Daily Dialogue — February 10, 2013

Abigail Williams: A woman comes to my bed every night now and tears out my eyes.
Judge Danforth: Can you make out who she may be?
Abigail Williams: I believe she be Reverend John Hale’s wife sir.
Judge Danforth: You must be mistaken my child. The wife of a minister be unlikely…
Abigail Williams: Satan may reach anyone, sir.

— The Crucible (1996), screenplay by Arthur Miller based on his play

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is falsely accused, suggested by churnage. Today’s suggestion by Teddy Pasternak.

Trivia: Playwright Arthur Miller got his inspiration for “The Crucible” during the Hollywood black-listings. It reminded him of the paranoia, the finger-pointing and the all around outrageousness that the Salem Witch Hunt had possessed. Miller himself was called before The House of Representatives’ Committee on Un-American Activities in 1956 to testify against his friends and, like his character John Proctor, refused to implicate them.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Interesting to think of this story in light of the Hollywood Blacklist. Takes on a whole new light.