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A Derridean Deconstructive Analysis of the Scapegoat Myth in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
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Ahmadreza Majdnia   , Nader Shayganfar * , Behrouz Soheili Esfahani |
| Art University of Isfahan |
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Abstract: (7 Views) |
The scapegoating mechanism has long served as a tool for reproducing social order through the expulsion of evil beyond the boundaries of the community. A deconstructive rereading of this mechanism reveals profound complexities and semantic instabilities. The works of Arthur Miller maintain a close interconnection with the social, cultural, and political relations of the early decades of the twentieth century. Therefore, interpreting these works-particularly from a deconstructive perspective-can facilitate a deeper understanding of power dynamics, truth, victimization, and modern ethics in the specific historical conditions of this era. Among Miller's oeuvre, the play The Crucible notably focuses on victimization and the processes of accusation and resultant social exclusion. Hence, selecting this text for deconstructing the concept of the scapegoat holds twofold significance. The present study, drawing upon Jacques Derrida's perspectives, endeavors to subject this play to semantic deconstruction. Concentrating on Derrida's key concepts-such as pharmakon, trace, différance, hymen, and undecidability-this investigation deconstructs the foundational opposition of inside/outside in the myth of the scapegoat within the play, seeking to address the question: How does the application of scapegoating in the aforementioned literary text, in light of Derridean deconstructive concepts, become subject to semantic suspension and undecidability? The results indicate that the position of the scapegoat oscillates in semantic suspension and deferral among the characters (Tituba, Abigail, Proctor) and within the city's structure itself, leading to the collapse of binary boundaries between guilt/innocence and truth/falsehood in a hysterical space. The research findings further suggest that the scapegoat operates beyond a mere ostracized victim, functioning as a constitutive, destructive, and simultaneously revelatory element for meaning. The scapegoat resides in a liminal and slippery position-not entirely inside nor absolutely outside the structure but suspended on the unstable threshold of binary oppositions. |
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| Keywords: Deconstruction, Jacques Derrida, Scapegoat, Pharmakon, The Crucible play, Inside/Outside Binary Opposition |
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Full-Text [PDF 547 kb]
(4 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2025/11/30 | Accepted: 2026/05/24
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