Few experiences are as helpful for us to understand ourselves and our world as reading a great work of literature. When we read about interesting characters, we learn how to recognize the faults that affect us all. In Arthur Miller's play, the Crucible ,an examination of the characters teachers us about the dangers of hypocrisy, peer pressure, and personal, weakness. The hypocrisy of the characters in this play shows that they only care about the selves, and not about what they preach. For example, early in the play, there is a scene where Parris taking to Abigail about seeing girls dancing in the forest, and his worried about losing his job if people of the village find out. Parris tells Abigail "But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest…
In The Crucible Miller demonstrates the evils within the human nature through the experience of the Salem Witch Trials. Many characters in this play endure their own personal crucibles. First, Elizabeth Proctor has the ignominy of keeping a terrible secret. Also, Giles Corey goes through a deadly trial trying to protect his neighbor. Finally, Mary Warren, a shy and timid girl, has the impossible task of going against Abigail and the court. Each of these characters’ crucibles are very excruciating, but only some pass while others fail.…
Power is the thing that no human can resist. It’s so tempting even if they do not see the power at first they will eventually catch on. Psychologically it is so grasping, some may say it turns humans into monsters, but on the contrary, those people were already like that. For example in the book The Crucible, a young woman by the name of Abigail Williams was caught after dancing in the woods with her friends and slave as they were “casting spells”. This was because she wanted the wife of the house she worked at dead. So on the topic of The Crucible, this book was written to be a connection to what was going on in Arthur Miller's time which was the height of the Cold War and one of the most infamous senators in US history, Joe…
When Hale first questions Abigail about the dancing in the woods she says there was no witchcraft involved, but Hale, wanting to discover witchcraft, continues to question her. Abigail uses Tituba as a scapegoat to avoid having retribution thrown her way. Hale takes the bait and follows suit in turning things on Tituba. “Instantly Abigail points at Tituba ABIGAIL: She made me do it! She made Betty do it!...She makes me drink blood!/HALE: You have sent your soul out upon this child, have you not? Are you gathering souls for the Devil?” (Miller 40-41) Abigail, painting herself as the victim, causes Hale to believe her and turn his interrogation on Tituba. He is caught up in the excitement of things and believes he has begun to discover witchcraft in Salem. He has studied supernatural beings and has no reason to think Abigail could be lying. This notion is furthered when Tituba, herself, confesses. “TITUBA: No, no, don’t hang Tituba! I tell him I don’t desire to work for him, sir.” (Miller 42) Though her confession is somewhat coerced since the thought of a death sentence hangs in the air, Hale listens to her intently and buys every word. “HALE: You are God’s instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil’s agents among us. You are selected, Tituba, you are chose to help us cleanse our village. So speak utterly, Tituba, turn your back on him and face God-face God,…
Honesty is the most important thing in life,and what keeps relationships healthy between people,and hysteria is widespread in many countries. People accuse each other for wrong doing even though they weren’t sure. In The crucible by Arthur miller written in 1692 proposes how people long ago used to act concerning witchcrafts ,and to face in certain situations in Salem, Massachusetts. Most of the people were fanatics and they were involved in prayers and church , they punished the people who don’t obide by the rules of the church.They also weren’t honest to each other , like manipulating and hysteria.There are many themes which are clearly stated in The crucible but the main theme is dishonesty , accusing people for committing wrong doingand hatred between them.…
Author Miller in his play The Crucible explores the lives of people who strictly live under the church’s authority in a theocratic society during the 1690s in Salem, Massachusetts. A community of Puritans with their strong beliefs will cause a paranoia in their entire village. The ministers of the church afraid of losing their power will do anything to keep it. Other individuals seek power for their own personal vendetta. With the use of direct characterization, allusion, and irony Miller shows his readers who has the power, who fears it, and who wants in The Crucible.…
Abigail lies to protects her reputation from the rumors and accusations because a good reputation leads to a stable marriage and adulthood. After the affair gossip spread throughout the town and she is found dancing in the woods, now she is finding herself trying to clean the stain from her reputation. As a result, she tries to put the blame on Tituba when she tells Reverend Hale that,…
In this essay I am going to talk about how weakness, courage, and truth play a role in the Crucible. The first concept I am going to talk about is weakness and how it affected the Crucible.…
power of law and justice to protect them. When the guardians of the law and order misuse their…
In The Crucible, the author, Arthur Miller, demonstrates many examples of the complexity of “good” and “evil” in his characters. He does this through many characters, seen and unseen. Perhaps the most lucid representations of these two ideas are achieved through the acts of manipulation, anger, hate, and pureness that a few characters consistently provide.…
“The Crucible” by Arthur Miller shows the meaning of tragedy. Arthur Miller wrote this book to show the meaning of devastation and destruction of one’s community and how corrupt the government can be. In the 1600s tragedy broke out in the town of Salem, Massachusetts because of the demonic ways of its citizens.…
Joseph Smith Jr. once said “Although I do wrong, I do not the wrongs that I am charged with doing; the wrong that I do is through the frailty of human nature, like other men, no man lives without fault.” John Proctor and The Crucible are great examples of what Joseph Smith Jr. said. “I do not wrongs that I am charged with doing… No man lives without faults,” these words are the essence of The Crucible. He has done wrong, just like all the others. They are not being charged with what they’ve done wrong though. They’re being charged with witchcraft. Though, Proctor can be arrogant, and tempered at times he tries his best to do what’s right. In The Crucible, John Proctor has done his share of wrongs, but throughout the play he makes an attempt…
After the Salem Witch trials pick up irreversible speed, Abigail decides to utilize her position to her advantage and drive a wedge between Proctor and his wife once again. Abigail even admits that she has “a heat [for John]” and “looks for the John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart” (Miller 24). Evidently, Abigail still has repressed desires for John. Given that Abigail and John’s affair ended poorly with Abigail fired from her job due to Elizabeth, Abigail not only lusts for John, but also looks to seek revenge on his wife, Elizabeth. In Act II of the play when Elizabeth is anonymously accused of witchcraft, she automatically associates Abigail saying that “[Abigail] wants me dead” and “I knew it all week it would come to this” (Miller 60). Abigail’s lust for John and jealousy of Elizabeth motivated her to lie to achieve her repressed desires. As the accusations keep spreading around the town, even Proctor comes to realization that Abigail “thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave” (110). Abigail’s lust for John takes the accusations to extremes where no one is safe, and Abigail’s unchallenged dishonesty gives her free reign over the outcome of the trials. Her lies not only help her accomplish her selfish agenda, but also give her a power over the entire town. While lust or love is a main drive…
Something that I think both the crucible and this article talk about and focus on is how people are power hungry and how they want to gain power and leverage over other people. One example is the judges in the court. Judge Danforth found a lot of power by signing death warrants. He liked signing them because he felt like he could scare people into doing what he wanted them to do and listen to them. In the…
Humans always want what they do not have, they try to deny it but it is inevitable. The crucible by Arthur Miller has many selfish people. First, people want thing and act selfishly. Second, People do selfish things when they want something. Third, others are hurt when people act selfishly. When characters act selfishly to get something they want, others are hurt.…