“Examine the ways in which conformity is used to depict monsotrity and evil within Arthur Miller’s The Crucible”

Looking into different theories of the monstrum in the discourse of literature, we are able to see that there are certain common characteristics believed to be associated with monsters such as ‘fear, alterity, transgression and interdiction’ (Merkelbach, 2019). As well as this, it is suggested that depictions of the monstrum in literature are used to provide a commentary on the political, social and cultural context of the text (Markelback, 2019). This theory can be directly applied to Miller’s The Crucible, as the play seemingly draws on elements of the monstrum such as evoking ‘fear of the supernatural’ as a means to illustrate the political and social dimensions of society (Miller, 1996). It is through using this theory, alongside others relating to ethics and morality, as well as drawing on the works of philosophers such as Bentham that allows for us to see how Miller depicts monstrosity and evil in the play through his use of conformity.