Jackson Higgins
Mrs. Harbison
Honors English 3-5
15 September 2017
Hubris is not Just a Funny Word Everyone has heard the speech from Braveheart, where Mel Gibson pours his heart out in front of his army to get them ready to overcome the tremendous odds of taking down the English army. Gibson’s most famous line is “tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!”(Source). This quote is similar to John Proctor’s soliloquy at the end of Act IV in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, where he talks about his fatal flaw of Hubris, or pride, because he does not want his name to be marked on the church as being a witch.. This flaw of pride was also his saving grace with his wife. John Proctor did not have this pride
In Act II, Proctor's conflict with authority increases as the court comes to arrests his wife. He already does not like the court and for them to come to his own home and take his wife to jail is just out of the question! To help the reader understand the condition of Salem at the beginning of Act II, Kinsella explains that "Salem is in the grip of mounting hysteria" (1267). Kinsella is correct the town first starts out with Betty not waking up, then Abigail Williams acusing practically everyone in Salem about being witches and it moves up from there eventually leading to Proctors fait.
Many of the characters in Arthur Miller's The Crucible have specific human flaws that cause the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. Many villagers, especially Abigail Williams, take advantage of the opportunity to seek vengeance on others through the trials. Greed for power and land often holds precedence when the hysteria takes over. Fear of being arrested or put to death is the key motivation in turning others in as witches. From these three human flaws, the town of Salem falls into chaos with many innocent people paying the price.
“But what is freedom? Freedom from what? There is nothing to take a man's freedom away from him, save other men. To be free, a man must be free of his brothers. That is freedom. That and nothing else.”
“Whatever hysteria exists is inflamed by mystery, suspicion, and secrecy. Hard and exact facts will cool it.” – Elia Kazan. In the crucible, Arthur Miller describes the witch trials and the hysteria that was caused by it. The fear of the devil overwhelms reason and makes the town of Salem even more afraid. In the story, Marry Warren falls under hysteria and through her, Arthur Miller explains that fear causes people to leave behind all their logic and reason.
'A container in which metals are heated, involving a change. A severe test or trial.';
Whenever there’s a problem people tend to blame anyone they can, cause they think why not? But when it comes to The Crucible almost every character could be blamed for making witchcraft a big deal. But three major characters come to mind Judge Danforth, Mary Warren, and The Putnams.
The title of the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is appropriate because it refers to various themes that are critically explored throughout the play. A crucible by definition, is a metal or ceramic container or pot in which substances or objects may be melted in. Also, a second definition of a crucible is severe tests or trials. Both these definitions can be applied to the title, The Crucible. The title has a metaphorical meaning which connects it to the play’s conflicts. Some conflicts that are in the play is, witchcraft, hysteria, theocracy, land disputes, blackmailing, and the dangers of scapegoating.
Explore Miller’s dramatic presentation and development of the theme of power and authority. Even though The Crucible is not historically correct, nor is it a perfect allegory for anti-Communism, or as a faithful account of the Salem trials, it still stands out as a powerful and timeless depiction of how intolerance, hysteria, power and authority is able to tear a community apart. The most important of these is the nature of power, authority and its costly, and overwhelming results. “But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or against it,” says Danforth conceitedly. With this antithesis, Miller sums up the attitude of the authorities towards the witch trials that if one goes against the judgement of the court
Pride does not only cloud ones judgement, but it also can cause worse situations such as death or unnecessary punishment. In the play, The Crucible, a lot is caused because of a characters pride; for instance, when all was coming to place: Abigail running away, no one willing to confess to witchcraft, and three well known people in line to be hung, Danforth would not postpone nor completely stop the hangings of Proctor, Rebecca, Goody Nurse because if he did the other twelve hangings that were for the same reason would not be “just.” Danforth’s “pride” was not only to be “just,” but to not look like a weakling in front of the town’s people. Danforth did not “yield” because he did not want to but because if he did it would not seem like the “right” thing to do. Pride overpowered Danforth’s judgement and made him arrogant all he wanted to do was to seem fair and please the townspeople; which caused the death of innocent people and the freedom of t...
In every conflict there always seems to be at least one person to blame. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, many problems arise that deal with live and death. Many innocent people in this play were hanged during the Salem Witch Trials. Of course, there are many people that may be blamed. In The Crucible, one may find Abigail Williams, The Putnams, and Mary Warren to blame. Abigail was manipulative, The Putnams were very jealous, and Mary Warren was weak-willed.
Is there any idea worth more than a human life? In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor decides that he has nothing left to live for, and therefore becomes a martyr. The question for him or one in his position would be whether or not there exist causes worth dying for and if his position is one such case. There is no principle worth more than a person’s life and therefore principles worth dying for, only principles worth living for.
In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, John Proctor, a proud and frustrated farmer of Salem, chooses to die rather than to give a false confession to witchcraft. Many might view this act as that of a selfless martyr; on the other hand, it can more readily be seen as the height of human stupidity in the face of vanity and pride.
The film showed this through the battle that the Scots had against the English. There are several scenes in the movie that show this. For example William says, “You can take our lives, but you will never take our freedom,” before a battle. This last emotional appeal stirs up the soldiers to cheer and move into battle in unity. This film shows that freedom can cost the ultimate sacrifice one can give. This sacrifice is their life. You only have one, but the people in this movie are willing to lose their for
“Clarkson!” John yelled from the front of the copter, “Clarkson the damn blades are jammed!”
In Salem, during the times of the Salem witch trials, the church and the people were very close. This is what led to the hysteria and chaos which was the Salem witch trials. It also led to many conflicts between the characters in this book, because anyone who was against the church was considered a criminal. Some of these conflicts were between; Abigail and the other children, Danforth and the town folk, and John Proctor with himself and his wife.