Today we are constantly reflecting on events of the past in an attempt to stop history from repeating itself. Tragic times in our world’s history such as wars, famine, and terrorist attacks have caused populations to examine why such disappointing events have occurred. This has resulted in various forms of literature to be produced to result in awareness towards a particular cause. In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the story brings recognition to a disheartening event in the past that symbolized a modern concern. The Crucible is a cautionary tale filled with lessons that remain relevant to modern audiences.
Present-day societies are obsessed with fear; turn on the news or look on social media and chances are that one will see a horrifying story. In The Crucible, people turn to scapegoating to blame others for the worries they have. Tituba turns out to be the first example of a scapegoat. Abigail uses her to justify why her and the other girls were dancing in the woods. Abigail recites “I
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never called him! Tituba, Tituba… She made me do it! She made Betty do it!” (Miller 43). This proves that Abigail is willing to accuse anyone who could be a witch to save her herself. Today, people condemn others for their fears, ruining the innocent while doing so, and getting others to join them regardless of their conscience. In the play, Miller warns about the abuse of power.
Corruption is displayed in extremely distinct situations throughout the story. Governor Danforth establishes a commanding and threatening presence which incites others to comply willingly with his authority. Mary Warren is clearly manipulated due to her desire of acceptance within the group of girls. She wants to go against Abigail to stop the lies of the girls from continuing but Danforth is the one who threatens her. He announces, “A little while ago you were afflicted. Now it seems you afflict others; where did you find this power?” (Miller 116). With this, he is slowly persuading her to give up both mentally and emotionally and lie to the court. Danforth especially shows his corruption when he allows several people to be hanged without any raw evidence. He states “... I should hang ten thousand that dared to rise against the law… draw yourselves up like men and help me, you are bound by Heaven to do” (Miller
129). Warnings of Groupthink and conformity are both highlighted in Miller’s writing. Conformity is especially demonstrated in The Crucible in that people were forced to give false admissions of witchcraft in order to preserve their lives, or alternatively die to preserve their integrity. Reverend Hale expresses “... I have gone this three month like our Lord into the wilderness. I have sought a Christian way, for damnation’s doubled on a minister who counsels men to lie,” (Miller 132). Hale encouraging the convicted to lie is an example of how the people of Salem conformed to the theocracy governing their society. John Proctor who ultimately died to preserve his integrity, valued his morals and beliefs above all else not giving into the conformity and groupthink that the rest of the town had fallen into.
For example, as a result of the lie Sarah is put in the position by the court that she may either confess to the crime and save herself or not confess and get hung. The act also affects the town of Salem because the girls notice how much influence they have over the court and begin to accuse of witchcraft anyone they do not like. Although Mary Warren does contribute to the hanging of many people, but when Proctor begs to her to go to the court with him and confess to save Elizabeth, she gets a chance to redeem herself. She tells the court that the whole witchery situation was just the girls pretending. Mary says, “I cannot charge murder on Abigail” and adds, “[s]he’ll kill me for sayin’ that!”
In his play, The Crucible, Arthur Miller illustrates a great number of human emotions and tensions within the Salem community which, when combined, result in the execution of many people on the grounds that they are... ... middle of paper ... ... he dangers of forgetting the past. Elizabeth's life seems so tranquil compared to that of Stephen Wraysford but the fact that the Second World War followed so shortly after the First demonstrates how easy it is for mankind to repeat the errors of the past.
Fatal flaws are personality imperfections found within characters. Tragedy was a common occurrence in The Crucible. Many of these great tragedies happening in The Crucible, were a result of a tragic flaw or flaws like lust and pride embodied by John Proctor during the play.These flaws could also be seen as noble qualities at times, and play a crucial part in his downfall and death.
In The Crucible, the mass hysteria surrounding the witch trials caused paranoia amongst the people of Salem. Miller uses the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as a symbol and allegory of the fear surrounding the spread of communism during the 1950s in America. The community’s sense of justice was blinded by the mass hysteria and for some, a desire for vengeance and personal gain. The Putnams
In The Crucible, there are many examples that ambition can corrupt even the most steady and kind, through the use of characters such as Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale and John Proctor as well as others. Rev. Hale, as an example, came to Salem with an ambition to rid the town of witchcraft, but at the same time disregarded the fact of the matter, innocent people are being put to death for the sake of reputation. As Hale says in Arthur Millers' The Crucible, book/movie/play,
Greed and envy are two of the seven deadly sins in the Christian world that adherents must dispel from their lives. This fact makes it all the more ironic when many Christians during the Salem witch trials display these two offenses in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. One reason explaining the prevalence of sin in a society that thinks of itself as pure is that leaders demonstrate that they care more about actions rather than pureness of thought. For example, clergymen who feature themselves in the play, like Parris and Hale, often measure a person’s connection with the divine through the number of times he or she attends church. In actuality, according to many prominent officials of the Christian Church, that connection can only be achieved
Life as a human is dictated by an inborn hunger or purpose, and people, in general, will act on this hunger for their own personal gain in their individual ways. This hunger, be it for wealth, land, love, power, revenge, or pride, can, and will be the undoing or failing of all mankind as Miller so clearly points out in his play 'The Crucible';. This essay will explore the motives of characters within the play and even the motives of Arthur Miller himself and therefore show how conflict stems from certain recognisable human failings including those mentioned above, fear, and hysteria.
When faced with a problem, humans usually try to find the easiest, fastest, and most convenient way out of the issue. In order to overcome problems, motivation is needed. However, motivation comes from different places within a person based on the individual’s desires. When looking back to 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts the problem during this time period was witchcraft, and "to be accused was to be assumed guilty, to accuse was to avoid punishment" (Jimerson 37). Fear of punishment causes people to accuse the innocent, and the innocent has no redemption for they were automatically guilty. No one was safe at this time as the cycle continued on and on. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Mary Warren is motivated by fear that transitions from Abigail
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a play that discusses many issues and spurs contemplation within the reader. While reading this play, because of the controversy of many issues detailed within, it is difficult for one not to take a look at one’s own morals and determine what one would do if placed in a similar situation. The key issues discussed within this play, the effects of hysteria, marital betrayal, and the murderous powers of lies, are portrayed intriguingly and effectively. The lessons that can be learned from The Crucible are still quite applicable today.
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.
...ithout concrete evidence. Also, Abigail allows innocent people to be alleged and sometimes even hanged without a chance to defend themselves. Her main reason was to prove the hypocrisy within the town. “Let you beware, Mr. Danforth. Think you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits? Beware of it!” Abigail is hinting that no one especially Danforth, who is loaded with power and authority is able to escape the devil. She sees the trials as a game. Abigail wishes to punish Salem for its hypocritical values by falsely accusing women and men for their wrong doing. Danforth, with the abuse of his authority in a way represents the “Un- American activist committee,” by questioning as many “Communists” as they could. Abigail’s abuse of power represents how blame was thrown onto innocent people, for their lives to be taken if they didn’t “name names.”
The Crucible is a play which brings to our attention many timeless issues. The nature of good and evil, power and its corruption, honour and integrity and our tendency to create scapegoats for all manner of problems are all brought up through the course of the play - sometimes in very dramatic fashion.
The Crucible is a play with many underlying messages and themes. One of which is the idea of power. Power is a very important term in this play in that whoever holds the power, holds the fates of others. The hysteria within Salem has directly effected society. Everything has turned upside down and has gotten distorted. Arthur Miller is telling us that all the power in Salem is given to those who are corrupt and their abuse of it is directly shown through: the actions of Abigail throughout the play, the corruption and desires of Parris, as well as the witch trials held by Judge Danforth.
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a play that was first performed in 1953 in the United States of America in the midst of the persecution of alleged communists during the era of McCarthyism. Although the play explicitly addresses the Salem which hunt, many find that the play is an analogy to McCarthyism due to the striking similarities in which the people behaved. Miller highlight the different groups of characters in order to reveal overlying ideas of the play such as: Self preservation, power, and hypocrisy.
To begin with, in the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller displays a flaw in the world of Salem with the intention of demonstrating the problem of the church authority. There is no separation of the church and state in this play, the people abuse their power of authority. For instance, Reverand Parris has been engrossed in the thought of saving himself and keeping his reputation in check, rather than his teachings and God. In fact, John Proctor points this out and exposes him. Hale questions the Proctors and wonders why two out of three of their children were baptized, and John's answer raises eyebrows. "I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I'll not conceal it," (Act 2, p.62). For this