
In Cold-War America, the metaphorical witch hunt is cast. Neighbors find that, come to think of it, they are similarly cursed and start pointing fingers-which begins the hunt for someone in a covenant with Satan. Witch hunts, historically, begin with blame: someone accuses a neighbor as being a witch and states that they know so because the woman or man preternaturally prevented butter from churning, caused injury, killed off livestock, destroyed crops, or created family dysfunction. The term witch-hunting first bewitches the English language in the 17th century, but related terms, such as the nouns witch hunt and witch-hunter, are first documented significantly later-in the 19th century the verb witch-hunt is conjured in the 20th century. Miller encapsulates the dark events in his theatrical parable, staged in 1953, which also echoes the reality of the time: the 1950s investigations and hearings conducted by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy to identify and persecute alleged Communists (including Miller) who infiltrated various areas of the United States government.

Under pressure, the accused women named others in false confessions, resulting in the execution of 14 women and 6 men for the crime of witchcraft. That's what happened in the Massachusetts Bay Colony of Salem, where several young girls, spurred by supernatural tales told to them by a servant, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused three village women of witchcraft in 1692. Double, double toil and trouble / Fire burn, and political resentment bubble
