Manipulation In The Crucible

The Crucible by Arthur Miller depicts the Salem Witch Trials during the 17th century in
Salem, Massachusetts. Based on betrayal, the story focuses on personal truth, and most importantly the concept of manipulation of power within the community. Throughout the play, the people struggle with the idea of the outsiders versus them. The trials in the community are due to a group of girls who do not want the blame for playing with the spirits in the forest. Ironically, the witch trials were due to the repression of individual expression in the community, since the girls were not allowed to express themselves through dance. In turn, it is throughout this play that Miller argues that the influence of power within the community is sustained, challenged,

and ultimately lost is due to a public hysteria created by fear.
The collective hysteria of the community of Salem began with an insinuation based off one person`s evidence, Abigail Williams.

Even though Abigail is a "strikingly beautiful girl, an orphan, with an endless capacity for dissembling," she is still at the bottom of the social latter (Miller, 9). However, she gains power through the role of the accuser. Abigail is the primary person who uses fear to manipulate the other girls of the community. The narrator states that the witch-hunt was "not a mere repression…It was also a long overdue opportunity for everyone so inclined to express his guilt and sins publicly, under the cover of accusations against the victims" (Miller, 7). Abigail uses the witch trials as an opportunity to gain social power by playing the role of the accuser against anyone who opposes her. She abuses her power through the act of playing the victim. Abigail states, "[She] will come to [the girls] in the black of some terrible night and [she] will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder [them]" if the other girls of the community told the truth that they were all messing with magic (Miller, 19). At first, the children are depicted as innocent, and that the adults must protect them from the illusions of the devil, however, Abigail later appears only to be acting out of malicious pleasure. Ultimately, the adults acknowledge the fear created by the people of the village. The adults are the ones who use the trials to justify their violence in protecting the children. The violence resulted in the adults believing they had power over the devil that had come to

Salem.
While Abigail uses this new power that she found to cover up her mistakes and to avoid trouble, John Proctor is the voice of reason for the community. The narrator states that John even believed that children were "young adults…[he] never conceived that the children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak" (Miller, 3). The children to John are equal to adults until the Salem witch trials occurred within the community. He could have been the hero of the play; however, his pride and self-image get in the way when he has to make the decision to hide a fatal flaw that could ruin his reputation or reveal the truth about Abigail`s schemes to the community. Even though John is not a bad guy, his affair with Abigail is lethal to how the community would view him. Proctor at one point states, "All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem" (Miller, 87). He was attempting to undo the power, however since his faith was not consistent and up to par to those in the court, he self-incriminates himself into being guilty. Proctor states to Danforth, "I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sings are! It is enough!" (Miller, 132). Ironically, while Danforth believes he is confessing to witchcraft, the reader knows the truth, which Proctor is admitting to adultery. Proctor at the moment redeems himself even though his public reputation is vital to him. He knows that he cannot falsely testify against the people of his community and in turn, does not speak up for himself. Fear ultimately triumphs the truth and the truth, in turn, does not matter anymore, because fear has created its reality for the people in the community.
Abigail and John appear to be opposites in the play, but the concept of fear is also carried out by many people of the village who only just try to save their lives. Mary Warren admits to witchcraft, however, in the process, Mary also accuses John Proctor as "the Devil`s man" (Miller, 110). While Mary is merely a maid of the Proctors, she is seen as timid and weak. Abigail initially accuses Mary of witchcraft, and when Abigail did, Mary began in to be one of Abigail`s followers and accused John Proctor of saving her life. The fear created by the accusation of witchcraft created another charge that was not true either. Elizabeth Proctor concerns that the town will execute John if the truth about the affair between Abigail and John comes to light. Elizabeth, in turn, states, "[Her] husband—is a goodly man" (Miller, 105). Even though Elizabeth is mad at John regarding the affair, she knows she cannot lose him to Abigail, and so she protects John in front of the court. Reverend Parris also fears he will lose power and social status if Betty, his ten-year-old daughter, is accused of being a witch. While talking to Abigail, Reverend Parris says"If [she] trafficked with spirits in the forest [that he] must know it now, for surely [his] enemies will, and will ruin [him] with it" (Miller, 10). Parris is concerned with his reputation since he is the new preacher in the village.
While most of the village is conscionably aware that there is a flaw in the system of the court, no one wants to directly come out and state that they were in the wrong. The idea of subjective truth based on one person`s evidence eventually results in the town truth created by fear.