'Unrequited Love In The Crucible' And

As one studies classical literature, it becomes increasingly clear that characters from different stories often resemble one another, sharing specific characteristics or conflicts. For example, upon examination of the character of Abigail Williams from The Crucible, it is evident that her desire to hurt others is fuelled by the jealousy of unrequited love mirrors that of Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, who similarly yearns to bring pain to others because his love for Catherine Earnshaw (?) was not fulfilled. Additionally, both suffer from feelings of inadequacy and a lack of self-esteem after having been rejected socially – Abigail earns a reputation for being impure after having engaged in an adulterous affair with John Proctor, while Heathcliff,

due to his absence of social prominence and ethnicity, is viewed as being a lower member of society by the families on the Yorkshire moors. Thus, because of this similarity between characters, one can conclude that the concept of unrequited love, which when combined with feelings of insufficiency brings danger, is a common, recurring theme through literature. Specifically, this same occurrence of character-mirroring exists in The Winter of Our Discontent as John Steinbeck aligns his troubled protagonist, Ethan Hawley, with key characters from major literary works; specifically, from the Bible, the Arthurian legends, and Shakespeare’s collection of tragic dramas. Such characterization further suggests that the archetypal-figure of Ethan and his struggle with morality is a universal theme commonly explored throughout great works of literature.

Ethan’s reflection of the Biblical character Judas, as he exists through the story of Passion in Abrahamic (?) religions, proposes that mankind’s struggle with morality is a universal theme often woven into literary texts. Specifically, he appears to resemble Judas through his temptation to act in an avaricious manner and betray his kind associate, believing that he would be rewarded for such actions. In particular, Ethan is tempted, after hearing of Mr. Morph’s hypothesis that Marullo, the former’s manager, is an illegal immigrant, to report Marullo to the authorities. Mr. Morph reveals to Ethan his theory concerning Marullo in chapter nine: “So-anyway my weasel brain says-he came in after 1921 by the back door. So he can’t go home because he can’t get a passport to get back” (Steinbeck 132). Upon learning of this information, Ethan is tempted to report Marullo, as he knows, due to the position of, ironically, trust he holds with his manager, as well as his position of primary clerk in the store, he would be rewarded by betraying Marullo as it would result in a raise in his status as simply a clerk. Such temptation mirrors that of Judas, he knew he would be rewarded with a monetary compensation for his betrayal of Jesus. Furthering the connection between the two literary characters, both men do eventually betray their allies to the higher authoritative powers. Indeed, Ethan’s guileful phone call to the Immigration and Naturalization Services in New York to report Marullo echoes Judas’ own betrayal of Judas to “__.” Ethan calls the centre one late afternoon, making sure he is alone so as his actions are not revealed: “Under U, under United States, under Justice, Dept. of…His finger moved down the column past “Antitrust Div. US Court House, Customs Div., Detention Headquarters, Fed. Bureau of Investigation,” and under it, “Immigration and Naturalization Services…He closed the glass door, put his groceries on the floor, spread his change on the shelf, inserted a dime, and dialed 0. “Operator.” “Oh! Operator- I want to call New York.” “Will you dial the number, please?” And he did” (167). Ethan’s greed-based motif is similar to Judas’ reason for betraying Jesus, as Ethan was tempted by the understanding that he would be rewarded for his betrayal, in the form of Marullo’s transference of power to Ethan, which in turn would enable Ethan to achieve a life of affluence. Nonetheless, despite the lure of rewards, the betrayal made by the two men eventually results in the accumulation of their guilt, which in turn leads to their downfall as characters. Ultimately, both characters, due to their immense guilt, reach their downfall upon realization of the loss morals; Ethan attempts to commit suicide in the ocean within the final pages of the novel, after realizing how immoral a man he has become: “I waded into the warm bay water and clambered into the place…Marullo’s light still burned… [But] my light is out. There’s nothing blacker than a wick” (278). Clearly, Ethan recognizes that he has lost his morality, a concept he symbolizes in his lack of light, seeing that Marullo, his manager he betrayed, still remains an honest man. He lost such morality through betrayal, and now attempts to take his own life due to the turmoil of guilt and lost morality. This is comparable to Judas, who in legend, hung himself out of remorse for his actions in betrayal of Jesus. Thus, in conclusion, Ethan Hawley is an obvious reflection of the Biblical figure of Judas, as both followed a similar path of temptation and betrayal, a path which eventually led them into their downfall. This leads one to believe that man’s struggle with morality is a universal theme, for it is explored through Steinbeck’s work, as well as the classical Biblical stories.
Humanity’s battle with morality, existing as a dominant theme in literature, is also present through Ethan’s relation to Lancelot, a key figure from the Arthurian legends.

Firstly, both Lancelot and Ethan long for the forbidden; the former, for a relationship with Guinevere, King Arthur’s maiden, and the latter, for the possession of membership into the exclusive world of wealth. In example, during a rare occasion in which the Hawley family dresses up to go out for dinner, Ethan vows to his wife that they will soon be wealthy enough to further go out: ““We’re going to go out more often, my darling.” “When?” “When we are rich” “When is that?” “Soon”” (150). Evidently, Ethan longs to achieve wealth, a societal position he feels he cannot achieve due to his lack of prominence and status in town as he is solely, as he previously mentions, “a goddam grocery clerk” (4). Thus, as Guinevere was forbidden to Lancelot because of her commitment to Arthur, wealth is a state forbidden to Ethan, which he severely yearns for. However, in spite of the prohibition both men faced, the two men attempt to achieve their desires- although to do so, both men had to abandon their own codes of honour. Specifically, for Lancelot to form a relationship with Guinevere, he had to break the knighthood code composed of principles involving honour, loyalty, and integrity. Similarly, Ethan must break his own code of morality in order plan a bank robbery, a plan he composes to bring wealth to his family –

although Ethan tells himself that his robbery will not be a true crime, he knows he is breaking his own moral code as he cannot stop thinking of his childhood friend, Danny, before he completes the crime: “And as I moved to the front doors with the broom, I heard my own voice cry, “Danny-Danny! Get out of my guts.” A great shudder shook me so that I had to lean on the broom a moment before I opened up the doors” (220). Danny stands as a symbol for Ethan’s previous code of morality and integrity, for the two were friends prior to Ethan’s quest for forbidden wealth. Thus, the fact that Danny’s face continues to haunt Ethan before he commits the crime shows that Ethan is breaking, and realizes it, his previous principles of integrity and honesty, both aspects of his morality, as Lancelot broke the knighthood code in engaging in an adulterous affair with the forbidden Guinevere. Nonetheless, due to both men’s loss of morality, the closest relationships the men hold eventually begin to deconstruct. In particular, because of Lancelot’s dishonesty in his affair with Guinevere, he was no longer welcomed as a member of the Knight’s circle, a society which ultimately disintegrated after Lancelot’s deceitful ways. (check) Similarly, Ethan sees that his own immoral ways threaten to harm the family, as he recognizes, fearfully an echoing of his own dishonest actions in his son. Precisely, when Ethan questions his son about his decision to submit a plagiarised essay to a nationwide contest, his son replies: “Who cares? Everybody does it. It’s the way the cooky crumbles…Don’t you read the papers? Everybody right up to the top…I bet you took some in your time, because they all do” (276). Ethan sees that his son’s lack of remorse is similar to his own, and so, as he fell into immoral ways, so did his son. His son even suggests, correctly, that Ethan himself had engaged in immoral actions. His son’s immorality further devastate the family, upsetting Mary, Ethan’s wife, and Ellen, Ethan’s daughter. Thus, as Lancelot’s dishonesty contributed to the disintegration of those closest to him, the knight’s circle, so did Ethan’s dishonesty. This provides evidence to the concept that humankind’s struggle with morality, as Ethan experiences in The Winter of Our Discontent, is a universal theme, for Ethan’s character is seen to be a reflection of knight Lancelot from the Arthurian legends.
Finally, Ethan’s character could be argued to be a mirror of Macbeth, from Shakespeare’s similarly named tragedy.

In particular, Ethan faces criticism from his wife for his lack of status and wealth as a simple grocery clerk, and pressure to elevate his societal position so that the family may be more successful, which pressure to be king Macbeth similarly faces from his wife. In example, Mary chides Ethan one night due to the family’s lack of money, criticising his lack of efforts to in bringing the family wealth: “I’d like to be able to hold up my head in this town. I don’t like the children to be hang-dog because they can’t dress as good – as well – as some others. I’d love to hold up my head….Everybody’s laughing at you. A grand gentleman without money is a bum” (34). Such harsh criticism is a contributing factor to Ethan’s pursuit for success, which reflects Macbeth’s own motives for beginning his own quest for power and status – both men aim to please their wife. Further, as Macbeth was similarly led into the abandonment of his morals through his desire for success, coupled with the chastising criticism from his wife, Ethan loses his morals in his attempt to reach a life of affluence, and ultimately please his wife. Likewise, both men become so blinded by their ambitious pursuit for success that they indirectly murder the man who was previously their most trusted friend. While Macbeth hires assassins to kill Banquo (so that he can further secure his place on the

throne), Ethan supplies Danny with one thousand dollars, in cash, telling him to use it to find treatment for his alcoholism, despite the fact that Danny warns him that he will be unable to use the money for the correct purpose – being an alcoholic, he will simply use the money to buy more drinks. Even though Danny warns Ethan not to, Ethan tells him he will bring him the money: ““There’s an ugly thing in a drunk, Eth. I don’t believe you. Would you put the money in my hands?” “Whenever you say.” “I’ve told you not to.” “But I will.” “You’re betting I’ll put up my meadow as a collateral. And you’re betting that a thousand dollars’ worth of booze will kill me, and there you’ll be with an airport in your lap”” (120). However, Ethan also discusses a strip of valuable property that Danny owns, telling him that he needs to become sober so that he can sell the land properly, as the town wants to buy it to construct an airport. In fact, Danny’s belief over Ethan’s motives in giving him the money is, perhaps, correct. In giving Danny the money, Ethan strategically murdered his friend, albeit indirectly. If he was truly worried about Danny he would have listened to his concerns over drinking the money away, and paid for an institution for Danny to attend. Clearly, Ethan’s clever actions reflect those of Macbeth, and his indirect assassination of Banquo. Nonetheless, the two characters finally reflect one another through the psychological turmoil they suffer through, accumulated as a result of the guilt on their conscience for their indirect murders. While Macbeth suffers so much psychologically that he believes he is seeing the ghost of Banquo, Ethan similarly suffers from troubling visions, believing that he sees Danny walking on the street, as he does one day while enjoying lunch with his wife and friends (strangely, it was also during a meal with his wife and friends that Macbeth saw the ghost of Banquo): “Through the crooked glass I saw a man’s figure walking past on the sidewalk. He was all misshaped by the distortion, but he carried his head a little to the left and walked curiously on the outsides of his feet. Danny did that. I saw myself leap up and run after him. I saw myself run to the corner of Elm Street but he had disappeared, perhaps in the back garden of the second house. I called, “Danny! Danny! Give me back the money. Please, Danny, give it to me. Don’t take it. It’s poisoned. I poisoned it!”(152). With this, it is evident that both Macbeth and Ethan suffered profusely from the guilt as a result of indirectly murdering their friends. These troubling dreams suggest that the two men are both wracked with guilty consciences for their actions, completed in their quest for glory, which in turn advocates their struggles with morality. In conclusion, through Ethan’s similar characterization to that of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, it is apparent that man’s battle with morality is a widespread theme explored through major works of literature.