Ignorance Vs. Knowledge In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

In Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, there were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft, known as the Salem witch trials. More than 200 people were accused during this time, and thirty were executed. The Salem witch trials were the deadliest witch hunt in North America. During the trials, ignorance rather than knowledge led to many of the accusations. An individual is considered knowledgeable when they act from facts, whereas an individual is considered ignorant when they act from fear. The Crucible by Arthur Miller can be analyzed through the theme of knowledge versus ignorance, which is developed by the characters of Reverend Hale and Thomas Danforth. The character of Thomas Danforth shows how ignorance, especially
He has the reasoning to see that losing your life instead of falsely confessing is not worth it, no matter how glorious it may seem. Hale represents someone knowledgeable throughout The Crucible, not only because of his education, but his basic morality and rational thinking. Reverend Hale in The Crucible demonstrates knowledge rather than ignorance, as a knowledgeable person acts based on facts, while an ignorant person acts out of fear or cowardice. Hale arrives in Salem and says that the Devil shows obvious signs and that they should not rely on superstition to determine whether or not there are witches in Salem. He appears in Salem as an authority figure knowledgeable about witchcraft. Additionally, Hale has a long chunk of dialogue where he says that God may damn a liar less than someone who throws away his life for pride, saying that John Proctor should falsely confess rather than die for a crime he didn't commit. He rationally thinks that it is not worth dying for the “honor” of not lying. The theme of knowledge versus ignorance in The Crucible is relevant to readers because it parallels modern issues with misinformation, social divisions, and the dangers of mass