Examples Of Dignity In The Crucible
People’s Lost Dignity As the girls screamed hysterically, Mary Warren, helpless, realizes that she is trapped: the vengeance of the girls about to befall her. People develop traits causing the immature to lose dignity while giving them a false impression they are making themselves better, but in reality they are only making themselves worse. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible takes place in Salem Massachusetts 1662, in a time of struggle. Vengeance rules the hearts of the people, cowardliness clouds their thoughts, and deceit rules their, as the people lash out against each other in a period known as the “witch trials.” Vengeance appears throughout Salem, thriving on hypocrisy of the people who claim to be Christians. It all starts when Abigail
…show more content…
Williams a teenage girl living with her uncle Reverend Parris, goes dancing in the woods naked, drinking blood, and putting curses on her fellow townspeople. The reason for this being the jealousy, lust and greed that lie in the hearts of most humans, especially teenagers. Abigail’s strive for vengeance is caused as she, an insecure girl who wants to be loved has an affair with John Proctor. John Proctor was an older married man with children of his own. To the people Proctor was a symbol of loyalty, honesty, and humbleness. He truly is a good hardworking man. And for all of Proctors good values one fault stands out, that is the lack of self control that overtook him, tempting him, and causing him to give into the lust that he had for Abigail. Proctor’s wife Elizabeth eventually finds out that he cheats on her, and she dismisses Abigail who serves in the Proctor household, spurring on a hatred in Abby that causes many problems. While dancing in the woods Abigail has her slave-woman Tituba puts a curse on Proctor’s wife, And when Abigail finds the punishment for her and her friends ordeal, they throw an act accusing any and every person who has ever done them wrong of witchery, which is punishable by death.
It is incredible the things that cowards will do to cover their own tails.
In the case of Abigail and her friends the girls who will only going to get the possible whipping, they decide to lie, to keep themselves safe. The lie that they tell however is a lie that results in many innocent people’s deaths. Abigail’s cowardliness causes her to shy away from facing her mistakes; the affair, dancing in the woods, her insecurities; and pinpoint, and make known any wrongdoing that her fellow townspeople has committed. When asked of witchery, she turns the blame to anyone that she does not like,especially Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail’s insecurity and inability to let go of Proctor cause her to lust after the position of his wife, as Abigail longs for John to love her as he loves Elizabeth. Abigail shows her cowardice yet again while in court, when Mary Warren finally decides to tell the truth in a burst of courage. However the terrified Abigail decides yet again to shy away from the truth, and attempts to trap Mary in a lie, as she acts as if Mary is Satanically attacking her. The burst of courage from Mary is short lived as she suddenly turns on John the man trying to help her keep her dignity as he encourages her “Do that which is good to the, and no harm will come to thee.” (Miller 88). John is speechless as Mary joins in with Abigail and her friends, and begins pointing her finger at John claiming that she has seen him partake in the works of the
devil. When a person deceives someone, it only hurts themselves and others more. All of the anguish misery, and death in The Crucible is caused by Abigail’s lie. When Abigail lies, this causes others to lie, and the immaturity of the girls cause them to continue to lie. The girls lie to the point that they deceive Reverend Hale into believing that many of the townspeople are witches, a crime punishable by death. As the girls deceived their townspeople, they only deceived themselves, as the put upon themselves the weight of having to know for the rest of their lives that they were responsible for the murders of many innocent people. The girls were not the only ones however who murdered people as Thomas Putnam a greedy man lusting after the land of others, people of the town of witchery knowing that the hypocrite of a Judge trying the “witches” would almost surely find them guilty. This is evidenced by farmer Giles as he accuses Putnam of land grabbing. “Thomas Putnam is reaching out for land.” (Miller 78). The Judge attempts to deceive Proctor who is the only honest man in the courtroom,(to save his life) by asking him to sign himself to lies, and to put the signed piece of paper on the door to the Church which he built. Proctor rips the paper to shreds, and dies an honest man, his only mistake being his affair which he confessed to.
The “witch trials” were a time of absolute chaos as people lunged forward to take full advantage of any chance of revenge for past wrongdoings, as cowardliness showed in the everyday lives of the people,and as deceit forged hateful bonds between townspeople who in previous times had been friends. The want for revenge was ever present. It ruled the hearts of the people, from Abigail to Putnam, from lust to greed, revenge was a problem. Deceit was a powerful issue during this time. It started as one lie, spreading until it was massive, ending in ended lives. Cowardliness showed as people would bow away from the truth. The townspeople allowing their own people killed in order to save their own skin. It is interesting that although John Proctor is one of the most honest men in the book, the one time he is dishonest having an affair with Abigail, is what really leads to all of the issues that appear throughout the book.
Williams a teenage girl living with her uncle Reverend Parris, goes dancing in the woods naked, drinking blood, and putting curses on her fellow townspeople. The reason for this being the jealousy, lust and greed that lie in the hearts of most humans, especially teenagers. Abigail’s strive for vengeance is caused as she, an insecure girl who wants to be loved has an affair with John Proctor. John Proctor was an older married man with children of his own. To the people Proctor was a symbol of loyalty, honesty, and humbleness. He truly is a good hardworking man. And for all of Proctors good values one fault stands out, that is the lack of self control that overtook him, tempting him, and causing him to give into the lust that he had for Abigail. Proctor’s wife Elizabeth eventually finds out that he cheats on her, and she dismisses Abigail who serves in the Proctor household, spurring on a hatred in Abby that causes many problems. While dancing in the woods Abigail has her slave-woman Tituba puts a curse on Proctor’s wife, And when Abigail finds the punishment for her and her friends ordeal, they throw an act accusing any and every person who has ever done them wrong of witchery, which is punishable by death.
It is incredible the things that cowards will do to cover their own tails.
In the case of Abigail and her friends the girls who will only going to get the possible whipping, they decide to lie, to keep themselves safe. The lie that they tell however is a lie that results in many innocent people’s deaths. Abigail’s cowardliness causes her to shy away from facing her mistakes; the affair, dancing in the woods, her insecurities; and pinpoint, and make known any wrongdoing that her fellow townspeople has committed. When asked of witchery, she turns the blame to anyone that she does not like,especially Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail’s insecurity and inability to let go of Proctor cause her to lust after the position of his wife, as Abigail longs for John to love her as he loves Elizabeth. Abigail shows her cowardice yet again while in court, when Mary Warren finally decides to tell the truth in a burst of courage. However the terrified Abigail decides yet again to shy away from the truth, and attempts to trap Mary in a lie, as she acts as if Mary is Satanically attacking her. The burst of courage from Mary is short lived as she suddenly turns on John the man trying to help her keep her dignity as he encourages her “Do that which is good to the, and no harm will come to thee.” (Miller 88). John is speechless as Mary joins in with Abigail and her friends, and begins pointing her finger at John claiming that she has seen him partake in the works of the
devil. When a person deceives someone, it only hurts themselves and others more. All of the anguish misery, and death in The Crucible is caused by Abigail’s lie. When Abigail lies, this causes others to lie, and the immaturity of the girls cause them to continue to lie. The girls lie to the point that they deceive Reverend Hale into believing that many of the townspeople are witches, a crime punishable by death. As the girls deceived their townspeople, they only deceived themselves, as the put upon themselves the weight of having to know for the rest of their lives that they were responsible for the murders of many innocent people. The girls were not the only ones however who murdered people as Thomas Putnam a greedy man lusting after the land of others, people of the town of witchery knowing that the hypocrite of a Judge trying the “witches” would almost surely find them guilty. This is evidenced by farmer Giles as he accuses Putnam of land grabbing. “Thomas Putnam is reaching out for land.” (Miller 78). The Judge attempts to deceive Proctor who is the only honest man in the courtroom,(to save his life) by asking him to sign himself to lies, and to put the signed piece of paper on the door to the Church which he built. Proctor rips the paper to shreds, and dies an honest man, his only mistake being his affair which he confessed to.
The “witch trials” were a time of absolute chaos as people lunged forward to take full advantage of any chance of revenge for past wrongdoings, as cowardliness showed in the everyday lives of the people,and as deceit forged hateful bonds between townspeople who in previous times had been friends. The want for revenge was ever present. It ruled the hearts of the people, from Abigail to Putnam, from lust to greed, revenge was a problem. Deceit was a powerful issue during this time. It started as one lie, spreading until it was massive, ending in ended lives. Cowardliness showed as people would bow away from the truth. The townspeople allowing their own people killed in order to save their own skin. It is interesting that although John Proctor is one of the most honest men in the book, the one time he is dishonest having an affair with Abigail, is what really leads to all of the issues that appear throughout the book.