Preview

Irony in the Crucible

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
557 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Irony in the Crucible
Irony in The Crucible In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible there is a severe amount of irony during the Salem witch trials. The idea of the witch trials was to find peace in Salem but dolefully brought conflict and death to the community. There are numerous events that pertain irony such as Elizabeth lying to the court about her husband committing adultery, how the society was supposed to be moral but is very greedy and cold, and how the court system is not based on justice but merely about gaining power. Elizabeth Proctor has always been candid woman. She speaks only the truth and believes honesty will bring her closer to God. In the play Elizabeth is taken to court to be questioned on her and John Proctors relationship. Elizabeth only wants what’s best for her husband and lies about his affair with Abigail Williams. John quotes “’I have known her, sir. I have known her.’" (115) Unfortunately John had confessed to the court that Abigail and him had a sexual affair. Elizabeth lied to protect her husband and ironically made the situation worse. Since Elizabeth lied, the court then concludes that John is lying to save his wife from the witch accusations.

The Puritan religion is supposed to be based on following God. The people believed that they where chosen by God to live a mannerly and spiritual life. In Salem this was not how the society felt. There wasn’t the vibe of generosity but of selfishness. A society that was expected to be moral failed to do so because of pure greed. Abigail Williams is an example for her bogus witch trials to protect herself she kills innocent people. Also characters such as Reverend Parris, Governor Danforth and Mary Warren show they are very weak and unrighteous. Many people in the play are ironically iniquitous for such a just lifestyle. The court system in Salem was very corrupt. In the Puritan religion it was said that you can’t challenge the word of God. They would use this against people in trials as a way to gain
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    John Proctor's Use Of Dramatic Irony In The Crucible '
    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages

    John Proctor's Use Of Dramatic Irony In The Crucible '

    People were either witches or they weren’t guilty or innocent. If you oppose the court you were held in disregard because the court considered itself unfailing.…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Theme Of Situational Irony In The Crucible
    • 82 Words
    • 1 Page

    Theme Of Situational Irony In The Crucible

    Secondly, situational irony is a discrepancy, or difference between what's expected and what really happens. One such example of this type of irony occurs for the accused; The punishment of "witches". Do they die because they truthfully say they aren't witches or live with the lie that they are? Goody Proctor was a genuine person, and yet died with the truth that she was innocent of witchcraft. What is more important, morals, or your own life? You're the judge of the case.…

    • 82 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examples Of Irony In The Crucible
    • 191 Words
    • 1 Page

    Examples Of Irony In The Crucible

    In every form of entertainment whether it be a movie, book, or play there has to be a problem. For the problem the metaphorical significance is the substance and the vapor. The point of the crucible is to get rid of the substance that is inside the flask. This is saying that the society is trying to get rid of the witch rumors that are going on in Salem. In the play the judge is was trying to get rid of the problem by executing people that were considered witches.…

    • 191 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Elizabeth Proctor Change In The Crucible
    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Does Elizabeth Proctor Change In The Crucible

    In the beginning of the play, Elizabeth has a tense, distant relationship with her husband because he had an affair with Abigail Williams, who is both the Proctors’ antagonist and uses pathos to cause strife between them. Elizabeth still had not been able to forgive John for this, causing their relationship to suffer. However, the accusations brought against them by Abigail force Elizabeth and John to pull together and unite against their accusers. She is able to move past John’s sin when saying, “John, it come to naught that I should forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself” (Miller 138). Elizabeth is able to let John know that she does not hold his sin against him anymore, and he should not as well. Elizabeth also changes from being an incredibly truthful person to one that is willing to lie to save her husband. When John is accused, he tells the court that he has committed adultery with Abigail, and this is why Abigail is accusing him. However, the court does not believe him, so John has Elizabeth brought out to prove to the court that her husband did indeed have an affair. Since Elizabeth has never lied before in her life,…

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Is John Proctor's Role In The Crucible
    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages

    What Is John Proctor's Role In The Crucible

    John Proctor fears his name’s identity, which is evident near the end of the play when he resists Deputy Danforth and Reverend Hale’s posting his name on the church door, accusing him of witchcraft (IV.712-717). John Proctor is Elizabeth Proctor’s husband, who involved in an affair with Abigail Williams when she was still working as the Proctor’s maid. Elizabeth fires Abigail, once she realizes her maid and her husband’s covert relationship. Elizabeth’s dismissal causes Abigail to become very angry, for women had little power at the time, let alone unmarried women like herself. By playing her Mafia-like wailing and doll piercing games and forcing the other Salem girl to participate, Abigail determines to terminate Elizabeth and keep John for herself (460-473). Nevertheless, the court concludes John as a witch when Elizabeth—hoping to keep the Proctor’s honor—twists the story about how she dismissed Abigail. Even though the court understands John to be innocuous man, fearing their reputation, they persist in delivering his a death sentence,…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Salem Witch Trials: Socioeconomics, Religion, and Fear
    • 2828 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Salem Witch Trials: Socioeconomics, Religion, and Fear

    Salem, Massachusetts was a town plagued with both socioeconomic and religious problems in 1692. The town, founded in 1626, was strictly Puritan. Unlike other religions of the time period, such as Catholicism, Puritanism was considered a non-establishment church . Therefore the Puritan beliefs were open to interpretation depending on who was preacher at the time. In this sense the preachers maintained a monopoly on the Puritan Church and what it believed. They used this power to manipulate doctrine, increase membership, and expand individual…

    • 2828 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Crucible: Story of Abigail Williams and the Witch Trials
    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Crucible: Story of Abigail Williams and the Witch Trials

    The various causes of irony presented in the crucible revels that those who are in power create the truth in Salem and those who are powerless lived in fear. The young girls of Salem had the most power to whom was being put to death over actuations of doing witchcraft. Abigail Williams would end up taking 19 people live off of actuations, more importantly all of these innocent people was killed without any evidence that they was doing anything of any short…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Reverend Hale's Decisions In The Crucible
    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Reverend Hale's Decisions In The Crucible

    Even though being discovered was a concern it was lesser a problem to Proctor than the fact that innocent people, including his wife Elizabeth who was accused by Abigail, could be and are being accused of witchcraft. Despite John’s previous efforts, Abigail and her band of young women have the courts convinced, forcing John to tell the courts “I have known her” (to know meaning to have sexual relations with) in order to establish Abigail’s motives, seeing as the affair would establish Abigail as a liar in the sense that she lied about Elizabeth stabbing her (this was the way Abigail accused Elizabeth), discrediting Abigail once and for all (Miller 189). Discrediting Abigail would be a big deal since she was a great driving force to the mass hysteria. Had it not been for his love for the truth and strive for justice, these events would not have never been known. John had quite valid reasons to make these decisions, and seeing the background to these decisions and the hoped outcome, the reason was obvious, he could not see such injustice…

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    John Proctor's Decisions In The Crucible
    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages

    John Proctor's Decisions In The Crucible

    In the beginning of the play, John Proctor in known to have a relationship not only with Elizabeth (his wife) but also his house maid Abigail. Proctor has the power to stop the Salem witch trials at the very beginning by telling everyone that he is an adulterer, but is concerned about his reputation being bad in the society. He does not want to be looked down upon. This shows how society's outlook of people affect the decisions that Proctor makes. Elizabeth knows that her husband was an adulterer but does not tell anyone about this. She thinks that people will look down upon her for not being as attractive as Abigail; she also does not want to ruin the reputation of her husband because her husband’s reputation is her reputation and her family's. Even in court, Elizabeth Proctor does not confess. In addition to that, people had also accused Proctor of being a witch. Proctor would have to lie and say that he was with the devil and name some people that are still with the devil. The court wanted Proctor to sign his name so they could post it on the church door and in reaction he says, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller 143). This…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Synthesis Essay the Crucible
    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Synthesis Essay the Crucible

    During the time period of the “Salem Witch Trials” in 1692, there were believes that the devil was present in the small village. The main cause of this outbreak begin with Abigail Williams, a girl with has an “Endless capacity for dissembling” (Bonnet) out of a lust for John Proctor and jealousy for his wife Elizabeth Proctor. Witchcraft in Salem started when Abigail and a group of girls were caught dancing in the woods bye Reverend Parris the minister of the church. Abigail wasn’t only caught dancing but drinking blood to kill Elizabeth Proctor. In fear of rumors and being punished for their actions the girls denied everything, some even acted sick. When accused of their actions they said the devil made them and that they saw other people in the village with the devil. The outbreak begins, in a puritan religion this would not be accepted nor tolerated. Something had to be done, and the way to relieve these problems was to hang people guilty. Witchcraft in Salem didn’t just involve a couple people but it involved a whole town. It was more than the accusations of the devil being present in the village but “A long overdue opportunity for everyone so inclined to express publicity” (Miller). This could finally express there long held hatred for their neighbors and take vengeance on them.…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Crucible Quotes Analysis
    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Crucible Quotes Analysis

    John committed adultery with Abigail Williams. But feeling so bad for his actions he never wanted to commit adultery again “I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again” page 22 act one. This quote shows an extreme bloody image to emphasize the strength and determination that John will never cheat again. But Abigail did not feel the same she proclaims that John Proctor is in love with her. But John denies the accusation and claims that his love is for his wife Elizabeth Procter. This crushed Abigail, so she decided that since she can’t have John Proctor, Elizabeth can’t either. She decided to come up with a lie that Elizabeth is proctor is a witch of Salem. Later in the book Elizabeth Proctor is arrested and put on trial for witchcraft by her accuser Abigail Williams. She later confessed to witchcraft and she was thrown in jail. Her execution was put on hold for her accusation of being pregnant. John Proctor went into court to defend his wife, but later on ended up confessing to lechery, but the court didn't believe him. He then turned to his servant Mary Warren to testify against Abigail Williams and the rest of the other girls for lying about witchcraft. But Mary Warren was threatened and so terrified by Abigail Williams that she lied and testified against John Proctor proclaiming he used his spirit to drag her into court and testify…

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis
    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis

    The land of the free and land of equality was not what America was displaying in the McCarthy era. This shows irony because the rights of the accused were violated, they were not treated fairly. In the Salem witch trials if the accused confessed to being a witch they lived, if they were brave enough to stand for them selves and not lie, they were put to death. This is irony in itself. A supposed pure, virtuous, young Abigail Williams was a hypercritical and ironic character throughout the play. Abigail was a conniving, revengeful, harlot. She, along with many other young girls, accused many innocent people of witchery to cover not only her faults and lies but also many of the girls that followed her. Mary Warren, a young girl that worked in the Proctor household, made a poppet while at the trials in the presence of Abigail; it was later pinned on Elizabeth Proctor that she made a voodoo doll in attempt to kill Abigail. The adulterer, John Proctor, was accused of being the devils advocate when trying to reveal the lies of the girls whom had started all the witch trials. When fighting to…

    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Importance Of A Good Name In The Crucible
    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Importance Of A Good Name In The Crucible

    In act three of the story Abigail tells everyone how her and John Proctor had sexuall relations, so Danfourth questions Elizabeth to see if she knows anything about it. Before the questioning John told Elizabeth about him and Abigail and he told her to tell the truth and to admit it to the jury that he had committed the crime of lechery. When the day of questioning finally comes Danforth asks if John Proctor has ‘committed the crime of lechery?” and Elizabeth simply replied “no,sir” (Miller 11). Elizabeth lied for her husband even though he told her not to because she did not want to spoil his name to the whole town of Salem . She knew that he could not “live without [his ]name(Miller…

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Hysteria In The Crucible
    • 1655 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Hysteria In The Crucible

    The strict Puritan community of Salem influenced a great deal. For example, “All in all, 72 people were accused and brought to trial; 19 were hanged. The rest confessed to avoid execution”(“The Salem Witch Trials”). Victim’s lives as well as their families were changed forever. Whenever another person was hanged, another family was broken apart. The people who confessed had to live with that the rest of their lives. The play states, “To all intents and purposes, the power of theocracy in Massachusetts was broken”(Miller 146). The Salem Witch Trials were the end of Puritanism. After seeing what happened, people did not want to participate in the Puritan church, so they left and the religion…

    • 1655 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Allegory In The Crucible
    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Allegory In The Crucible

    Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a very wise piece that perfectly explains the story of two time periods. Although Miller literally wrote about the Salem witch trials, his purpose was to describe the McCarthy trials which teaches many ideas about human life both generally and regarding politics. The two time periods were more than two and a half centuries apart, yet they had many factors that overlapped. Miller explains the McCarthy trials through The Crucible by teaching people’s fears, faults, and politics, making the text both a metaphor to the trials and an allegory.…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics