The Crucible Political Analysis
Devon Schrum
Mrs. Fenton
Group
16 January 2014
Imagine a noose tightening around your neck. You can hear voices calling you a witch and a traitor. This is what it must have been like to live in seventeenth century Massachusetts. In 1692, mass hysteria swept over Salem village. Hundreds of people were accused of being witches. Many innocent people were killed because of the accusations pinned against them. Many historians researched the Salem witch trials and The Crucible and found that politics played a big role in the trials. The politics of Salem village were a major cause of the Salem witch trials. First, politics play an important role in The Crucible and therefore, in the cause of the Salem witch trials. In the Puritan society …show more content…
the reverend of the church is supposed to be a Godly person and a leader. In The Crucible Reverend Parris is disliked by a group of people. Parris is not that great of a leader. For example he says, “There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit” (Miller 1239). The people in his village are scared and are in danger and he is only worried about losing his power. A good leader and pastor does not worry about himself. He cares about the people he’s leading and teaching. It is ironic that Parris is a reverend because in the Bible it is a sin to put yourself above others. Another example is when Parris says, “I know that you- you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me” (Miller 1241). Parris said this to Thomas Putnam, who dislikes Parris. Parris seems oblivious to the fact that some of his closest friends hate him. Another good quality of a leader is that he knows and recognizes his enemies. If Parris cannot do this how can he lead a whole society? Some people in the village did not trust Parris. For example here is a quote from John Proctor. “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it”. Proctor explains that he does not see Parris Godly at all. What all these quotes portray is that Parris is a bad leader and reverend. Also Parris has become a target for the people to blame him for allowing witchcraft in the village. If the reverend is not Godly that can encourage witchcraft and sin in the community.
Secondly, in The Crucible there were many great examples of political aspects, but historical research shows similar examples.
The article, “Political Aspects”, is specifically about how politics played a role in the trials. The article talks all about how the residents of Salem Village were a major cause of the trials. For example the article states that “The residents of Salem were divided into two main groups…the residents that wanted to separate consisted mainly of Farmers”. Salem was separated into two different groups, the people who wanted to stay and the people who wanted to leave. The farmers, like John Proctor, disliked Parris and wanted to leave. They thought that the economy was too individualistic and went against Puritan law. The Puritans were only caring about themselves even though the Bible says to put others before yourself. The political situation led to many strained relationships. “Political Aspects” also says, “This complicated political situation had quite an impact on the Salem Witch Trials. The strained relationship between the two groups is what led to the hiring and eventual removal of Rev. Parris”. This proves that even though the two groups disagreed about almost everything, they did not like Parris. They both did not see him as a good leader. He did not have the qualities to keep a society in distress afloat. The whole conflict in Salem was very immature. The two groups were fighting and were accusing each other of witchcraft. “When the accusations began, the members of one group tended to accuse members of their opposing group of witchcraft.” The article blatantly states that both groups were accusing each other. Eventually the situation gets so bad that the two groups crumble and everyone starts accusing each other and no one could be
trusted.
The politics of Salem Village is what ultimately caused its downfall. A weak leader and a reverend who preached only about the devil helped cause the Salem Witch Trials. Also the fact that the village was split into two groups created hostility and started the accusations of witchcraft in the village. Both The Crucible and the historical research made those facts evident.
Works Cited
Fiaz, Shah “Political Aspects” msu.edu “n.d.” 12/16/13
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Pretince Hall Literature The American Experience. Upper Saddle, NJ: Prentince Hall, 2002. Print.
Mrs. Fenton
Group
16 January 2014
Imagine a noose tightening around your neck. You can hear voices calling you a witch and a traitor. This is what it must have been like to live in seventeenth century Massachusetts. In 1692, mass hysteria swept over Salem village. Hundreds of people were accused of being witches. Many innocent people were killed because of the accusations pinned against them. Many historians researched the Salem witch trials and The Crucible and found that politics played a big role in the trials. The politics of Salem village were a major cause of the Salem witch trials. First, politics play an important role in The Crucible and therefore, in the cause of the Salem witch trials. In the Puritan society …show more content…
the reverend of the church is supposed to be a Godly person and a leader. In The Crucible Reverend Parris is disliked by a group of people. Parris is not that great of a leader. For example he says, “There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit” (Miller 1239). The people in his village are scared and are in danger and he is only worried about losing his power. A good leader and pastor does not worry about himself. He cares about the people he’s leading and teaching. It is ironic that Parris is a reverend because in the Bible it is a sin to put yourself above others. Another example is when Parris says, “I know that you- you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me” (Miller 1241). Parris said this to Thomas Putnam, who dislikes Parris. Parris seems oblivious to the fact that some of his closest friends hate him. Another good quality of a leader is that he knows and recognizes his enemies. If Parris cannot do this how can he lead a whole society? Some people in the village did not trust Parris. For example here is a quote from John Proctor. “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it”. Proctor explains that he does not see Parris Godly at all. What all these quotes portray is that Parris is a bad leader and reverend. Also Parris has become a target for the people to blame him for allowing witchcraft in the village. If the reverend is not Godly that can encourage witchcraft and sin in the community.
Secondly, in The Crucible there were many great examples of political aspects, but historical research shows similar examples.
The article, “Political Aspects”, is specifically about how politics played a role in the trials. The article talks all about how the residents of Salem Village were a major cause of the trials. For example the article states that “The residents of Salem were divided into two main groups…the residents that wanted to separate consisted mainly of Farmers”. Salem was separated into two different groups, the people who wanted to stay and the people who wanted to leave. The farmers, like John Proctor, disliked Parris and wanted to leave. They thought that the economy was too individualistic and went against Puritan law. The Puritans were only caring about themselves even though the Bible says to put others before yourself. The political situation led to many strained relationships. “Political Aspects” also says, “This complicated political situation had quite an impact on the Salem Witch Trials. The strained relationship between the two groups is what led to the hiring and eventual removal of Rev. Parris”. This proves that even though the two groups disagreed about almost everything, they did not like Parris. They both did not see him as a good leader. He did not have the qualities to keep a society in distress afloat. The whole conflict in Salem was very immature. The two groups were fighting and were accusing each other of witchcraft. “When the accusations began, the members of one group tended to accuse members of their opposing group of witchcraft.” The article blatantly states that both groups were accusing each other. Eventually the situation gets so bad that the two groups crumble and everyone starts accusing each other and no one could be
trusted.
The politics of Salem Village is what ultimately caused its downfall. A weak leader and a reverend who preached only about the devil helped cause the Salem Witch Trials. Also the fact that the village was split into two groups created hostility and started the accusations of witchcraft in the village. Both The Crucible and the historical research made those facts evident.
Works Cited
Fiaz, Shah “Political Aspects” msu.edu “n.d.” 12/16/13
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Pretince Hall Literature The American Experience. Upper Saddle, NJ: Prentince Hall, 2002. Print.