The Crucible Accusers

The Crucible The Crucible by Author Miller, is a highly fictionalized historic play based on the Salem witch trials that occurred from 1692-1693. During these wicked trials, people would accuse, or be accused, others of being a witch or taking any part in dealing with the devil. Almost all of the accusers were women, as well as most of the accused were also women. Although a good amount of the play is embellished, the characters and their fate are similar to the actual historical events of the trials. One of the main things that was fictionalized was the affair between Abigail Williams and John Proctor. Because of her ruined relationship with Proctor who dismissed the idea of ever seeing her again, Abigail accuses Elizabeth (Proctor’s wife)

Bigsby identified racial identity as “reinforced by eliminating those who might contaminate it.” To clarify, our solution, if ever threaten, is to get rid of anyone that is different. It is very evident in all 3 of these events, that our fear fueled powerful leadership who meant to do more harm than good. Not only did leaders gain power, but as did accusers. Suddenly, people who never experience power had it right there in the palm of their hands. The author compared this to the young Red guards in communist China who obtained power and killed their elders, parents, and teachers. The accusers of the trials, predominantly women, who had very little power during those times have the power to get whoever they want executed. Even Tituba, the slave has got her share in experiencing the feeling of power that she has never felt before.

Citation: Livesay, Lewis. "Hegemony, Hatred, and the Scapegoat Mechanism in Two Miller Dramas: Playing for Time and The Crucible." Miller and Middle America: Essays on Arthur Miller and the American Experience. Ed. Paula T. Langteau. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, Inc., 2007. 15-29. Rpt. in Drama Criticism. Vol. 31. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Literature Resource Center. Web. 29 Mar.

Her argument states that people easily give up what they believe in because of the pressure they feel in their surroundings. John Proctor refused to trade his conscious in order to live and would rather die for what he believes in. Giles Corry was another who refused to confess and was pressed to death and his last words were “more weight” This play was about the breaking down of people’s conscious, and the building of some’s integrity. The people who died, died with integrity. Those who lived, lived with their conscious and reputation forever