Miller at the Outpost: The Evolution of Social Warning in An Enemy of the People and The Crucible

Abstract

Abstract This article examines Arthur Miller's motivation to adapt Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People shortly before he began work on The Crucible. In both texts, Miller explores themes of social warning and the responsibility of the individual to stand up to injustice. The article proposes that his failure to gain widespread audience attention with the earlier and lesser known text led the author to begin work on what has become a staple within the American dramatic canon. In effect, the two texts work in tandem, elucidating the threat posed to American democracy during the Communist witch hunts.