The Crucible is a tragedy play written by Arthur Miller. AbracaDENIAL! She believed she had seen spirits earlier because she was caught up in the delusions of those around her. In telling people they must confess to their crimes or be hanged, the officials show that they have already decided the person is guilty no matter what evidence is provided in their defense. They could either confess to being guilty and is punished and put into jail or deny any relationship with the devil and be hanged and killed. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. The evolution of his character is due to vairous . Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw [Rebecca Nurse] with the Devil (pg. . 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. Hypocrisy is just one of many personality traits along many spectrums. Miller writes: ''As for Rebecca herself, the general opinion of her character was so high that to explain how anyone dared cry her out for a witchwe must look to the fields and boundaries of that time.'' The cause of the hysteria was caused by Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth. She also ran the local tavern. Miller accomplishes this through almost, if not every character in the story. She puts on a fake front to get what she wants, ultimately creating a persona thats even worse than that of the hypocrites she criticizes. In reality, true irony only happens when a situation is the exact opposite of what you would expect. The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God. Human Flaws in Arthur Miller's The Crucible Many of the characters in Arthur Miller's The Crucible have specific human flaws that cause the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. Do you not know that God damns all liars? The main pillars of traditional power are represented by the law and the church. Danforth explains that witchcraft is an invisible crime and that only the victims are reliable. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. 73), meaning the girls are testing out the extent of the chaos they can create with their newfound power. is hypocrisy a natural human flaw the crucible. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. The importance placed on reputation helps perpetuate hysteria because it leads to inaction, inflexibility, and, in many cases, active sabotage of the reputations of others for selfish purposes. Combining this notion with the one he declared earlier displays the hypocritical nature of Danforth when put in this hysterical. The overall message is that. The crucible, based during the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials of 1692. The theme of guilt is one that is deeply relevant to John Proctor's character development throughout the play. It is part of our carnal nature to hold others to a higher standard than our own. They use children's stories as evidence though not respecting them otherwise. This hysteria-based evidence of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it. Goody Good, an old beggar woman, is one of the first to be named a witch. (Cheever pg. Choose a single character and discuss how this person embodies one of the themes. MPP friends writing about life, love, and everything else in between together. This is taken as evidence that things are really getting out of control ("if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing's left to stop the whole green world from burning." mariana enriquez biography is hypocrisy a natural human flaw the crucible. Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" is a fictional account of the real life Salem witch trials, but the play has far deeper meanings than just a dramatic interpretation of the event. In fact, we've all seen hypocrisy in our daily lives. Envy, Selfishness, and lust for money/power demonstrate the flaws of humanity through the actions of Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Thomas Putnam. Mary Warrens sense of self-importance has increased as a result of the perceived value of her participation in court. The depths of the hysteria that has gripped Salem are revealed in Act 3 when John finally confronts the court. By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. Tituba is conscious that she is in danger, she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back (Miller, pg. The faces that people present to the public are designed to garner respect in the community, but the witch trials have thrown this system into disarray. People were put to death because their neighbors suspected them of committing a crime, but murder is a sin in the Puritan religion. He refers to Johns refusal to confess as a calamity, looking past his own involvement in the larger calamity of the conviction that led John to this point. John feels incredibly ashamed of his affair with Abigail, so he tries to bury it and pretend it never happened. Choose a single character and discuss how this person embodies one of the themes. One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. John tells the judge to summon Elizabeth to back him up because he knows she always tells the truth. Here are a few discussion questions to consider after you've read my summary of how the theme of reputation motivates characters and plot developments in The Crucible: If you're an old beggar woman who sometimes takes shelter in this creepy shack, you better believe these jerks are gonna turn on you as soon as anyone says the word "witch.". Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that Johns confession may not be the truth. Goody Good, an old beggar woman, is one of the first to be named a witch. The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. When Abigail accuses Elizabeth, a respected farmers wife, it shows that she is willing to take big risks to remove Elizabeth from the picture. She beg me make charm (Miller, pg. The Judge forcing people to lie to save their lives he cant see the wrong hes doing. As this hysteria begins to rise, other people such as Thomas Putnam, a rich landowner, start to also allege Salem villagers. 123). Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Human flaws such as lust for power, greed and jealousy explain the errors many tragic figures from books make, from Mr Kurtz to Lord Voldemort. The Devil has returned putting children under his control is what many people believed in Salem village in 1962. 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. Parris begs Danforth to postpone their hangings because he fears for his life if the executions proceed as planned. Hale truly believes that the accused have been marked by the Devil. The Crucible is commonly viewed as an allegorical representation of the communist "witch hunts" conducted in the 1950s. In a case like this, you'd be writing directly about a specific theme in connection to one of the characters. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. When this fallacy is used, the unrealistic characteristic is undesirable, causing the other person to look bad. As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. An ad hominem means that it shifts the argument away from the issue to a personal attack on the person involved. Reverend Parris, the paranoid widower and heaven-ordained minister of the town of Salem, was, simply put, a hypocrite. She says, "My name is good in the village! Here are a few questions about hysteria to consider now that you've read a summary of how this theme was expressed throughout the plot of the play: Even though there is significant reason to believe Abigail is lying about Elizabeth's familiar spirit stabbing her, the frenzied investigators ignore testimony that challenges their chosen witchy narrative. To illustrate this, he simultaneously shows the Puritan belief system while describing characters that do not obey that system, yet pretend to in their daily lives. Great, character-driven stories often have deeply flawed characters at their heart. Rebecca Nurse is a pure soul, who always took care of other people's children. 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. Elizabeth is defined by her relationship to John, and Mary is pushed around by other characters (mostly men) throughout the play. 119). He appears to have no governing system of morality. He. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. When she cant get John to abandon Elizabeth for her, she decides to take matters into her own hands and gain control through manipulating the fears of others. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. If you hope to write an awesome essay onThe Crucible, you should have extensive knowledge of its themes. 133). Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. Throughout the play, Miller is introducing multiple characters that experience changes in their decisions and negatively influence more people eventually leading up to the witch trials. Many of us in today's society do not believe in this; however, the Puritans really did believe that people could be vessels for the Devil. It is another trait we inherited from them, and it has helped to discipline us as well as to breed hypocrisy among us.'' As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. Salem is under attack from the hysteria that is encouraged by the same people who seek to keep imaginary supernatural demons at bay. In The Crucible, they all fear witchcraft, because there is a rumor going around. In the case of a play like The Crucible, themes are revealed mainly through the dialogue of the characters. 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. 130). Why is everyone so quick to believe Abigails story? Here's another example of a potential essay question for The Crucible that's less explicit in its request for you to discuss themes of the play: "Most of the main characters in the play have personal flaws and either contribute to or end up in tragedy. Parris is extremely dismayed by this revelation because of the damage it will do to his reputation. It caused many people, in Salem during this event to think fast, rash and jump to conclusions. What the people of Salem have seen as demonic possessions of the girls is nothing more than an act of deception. Being a person, from Latin persona ("mask", per and soneo - "resound") means precisely "being a mask . In Act 3, Abigails power in the courthouse is on display. Mary Warren exemplifies hypocrisy extraordinarily well in the scene when she and Proctor travel to the courthouse so she can confess that the girls have pretended everything and they never actually saw spirits. Essay questions that ask about themes in this straightforward way can be tricky because there's a temptation to speak in vague terms about the theme's significance. 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. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials. I feel like its a lifeline. When Hale asks him to recite his commandments, the only one he forgets is adultery. While touting his holy credentials, he claims that he dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of my conscience may doubt it (pg. Two characters who demonstrate how mob mentality can lead to the demise of Salem are Abigail and Mary Warren. Hale pg. Rational explanations are ground up by the drama of the rumor mill, and people see only what they want to see (whatever keeps them in the good graces of society andmakes them feel the best about themselves) in situations that don't appear to have easy explanations. He is somewhat responsible for all of the witch trials; if he wouldn't of committed adultery with Abigail, she wouldn't have gone on her rampage of blaming people. Though actions are often motivated by fear and desires for power and revenge, they are also propped up by underlying worries about how a loss of reputation will negatively affect characters' lives. The play takes place in the city of Salem, a city filled with people that would do anything to keep their reputation clean. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. Both Hale and Proctor don't want to live with the consequences of their mistakes, so they try to ignore or undo their past actions. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. Danforth explains his inability to free the accused people because, twelve are already hanged for the same crime. He insists,I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie (pg. 129). is hypocrisy a natural human flaw the crucible 16 is hypocrisy a natural human flaw the crucible. Essay prompts will ask about these themes in a variety of different ways. How to use hypocrisy in a sentence. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about the Salem witch trials. Nowhere is there any consideration of ulterior motives. By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. 61). As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. Hereferences the many sentencing decisions he has already made in the trials of the accused. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. The Bible that the Puritans swore to live by is not being honored when they used the trials to condemn their neighbors to death. The Crucible by Arthur Miller, is a play based upon events that occurred in Salem circa 1690s. The human lust and want for power has been and is the base of each and every witch-hunt. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Arthur Miller speaks of Reverend Parris, stating: ''until this strange crisis he, like the rest of Salem, never conceived that the children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak.''. Abigail, on the other hand, faces an uphill battle towards more power over her situation. The other two main female characters, Elizabeth and Mary Warren, are somewhat bland. Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of the daughter of a prince (pg. One such example would be the scene in which Proctor and Parris are discussing Parris style of sermon, when Parris randomly exclaims that he is not being provided with as much wood as his contract spells out, as well as arguing for an extra six pounds per year. Upon arriving in the court Mary Warren says, I cannot lie no more. John Proctor sabotages his own reputation in Act 3 after realizing it's the only way he can discredit Abigail. As he says,How may I live without my name? Answer (1 of 7): In that all states of mind occur due to the nature of the brain, yes, hypocrisy is natural in people with that tendency. She is enraged when Parris questions her suspicious dismissal from the Proctor household. He has sentenced people to death based on lies about their dealings in black magic, and he has accepted other false confessions from those who would rather lie than be executed. The importance placed on reputation helps perpetuate hysteria because it leads to inaction, inflexibility, and, in many cases, active sabotage of the reputations of others for selfish purposes. Proctor changes from a normal citizen and sinner to a tragic hero with a high sense of morality. Why does Mary Warren behave differently when she becomes involved in the trials? This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. 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. Miller explains this further: ''long-held hatreds of neighbors could now be openly expressed, and vengeance taken, despite the Bible's charitable injunctions.'' Abigail Williams was the main accuser of withes in Salem, and in her accusations she gained power in the town. Always include specific details, including direct quotes, to support your argument about how the theme is expressed in the play. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. This is a lesson in how fear can twist perceptions of reality even for those who consider themselves reasonable under normal circumstances. Abigail insists that she did nothing to deserve it and tries to put all the blame on Elizabeth Proctor. Based on the background knowledge of the time, slaves were not considered part of the class system, so she was not valued as a community member. How do outside forces contribute to the character's flaws and eventual downfall?". There are many characters in the Crucible who are guilty of taking innocent lives, but there are three major characters who, without a doubt, are the most at blame. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. In reality, he is constantly judging himself, and this leads to outbursts of anger against others who remind him of what he did (he already feels guilty enough!). Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that Johns confession may not be the truth. 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. 61). The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. The Crucible presents a view of women that essentially reduces them to caricatures of human beings that are defined by their roles as mothers, wives, and servants to men. These attributes are seen in both character, John Proctor from Arthur Millers play, The Crucible, set in Salem in the early seventeenth century and in Atticus Finch from Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird set in New York in 1950. The Crucible is set during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Well, it's not. Fear that spread among a group of people in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials, that event in history is a prime example of Mass Hysteria. This is ironic becausesearching for "the Devil's marks" as the potential cause of an ailment is inherently superstitious. Abigails power skyrockets as the hysteria grows more severe. Proctors strengths consist of, honesty and pride. Create your account, 7 chapters | Even Judge Danforth, supposedly a reliable source of justice and solidity, goes against what he knows to be true by forcing those arrested to either confess to crimes they did not commit or face the gallows, all to save his name and prevent it from looking like he had hanged innocent people. Parris begs Danforth to postpone their hangings because he fears for his life if the executions proceed as planned. The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. One of humanity's biggest flaws is that people would do anything to help themselves. He is appalled by Elizabeths lack of emotion when he asks her to help the court get a confession out of her husband (pg. 50). Tituba, the slave of Reverend Parris, is the first to admit to dancing with the devil. The most substantial female character is Abigail, who is portrayed as a devious and highly sexualized young woman. 119). The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. At first, Mary is being honest by admitting that Elizabeth . Is there any character besides John Proctor that represents the voice of common sense amidst the madness? Arthur Miller pokes fun at this in his commentary in the play and explains his intentions to the audience. In steadfastly refusing to confess, Rebecca Nurse holds onto a great deal of power. Shes not a traditionally accepted target like the others (except in her susceptibility as a woman to the misogyny that runs rampant in the play).
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