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Importance of reputation the crucible
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The role of reputation in the crucible
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The theme of reputation is undeniably a theme within the Crucible because of the ranging motives, selfish characters, and selfless characters. Every event that happens over the course of the plot exemplifies the true character of the individuals involved, and every character's actions had a reason behind it. Almost all of the characters are focused on keeping their name clean. For example, when Proctor is deciding whether to confess or not, he thinks about how he wants his sons to remember him. Strong Puritans, like the Nurses and Coreys, refuse to confess and die because they do not want to be remembered negatively. Similarly, both protagonists and antagonists do everything possible to avoid social punishment and embarrassment, for it would …show more content…
for damage their name in the village. With this in mind, some characters do tarnish their reputation by betraying other characters. Mary Warren strained her relationship with both Proctor and her friends over the course of the play. When Proctor needs Warren to stand up for what is right, she feels threatened by her friends, so she conforms to peer pressure and betrays Proctor’s trust.
When she originally comes to the court, Warren betrays her friends by throwing their promises to one another aside and tries to do what is the best for her. The biggest betrayal between characters that most negatively one’s reputation of the course of the plot is when Proctor announces he betrayed Goody Proctor and had an affair with Williams. In the eyes of many that find out that he is a lecher, Proctor is no longer the respectable man he once was. Another character’s actions directly affect his reputation, Reverend Hale. He ultimately has a good conscience and does not want to be associated with such an inhumane trial. He comes back to Salem to clean his name and restore his reputation as he says, “You know, do you not, that I have no connection with the court? I come of my own, Goody Proctor. I would save your husband’s life, for if he is taken I count myself his murderer. Do you understand me?” The main difference between the antagonists and protagonists is that antagonist's motives is to better themselves, and the protagonist’s motives is to better …show more content…
others. Reverend Parris, Abigail Williams, and Deputy Governor Danforth express extreme selfishness. First of all, Parris’s main concern throughout the plot is making sure he keeps his job even though is a growing group within the community wants him gone. This behavior is taken to the extreme at the very beginning of the play when his daughter’s health is in severe question and he only worries about what the other community members will think. Williams is not any better because her main concern throughout the plot is how other people perceive her.
Originally, she wants people in the community to like her and that is proven when she says, “My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” Then as the play goes on, she wants her fellow villagers to fear her. Her involvement within in the trials is evidence of this idea. In the end, her image is dramatically tarnished because she stole from Parris and ran away, so many think that she lied since the beginning. Concurrently, Danforth is only concerned about how the Salem community views him. On more than one occasion, he flaunts that his signature has ended many lives when that really is not something to be proud of. Another example of his selfish behavior is the many times someone questions him in court. Immediately, he proves his dominance, for he cannot be embarrassed or shown up in court. On the other hand, the protagonists in the novel, Giles Corey, Goody Nurse, and Goody Proctor, spend the entirety of their lives doing what is best for others which in the end improves their
reputation. Corey, for example, is known for his work ethic and that is how he is initially described. Then, when he presents himself in court, he uses his court experience to help rescue his wife and friend’s wives. Even on his deathbed, he is trying to better the lives of those he cares about because he told the men to add more weight which ends up preserving his land for his son's use. Corey isn’t the only selfless character, Rebecca Nurse does more than her fair share of good for the community. When Reverend Hale first arrives in Salem, he describes Nurse, “It’s strange how I knew you, but I suppose you look a such a good soul should. We have all heard of your great charities in Beverly.” During the this time period, having such a prestigious reputation that people in towns over know you is typically unheard of. Her willingness to help and care for others is what makes her loved by so many in the community. Finally, Elizabeth Proctor sacrifices her reputation for her husband. She is the protector in her family and is their to help her husband even though he has betrayed her. In the final scenes of the play, she lets Proctor choose to die even though she loves him. Generally within the Crucible, the antagonists are concerned about how to improve their own reputation; whereas, protagonists want to improve the reputation of those around them.
Firstly, John Proctor is not seen to be a good man because in chapter one is affair with Abigail is exposed. “Give me a word, John. A soft word. (Her concentrated desire destroys his smile.) From this it can be seen that before they did have an affair but now it is over. The personal pronoun ‘me’ shows how she wants him all to herself and that the meeting is held in secret. The word ‘desire destroy’ in the stage directions is then used to contradict her feelings as Miller suggests how their affair is now over but Abigail doesn’t want it to be and that she still loves Proctor. From this quote it is then shown that John Proctor can’t be a good man if he committed adultery. However, John Proctor also speaks to Abigail to mention how their affair is mentioned and how their affair to him was at his moment of weakness when his wife, Elizabeth was ill. As it was a mistake Proctor mentions how Abigail should, “Wipe it out of mind.” This shows that he wants to forget it ever happened and that he also doesn’t want anybody to find out about this. From this it shows that John Proctor is not a good and as when his wife was ill and when he was at his weakest he committed a sin. If the people of Salem were to hear...
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.
Would you be willing to die to keep your reputation clean? Would you besmirch the good name of other people for your own gain? These are the questions characters from the Crucible had to ask themselves. In The crucible by Arthur Miller, Young girls went around accusing people of witchery for their own gain this caused many people to falsely be hanged on accusations of witchery, and for some people it meant tainting their name or be hanged, like in the case of John Proctor. Arthur miller shows us in the crucible that one’s reputation is one of the most important things in
The Crucible, a play written in the 1950’s by American playwright, Arthur Miller, is based on the chaotic witch hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts during the 1600’s. Abigail, a sinful protagonist in the play, is the root to the myriad problems that conspire throughout the play. She is to blame for the executions of innocent citizens, and for acts of lechery between marriages. An important reappearing theme throughout the play is one’s reputation and the extremes the characters would take in order to preserve their name. The characters in The Crucible, particularly, Parris, John Proctor, and Judge Danforth, use the sanctity of their names to prioritize how they will look in the public eye, rather than what is beneficial to them individually.
In the play, The Crucible,by Arthur Miller.Many characters have desires that drive them to pursue certain things.This affects the plot in many ways.In this puritan society,people strongly cared what other people think of them and how their reputation stands in the village.They always strive to make sure their actions reflect wisely on their names.A major motivation John Proctor,Abagail,and Parris share is pride in their names,which eventually leads to their ultimate downfall.
Bad reputations during this time period had greater influence on people’s lives. One way to prove this is by reading The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller. This play displays the effects of acquiring a bad reputation. Many characters from this play deal with a conflict based on a reputation they have gained. The characters with the most significant conflicts resulting from reputations are John Proctor, Reverend Parris, and Abigail Williams.
Proctor's morality, and loyalty also contribute to being a good person. When the marshals Herrick and Cheever came to arrest his wife, he stuck with her to protect her, even though she was accused of being a witch.
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
Honor, dignity, and integrity are traits that are becoming more and more rare in our society. The Crucible, a play written in 1952 by Arthur Miller, is based on the Salem witch hunts of 1692 and parallels the Red Scare and McCarthyism in the 1950s. In the play, Miller attempts to focus his themes around traits such as honor, dignity, and integrity, and as a result, the theme "is it better to die honorably or live dishonorably" becomes vital to the story and well conveyed throughout it. The characters that exemplify this idea are John Proctor and Giles Corey, both of whom die by the end of the play, and Reverend John Hale and Abigail Williams, who live through the trials.
...ecause it would be a lie to claim that he has never lied. Elizabeth says that she has her own sins, and only a bad wife would want lechery. Finally Proctor decides that he will confess himself, and then he asks if what he does is even evil. When Proctor agrees to save himself by admitting to witchcraft, Danforth demands a written confession and says that he must prove the purity of his soul to others, so he demands that Proctor accuse others. Hale says that it is good enough for Proctor to confess to God, but Danforth still wants a written statement. Proctor refuses, because he wants to keep his name good for the respect of his children. Danforth refuses to accept his confession, and orders that he be lynched. Hale begs Elizabeth to plead with Proctor to sign a confess, but Elizabeth claims that Proctor now has his goodness, and nobody should take it away from him.
Parris: "Aye, a dress. And I thought I saw – someone naked running through the trees.” The play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller had very many themes in it. Some of these themes stood out more then others. These themes would be hysteria, reputation, and hypocrisy. These themes were present throughout the entire play, from the beginning till the end. When you think of a Puritan religion you may think of a very good, morally perfect society. This wasn’t the case in Salem, Massachusetts. It was actually the opposite in the play, there was lying, cheating, stealing and just about everything else you wouldn’t want in your society.
Parris and Danforth prioritize their reputations over John Proctor’s actual life. Hale does not care about his good name, but about the lives of the people in Salem and his guilt for partaking in the trials. Like Proctor, Parris, Hale, and Danforth are extremely flawed men. They all make unrighteous decisions that can be selfish. Unlike Proctor, though, these men place their own needs above the needs of the community. John Proctor has lived in Salem all his life and cares for the town and its citizens, whereas Reverend Hale, Reverend Parris, and Danforth are all outsiders to the town. They place themselves above the well-beings of the townspeople for the reason that they do not care if Salem is to be destroyed. Reverend Parris, Reverend Hale, and Deputy Governor Danforth’s yearn of John Proctor’s confession represents they only care for their own self-interests and not about what his confession could do for the town of
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.
His original belief that admitting his affair with Abigail will irreparably ruin his reputation compels him to remain silent, ultimately setting into motion the accusations that will destroy the community. The government of Salem falls victim to corruption and tyranny, fostering an environment of hysteria where friends accuse each other of participating in devil worship and witchcraft. In facing a decision to sign his name to a false statement in order to save his own life, Proctor realizes that his very existence will be worthless if he loses his soul in the process. In choosing death, John Proctor restores the goodness and decency that he lost, recovering the immeasurable value associated with his good name. Motivated by the moral compass that has directed his life except for one period of weakness, Proctor is able to shed his guilt ridden past and die
"Them that will not confess will hang. While I speak with God 's law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering. I should hang ten thousand that dared to rise against the law, and ocean of salt tears could not the resolution of the statutes." (Miller 129). Judge Danforth is not afraid to kill those that stand in his way. He is very similar to Abigail in that he will have innocent people killed to prove a point or to get what he wants. Its his way or the highway. If you do not cooperate, you will die. He abuses his power to get people to talk and give names. He is also very similar to Parris in his concern for power. Danforth holds all the power in the courtroom and basically forces you to talk and confess. If you don 't cooperate, then you will suffer the consequences. Ergo, it is a win-win situation for the accuser. "You are the high court, you word is good enough!" (Miller 143). Proctor later denounced himself for saying this, but the phrase is completely true. This quote is a reference to Danforth 's abuse of power throughout the witch trials. The high court deeply resembles the courts during the McCarthyism era. They held all the power and had the people 's lives in their hands. Danforth was prideful and believed himself to be a honest man. So whatever he thought was right, was declared as right. If they said you were guilty of being a witch, and hanged you, then no one in Salem did anything about it. They couldn 't say or do anything because the high court was always right. Many innocent people died because Danforth couldn 't admit he was wrong. If he did admit to being wrong, then the high court would lose power and it would of hurt his