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How do the witch trials empower individuals who were previously powerless? Abigail, in particular, has quickly risen from a nobody to one of the most influential people in Salem. Jennifer has taught high school English for eight years and has a master's degree in curriculum and assessment. They are extremely biased towards believing they have made the correct sentencing decisions in court thus far, so they are reluctant to accept new evidence that may prove them wrong. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 I feel like its a lifeline. Parris is very quick to position himself on the side of the accusers as soon as Abigail throws the first punch, and he immediately threatens violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. succeed. When Abigail accuses Elizabeth, a respected farmers wife, it shows that she is willing to take big risks to remove Elizabeth from the picture. Here are a few questions related to this theme that you can use to test your grasp of irony and its significance as a theme in The Crucible: Hale wrongly assumes that his academic mindset will save him from jumping to the wrong conclusions in the witchcraft investigation. Why doesnt John immediately tell the court that he knows Abigail is faking? Miller includes some commentary on Hale: ''One cannot help noting that one of his lines has never yet raised a laugh in any audience that has seen this play; it is his assurance that, 'We cannot look to superstition in this. As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the setting is Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600s where the towns pious Puritan beliefs directly influence their government. Johns concern for his reputation is strong throughout the play, and his hesitation to reveal Abigails true nature is a product of his own fears of being labeled an adulterer. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. All rights reserved. These. If you can show that you understand the themes of a work of literature, you've clearly mastered the material on a deeper level. A character named Abigail lived with proctor and his wife and his two sons. Abigail, the one character who breaks from this mold slightly, is portrayed extremely unsympathetically despite the fact that the power dynamic between her and John makes him far more culpable in their illicit relationship. Why is hypocrisy so common in repressive communities like Salem? She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. These connections will bolster your responses by positioning them in relation to the most important concepts discussed throughout the play. Abigail Williams was the main accuser of withes in Salem, and in her accusations she gained power in the town. He questions Abigail aggressively because hes worried his enemies will learn the full story of what happened in the woods first and use it to discredit him. 44) but realizes that her word against Abigail will not stand. She was seen as a grandmother to the village. | Certified Educator Arthur Miller clearly wants the audience to empathize with John Proctor in The Crucible, and we know this based on the principles for which he stands. Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack. Abigail distracts the judges from any rational investigation in this act by playing into this hysteria. The second major theme in The Crucible (and one that teachers often ask about) is fear and hysteria. Other essay questions may not ask you directly about the themes listed in this article, but that doesn't mean that the themes are irrelevant to your writing. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. Miller accomplishes this through almost, if not every character in the story. As much as I loved Bernie Sanders, he made millions of dollars while preaching for democratic. Giles got arrested for contempt. hypocrisy is a flaw in human character that can be avoided if chosen to be. " jesus christThe simple answer is of course, yes! The main point that the story revolves around is that people would rather lie and blame someone else instead of confessing and accepting the punishment. He is weak and vulnerable after Abigail's theft of his life's savings, and hes even facing death threats from the townspeople as a result of John and Rebecca's imminent executions. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Score, list of every single character in the play, details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. Ann Putnam jumps at any opportunity to blame supernatural forces for the deaths of her children. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. John Proctor sabotages his own reputation in Act 3 after realizing it's the only way he can discredit Abigail. 130). The turmoil in Salem is propelled forward by desires for revenge and power that have been simmering beneath the town's placid exterior. What makes Danforth so unwilling to consider that the girls could be pretending? In Act 2, the value of reputation in Salem starts to butt heads with the power of hysteria and fear to sway peoples opinions (and vengeance to dictate their actions). He shows the hypocrisy of the Puritans by showing their belief system and how they have not acted in accordance with those beliefs. Sure, you don't expect or want rain, but it's not the polar opposite of getting married. The play loosely follows the tale of Salem and how the trials came to pass. This mob mentality leads to unthoughtful acts and false accusations. makes them feel the best about themselves. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. Even with prompts that ask you to discuss a specific character or plot point, you can find ways to connect your answer to major themes. This includes not only accusatory lies about the involvement of others in witchcraft but also the lies that people consistently tell about their own virtuousness and purity in such a repressive society. The Crucible remains a staple of high school English because it is rich in themes that are consistently relevant to human beings regardless of time period. Hypocrisy is not simply failing to practice those virtues that one preaches, or known as saying one thing but doing another. Great, character-driven stories often have deeply flawed characters at their heart. Do you not know that God damns all liars? Rebecca Nurse, a woman whose character was previously thought to be unimpeachable, is accused and arrested. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. As Reverend Hale says to Danforth, Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellions spoke? (Act 4, pg. How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? Compare and contrast three authority figures in this drama: Hale, Danforth, and Parris. Hypocrisy is "the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform". Parris begs Danforth to postpone their hangings because he fears for his life if the executions proceed as planned. They say not to use superstition when dealing with the Devil, who is in fact a superstition used to cover up the sinful dealings of the people. This attitude comes from a man who has shown no remorse for condemning people to death throughout the play. Danforth makes a shocking argument defending the way the trials have been conducted, insisting that only the victims testimony can serve as reliable evidence in this type of trial. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. 6). Always include specific details, including direct quotes, to support your argument about how the theme is expressed in the play. She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. This lie essentially condemns both of them. In this act, she yells Dont lie! at Tituba immediately before she tells some of the most damning lies of the play accusing Tituba of witchcraft (She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. Hale doesnt realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark. The Crucible by Arthur Miller. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller many people panicked from the witch hysteria which caused many to be accused of being witches, Judge Danforth decided what happens to the accused witches and is the most corrupted in Salem because his power of being a judge made him go overboard with his decisions on people. The ruthlessness with which the suspected witches are treated is aimed at purifying Salem, but it achieves the opposite outcome. The madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. The cause of the hysteria was caused by Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth. As the story progresses, Danforth and many other officials begin to realize that the entire situation in Salem progressed to far and honest people will continue to die unless they can convince people to lie in order to save themselves. We saw that Arthur Miller used the Puritans in The Crucible to explore the themes, or main ideas of a text, in order to make the statement that society can be hypocritical and that we should question intentions. Though their Bible would forbid murder, they condemn people to death with an excuse of witchcraft just to get land. It can be hard for the deaf and hard of hearing to become engaged in theater. No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted. Being in contact with someone else means mediating between ourselves and the other. Many of the conflicts that occurred in the play were caused by Abigail Williams. In the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller repeatedly portrays that duplicity and deceit are a natural part of human lives. This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme. Her jealousy of Elizabeth Proctors position as Johns wife has led her to attempted murder, first by the charm in the woods and now by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. Elizabeth is a victim of cruel irony in this Act when she is summoned to testify on the reasons why she dismissed Abigail from her household. 12) The first act of The Crucibleclearly establishes the fact that a bad reputation can damage a persons position in this society severely and irreparably. The play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller demonstrates the implications of a society in complete chaos over an irrational fear of witchcraft in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. He questions Abigail aggressively because hes worried his enemies will learn the full story of what happened in the woods first and use it to discredit him. The town, already primed with rumors of black magic, is quickly willing to accept that the first few women who are accused are involved in black magic because theyre beggars and slaves. 133). The authorities ignore any inconvenient logical objections to the proceedings because they, too, are swept up in the madness. In steadfastly refusing to confess, Rebecca Nurse holds onto a great deal of power. The classic example of an incorrect use of irony is in Alanis Morisette's song "Ironic" when she says that "rain on your wedding day" is an example of irony. The girls are essentially given permission by authority figures to continue their act because they are made to feel special and important for their participation. She is clearly outspoken and dominant, but her initial position in society is one of very little influence and authority. The Crucible provides an example of how convenient lies can build on one another to create a universally accepted truth even in the absence of any real evidence. Before I get into the nitty-gritty of howThe Cruciblethemes are expressed, let's do a quick overview of what themes are and why they matter. We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. She beg me make charm (Miller, pg. This is also the commandment that he has violated most explicitly, so youd think it would be the first one to spring to mind. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. By examining the characters of the play, I believe that the three major characters who should be blamed the most for the witch trials are Abigail Williams. The court's attempts to preserve Puritan morality by arresting and executing accused witches ironically lead to the removal of the most virtuous people from society. The most substantial female character is Abigail, who is portrayed as a devious and highly sexualized young woman. First off, what is irony? Not living up to our beliefs, opinions,virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards is not a hypocrisy.Hypocrisy is pretending (and lying to others) to have them when we don't. The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. While I speak Gods law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering (pg. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Miller fills us in on much of the history in breaks in the play where he offers commentary in his own voice. The depths of the hysteria that has gripped Salem are revealed in Act 3 when John finally confronts the court.