dramatic irony because the readers know that the girls are not telling the truth while the characters do not know this to be so. This helps to create suspense and hence tension and makes the reader feel horrified at the prospects of the judges hanging the accused wrongfully. Other examples of how dramatic irony is built in order to enhance tension in this act pertain to the pretence by the girls that they have been attacked by spirits yet the audience knows this to be false and through the different actions of the girls. Other techniques that help to create tension in act three are condensing of time and information and making changes without expectations. Thwarting expectations also help to create tension by making the reader worry that the character’s expectations will not happen. This is true since in the different examples there is something huge at stake if the expectation is not met in order to heighten dramatic tension (Miller, 2011).