Tyranny in the Crucible
Literature occasionally takes the form of mirror – reflecting and commenting on the situation in a society. In “The Crucible”, Arthur Miller, remarks on the tyranny obvious in the society of Salem, Massachusetts, during the late seventeenth century.
In the book, Timebends: A Life, Miller declares: “I can almost tell what the political situation in a country is when the play is suddenly a hit there — it is either a warning of tyranny on the way or a reminder of tyranny just past.”
Tyranny denotes a cruel and oppressive exercise of power. In ancient Greece, it implied a rule by one who has absolute power without legal right.
The Puritanical theocracy that rules the people assumes the function of a tyrant whereas the latter explanation better expresses the situation the Salemites find themselves in as a result of individuals in the community. The major contributor is Abigail Williams.
The crux of tyranny is the fear, sometimes irrational, it evokes in the people subject to it.
At the closing stages of Act 1, Abigail has induced fright and alarm in the hearts of young girls such as Mary Warren and Betty Parris. She has achieved this by manipulating them using threats as well as physical pain. Phrases such as, “I’ll beat you, Betty!” and actions to the effect of smashing girls across the face augment the supremacy Abigail holds.
Because of their fear for their lives and their reputations, the children obey Abigail’s command to not deviate from the account she has given of their night in the woods. Even John Proctor is reluctant to go against her word because of the way it could soil his reputation if news of their affair came out.
The people’s trepidation with regard to the church and the theocratic government, ultimately leads to the demise of tranquillity and the death of innocent citizens. Although upheld with the best of intentions, theocracy was utilized as a weapon against the accused in the Salem witch-hunt.
Deliberate and unintentional
In the book, Timebends: A Life, Miller declares: “I can almost tell what the political situation in a country is when the play is suddenly a hit there — it is either a warning of tyranny on the way or a reminder of tyranny just past.”
Tyranny denotes a cruel and oppressive exercise of power. In ancient Greece, it implied a rule by one who has absolute power without legal right.
The Puritanical theocracy that rules the people assumes the function of a tyrant whereas the latter explanation better expresses the situation the Salemites find themselves in as a result of individuals in the community. The major contributor is Abigail Williams.
The crux of tyranny is the fear, sometimes irrational, it evokes in the people subject to it.
At the closing stages of Act 1, Abigail has induced fright and alarm in the hearts of young girls such as Mary Warren and Betty Parris. She has achieved this by manipulating them using threats as well as physical pain. Phrases such as, “I’ll beat you, Betty!” and actions to the effect of smashing girls across the face augment the supremacy Abigail holds.
Because of their fear for their lives and their reputations, the children obey Abigail’s command to not deviate from the account she has given of their night in the woods. Even John Proctor is reluctant to go against her word because of the way it could soil his reputation if news of their affair came out.
The people’s trepidation with regard to the church and the theocratic government, ultimately leads to the demise of tranquillity and the death of innocent citizens. Although upheld with the best of intentions, theocracy was utilized as a weapon against the accused in the Salem witch-hunt.
Deliberate and unintentional