About Arthur Miller and The Crucible?

If you look up crucible (I used dictionary.com) you get this as one of the definitions:

"a severe, searching test or trial"

This definition fits quite well with the book, don't you think?

A crucible, as stated earlier, is a dish or bowl that is heated very high. In alchemy, the legend says, the crucible is used to make gold from lesser materials like, lead or iron, etc. Alchemy is a false science, and you cannot make something out of nothing.

Well, the metaphor of "The Crucible" is that the people accused of witchcraft had done nothing wrong. In the U.S. in the 1950's people were being accused of being communists or communist sympathisers, and were being politically persecuted. Miller could not, or chose not to write about this directly, but wrote the play "The Crucible" to express his outrage to this persecution.

Coulkd it happen again? I think in the 21st century "The Crucible" is a very appropriate metaphor for politics.

a crucible is an implement that can withstand extreme pressure and heat. The people of Salem are metaphorically in a crucible and the pressure caused by the multiplying accusations builds and builds.

Used in chemistry, a crucible is a vessel in which substances are heated to a very high temp, for melting/fusing etc.

Originally, I thought the title had to do with a crucifix, given the religious nature of it, but i happen to know this is the reason (can't find source).

If the reason doesn't seem obvious to you - it's a metaphor.

Crucible means a trial of some sort which connects to the Salem Witch Trials.