More handpicked essays just for you.
The role of reputation in the crucible
The crucible introduction reputation research paper
The crucible introduction reputation research paper
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The concern for one's reputation could be the main problem the crucible is written off of. This is because throughout the story there is problems caused because of the concern for what people will think of one individual. Three characters in specific faced this Reverend Parris, Abigail Williams, and John Proctor. They all three faced at least one major circumstance where they were worried about there reputation in the town which would affect what they would do in order to protect it. With all the actions taken in order to protect their reputation The Crucible is filled with all sorts of twists and turns.
Reverend Parris who is well known in the church of Salem was very concerned throughout the book about his reputation. For example, in the beginning when his daughter betty is not awakening he questions Abigail about what they were doing in the woods as it could ruin his name if it gets around that they were doing witchcraft. ¨But if you trafficked with spirits in the
…show more content…
first I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it” these are the words Reverend Parris tells Abigail. He is worried about what they did in the woods because the reverend is supposed to be good and not have witchcraft in his household. This shows us that Parris was more concerned about how he was gonna put together a lie or story to tell the people of Salem then the very well being of his daughter. Another key character who is affected by trying to protect her reputation in the town of Salem is the niece of Reverend Parris none other then Abigail Williams.
Now her concern for reputation is slightly different the Paris because he is worried about what other people will think about him even though he didn't have any actions while Abigail is concerned about her reputation because of her actions. In The Crucible Abigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor but this is a rumor to the people of Salem and she doesn't want people to think of her as a whore so she decides to deny it and lie by saying the reason why Elizabeth Proctor fired her was because she didn't want to do the work asked of her. She tells her uncle these lies by saying, ¨She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It's a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!¨. Because of her concern to defend her reputation she lies and creates more problems and drama in The
Crucible. John Proctor to me was truly the person who was most affected by trying to protect his reputation. First he didn't want to admit to his affair with Abigail because he was worried people would think bad of him. Then he decided to stop caring what people would think and admitted to his affair but was put in jail for alleged witchcraft. The day of his scheduled hanging the court came and told him if he admitted to the witchcraft they would spare him but then came in his concern for his reputation. ¨I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” John was protecting his reputation because he's saying i'll admit it to the court but the people must know my name is good. Proctors concern for his reputation is different from Abigail and Parris because he is actually innocent and has admitted his innocence while the other two have completely lied and are guilty but they are all still trying to defend their reputation. Throughout The Crucible there is a common theme of characters trying to defend their reputation. This is shown through these three characters in Reverend Parris, Abigail Williams, and John Proctor whether it was the truth being told or nothing but lies. To me the truth is more important than a good name because if you always tell the truth then you surely will have a good name for being honest and trustworthy.
In the crucible, I believe reputation and respect was interwoven in the term of the play the ‘‘crucible’’. Reputation and Respect can also be a theme or a thematic idea in the play, reputation is very essential in a town where social status is synonymously to ones competence to follow religious rules. Your standing is what enables you to live as one in a community where everyone is bound to rules and inevitable sequential instructions. Many characters for example, john proctor and reverend parris, base their action on the motive to protect their reputation which is only exclusive to them. People like reverend parris saw respect as what made them important or valuable in a town like Salem, this additionally imprinting to his character as a very conventional man.
Throughout the many acts of the play, we sense the anger rolling off Abigail’s words. “I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!” By these words, we know that Abigail Williams is angry. She’s angry at John Proctor for trying to hide the crime he committed with her, and for the lack of closure she
First, In the book The Crucible Abigail Williams is the vengeful, manipulative, and a liar. She seems to be uniquely gifted at spreading death and destruction wherever she goes. She has a sense of how to manipulate others and gain control over them. All these things add up to make her one good antagonist with a dark side. In Act I, her skills at manipulation are on full display. When she's on the brink of getting busted for witchcraft, she skillfully manages to pin the whole thing on Tituba and several of Salems other second class citizens. Also since Abigail's affair with John Proctor, she's been out to get Elizabeth, his wife. She convinced Tituba to put a curse on Elizabeth, hoping to get rid of her and take
A crucible refers to a harsh test, and in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, each person is challenged in a severe test of his or her character or morals. Many more people fail than pass, but three notable characters stand out. Reverend John Hale, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor all significantly change over the course of the play.
Crucible- a severe test, a hard trial or also could be define as a pot for melting metals. A severe trail could be as other then a physical it also could be mentally a severe trial like person verses self. In The Crucible, Miller reflects the theme that pressure can force people from there can force their morals. The characters in The Crucible have morals that they must up hold to be accepted into the town and church. It is a struggle to keep these values when there are moral hazards like desires, greed, hate, and obsession.
Context: This part of the text is included at the beginning of the drama, telling the audience about Salem and its people. The author explains how a theocracy would lead to a tragedy like the Salem witch-hunts. This is the initial setting and is based on the principle that some people should be included and some excluded from society, according to their religious beliefs and their actions. This is basically the idea that religious passion, taken to extremes, results in tragedy. Miller is saying that even today extremes end up bad- communism, like strict puritans, was restrictive and extreme. It only made people suffer.
If you are trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it. This statement says a lot about the character of Reverend Parris: a greedy, power hungry man who is more concerned with his own reputation than the souls of his niece and daughter. He always acts in fear, a fear that he will lose his position of power in the community. Parris does not want the trial to end as a fraud because the scandal of having a lying daughter and niece would end his career in Salem. Salem citizens in general were afraid of all ungodly things with their Puritan views.
The Crucible – Human Nature Human nature was fully to blame for the disaster which took place in Salem in 1692. Human nature is what your character is made of in trying situations, and in 1692 scientific knowledge was extremely poor by today's standards and so all reoccurring problems were blamed on an evil force, whether it be the devil or witches or anything the imagination could conjure, hence human nature was being tested regularly. The decisions people made were critical to the disaster's progression, in today's scene in would have been dismissed within minutes, but the paranoia floating around in the town kept the ball rolling. People were so terrified of the thought of evil that any suggestion of it would create a preordained judgement in the mind of anyone, especially those who made judgement of the accused. To get to the supposed
Authors often have underlying reasons for giving their stories certain themes or settings. Arthur Miller’s masterpiece, The Crucible, is a work of art inspired by actual events as a response to political and moral issues. Set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, The Crucible proves to have its roots in events of the 1950’s and 1960’s, such as the activities of the House Un-American Committee and the “Red Scare.” Though the play provides an accurate account of the Salem witch trials, its real achievement lies in the many important issues of Miller’s time that it dealswith.
Persecution has been a round for sometime and can be traced historically from the time of Jesus to the present time. Early Christians were persecuted for their faith in the hands of the Jews. Many Christians have been persecuted in history for their allegiance to Christ and forced to denounce Christ and others have been persecuted for failing to follow the laws of the land. The act of persecution is on the basis of religion, gender, race, differing beliefs and sex orientation. Persecution is a cruel and inhumane act that should not be supported since people are tortured to death. In the crucible, people were persecuted because of alleged witchcraft.
Reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something. A famous American poet once said: “Oh reputation dearer far than life”. James Russell Lowell highlights the importance of reputation by declaring it more important than even human life itself. This idea is also found in ‘The Crucible’ as many characters will be challenged between telling the truth and dying, or saving their reputation. In ‘The Crucible’, this theme beholds a key position in the unrolling of the story as an impression of control over the outcome of people’s lives is created by its importance.
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
A lie is dangerous and powerful in the hands of anyone, but in a sinner’s hands, it has the potential to be fatal. Give the power to lie to one such as Abigail Williams and “thirty-nine people [may] be arrested” (Miller 56). The arrest of each of the thirty-nine Salem citizens is directly, or indirectly, at the fault of Abigail Williams because of her false statements and accusations. What may possess her to place so many lives on the line is beyond rational reasoning; but after consideration, one may come to the conclusion that Abigail has an evil soul. An evil soul is not something others can treat, or even see; this illuminates the means by which Abigail fools so many intelligent people into trusting her and feeling contrite for her. She easily denies accusations by simply promising there “[is] nothin’ more. [She swears] it” (11). So easily these lies slide off of her tongue into the innocent victims’ ears, and they believe every word. The ease of fraudulence she displays is remarkable, and it is no surprise that she sparks fear and awe in many of her young protégés and other revered members of Salem. Abigail even...
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.
The desire for power and authority has always been a part of the human nature. Today’s society most often use power to dominate one another and fulfill one’s personal intentions, which can affect other people in many ways. Having power and authority is truly gratifying but it is terrifying if abused and used for selfish acts. The play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller is an example to illustrate the consequences of abuse of power. The characters Abigail Williams, Deputy Governor Danforth and Reverend Parris use their power over society by manipulating people and using their authority to fulfill their personal intentions, like material gain, vengeance, maintaining social status and reputation, and attention, which eventually lead into a mass hysteria.