Crucible Motives

The Crucible:

Try to distinguish as carefully as possible what motives each of the ‘pro-witchcraft’ group: Parris, Mr and Mrs Putnam and Hale. How does each contribute to the web of supposition? In what way or ways does each lay claim to the “the clean white hand of moral duty”? Are they justified in doing so?

Act one reserves no unknown agenda’s in the sudden hysteria of Satanism plagued by the community of Salem. With this, the audience is introduced to certain characters that retain the power of prosecution in the matter at hand. However, it is soon revealed that these characters are driven by ulterior motives far beyond the situation. The first character introduced of this group is, Reverend Samuel Hale. Instead of fearing for his sick daughter’s wellbeing he seems rather concerned with his own reputation in the community. Driven by paranoia and greediness, he becomes an instigator in the allegations directed at certain members of the community. Parris, who preserves himself to be the upholder of goodness, is quick to latch onto the idea of evil as soon as the Reverend Hale assures him of such an act. He uses this to better himself amongst the people of Salem and to remove those who have posed threat to him. Then there is the Putnam family, whose daughter also seems to be ill. Ruthless and straightforward in their allegations, they seem to be motivated by revenge and bitterness with Mr Putnam exuding an underlying greediness. Mrs Putnam whose main concern is finding out about her deceased baby’s reserves herself as a religious woman who has done no wrong and therefore it must be witchcraft killing her babies. On the other hand, Mr Putnam is out for pure revenge as he believes he is entitled to land that was taken from his family line and thus will do anything to get it back. Reverend Hale poses as the middleman for these characters own malicious motives and thus is the only character justified in the proceedings for he has no personal vendetta’s in