Power In The Crucible Analysis

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Arthur Miller’s play, the crucible written in 1952, provides a visual on the concept of power in the 1692 Salem witch-trials. Although Miller explores the theme of empowerment of the previously marginalized, he studies the concepts of shift in power and abuse of authority in decidedly greater detail. Empowerment of individuals is explored with a select few characters. However, shift in power is explored more thoroughly, with Reverend Parris and Abigail Williams as key characters who portrays this. The abuse of power, is explored in a great depth through a larger variety of characters, but transcends through Abigail. To a degree, certain characters experience an elevation in authority due to the witch-trials. The society of Salem is a very …show more content…

Being a child in Salem, Abigail, had no say, and would have faced deficit repercussions for being the ringleader of the girls who ‘danced’ in the woods. Through her lies and deceit she mangers to find herself in a position of control in the court, so much that she is able to condemn anyone to their death. Having previously ‘went’ with John she was determined to do anything to seek vengeance on Elizabeth Proctor. She knew Mary Warren was making a poppet in court and was going to give it to Elizabeth as a gift; Mary had stuck a needle in the poppet for safekeeping. Through the use of dialogue Miller portrays how Abigail abused her power through taking this knowledge to incriminate Elizabeth. “She sat to dinner… and without word nor warnin’ she falls to the floor… And [Parris} goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out... she testify it were your wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in.” (Act 2, pg.70) By abusing her authorial position Abigail consequently lost all power. Proctor revealed her secrets in order to save his wife, taking away Abigail’s influence and credibility within the court. Ultimately Abigail position in Salem’s social structure rapidly plunged to the extent where she had to run away to escape the exile she would have faced from the community. Shift in power and abuse of authority are concepts within the play that are dealt with in considerably

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