The Salem Village is described as a theocracy. The narrator describes the village, “Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material or ideological enemies” (1101). So, the village’s system is that God was the true leader of society, which complicates scenarios in the play. Since the town views everything from God’s perspective, they soon go on a wild goose hunt for witches, which they assume is the root of all of the town’s problems. Reverend Parris is a very concerned character who wants to defend anything negative that could be said about him or his family. He exclaims to his niece, “I cannot blink what I saw, Abigail, for my enemies will not blink it” (1104). Abigail wants to confess what happened in the woods to the authorities from keeping her friend from getting accused of being a witch, but Parris wants to keep her from doing this because he knows that their reputation will be ruined from this. Overall, it is clear that Reverend Parris is overly concerned by what his peers think of him. Tituba comes off as a lying character who will cover up the truth to protect herself and others. For example, when she is first brought in she repeatedly denied about having any contact …show more content…
Stuck in her illness, she repeatedly wakes up screaming and in tears. Supposedly, she is taken by the devil, which explains why she can not wake up from her illness and cannot bear to hear the name of God. The narrator explains, “The words ‘going up to Jesus’ are heard in the psalm, and Betttly claps her ears suddenly and whines loudly’ (1110). In other words, Betty is taken by the devil and needs professional help, because it is clear to all of the other characters that she has summoned the devil. Overall, Betty Parris portrays hysterical character traits which can surprise
William Deveney 1 Mr. Moyer English 9 1-18-23 The Crucible and McCarthyism Allegories Connect the Two In the book, The Crucible by Aurthur Miller shows how times can change. Time can change because John Proctor is a man who has a wife in the 1692 time period when the Salem witch trials are happening and John Proctor committed adultery with Abigail Williams and in that time period it's a big deal. McCarthyism is a time in the 1950s when people were falsely accusing people of treason. All of this text connects to
“Theocratic rulers are guided specifically by their religious beliefs and might see themselves as emissaries of their god who are meant to rule their people” (Wise Geek). The priest had believed himself to be Salem’s emissary. The people present during this horrific span of time had endured mass hysteria. It was not uncommon for them to believe that their next door neighbor could perhaps be a ‘witch’. “The Salem Witch Trials officially began in February of 1692, when the afflicted girls accused the first three victims, Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne, of witchcraft” (History of Mass).
The Salem Witch Trials are a black mark on American history and all because teenage girls became hysterical and began making outlandish accusations; Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, written in the 20th century, is his account of the events of that time. The question has been asked: Could something similar to the Salem Witch debacle ever happen again? The answer is yes, something similar to what took place in The Crucible could and still happens in the United States today. The presidential election of 2016 is similar; accusations and allegations, whether true or not, are thrown everywhere and at everyone.
This quote demonstrates how reverend Parris is only interested in his good reputation and will do anything to keep it that way. He makes it clear to Abigail that he had to fight and prove himself to get into the position he is in right now and that he would not let her bad conduct ruin this for him. By saying “stiff necked people” it demonstrates that Parris has no respect for the People of Salem and that he doesn’t really care about their welfare he only looks out for himself as his family. By asking Abigail “your name in the town-it is entirely white, is not”? it shows that he is aware that his niece doesn’t have a good reputation in the town after being fire from the Proctor’s house.
In the first scene, the author begins the story with the image of Reverend Parris kneeling and praying for his daughter, Betty Parris, who was unresponsive on the bed. The room of the first scene is described as spaceful, airy, and pristine. In the first scene, the audience receives a brief inside look on Reverend Parris’ history, such as his struggle to be liked by the Congregation and his indifference toward others. The opening scene also introduces the small town of Salem that serves as the setting of the novel. The “village” by our standards was historically nothing more than a trade post to the rest of Europe, but the people within the region felt a sense of moral responsibility to be a model for the rest of the Christian world.
Religion In The Crucible In The Crucible, religion is a theme that aids in developing the story, it helps to begin the story and build the plot. Religion in the story is what, overall, pushes many people to talk about witchcraft, and blame it on others. Though religion is normally thought of as a thing of value amongst those who follow one, the people of Salem use it to their advantage, as trying to take someone 's land. “Old scores could be settled on a plane of heavenly combat between Lucifer and the Lord” shows how the people of this time period could call a person evil, or a witch, in order to take their property from them, using religion all the while (Miller 8).
(Act I. line 158-167). In the begging of the book Parris stand before his daughter’s bed and talk to Abigail what happened in the wood. At first we will think he is a good father who worried about his daughter, but then throughout his sentences we know he is just care about his position as a minister. “You people seem not to comprehend that a minister is the Lord’s man in the Parish; a minister is not to be so lightly crossed and contradicted—”(Act I. line 823-827). Parris's repeated demonstrations of exceedingly selfish behavior don't help him.
Parris is a very self-centered man and is very embedded in his place in the community. He is a preacher for the church of Salem and his niece and daughter have been “bewitched” or so he thinks. Parris believes what he does is just and that no one should oppose him. This is also why he refuses to let news about his niece and daughter get out, he doesn’t want people to overthrow his position. Parris is a static character due to his nature of unchanging personality wise throughout the crucible, he is always self-centered.
Now, everyone in the room turns on Tituba. Imagine an entire roomful of people bearing down on you, one being your master, and then Reverend Hale, putting tons of pressure on you. Parris threatens a good whipping if Tituba doesn 't confess to witchcraft, and Hale is in her face, demanding that she confess. Then if she does confess, it will be much easier for her; she won 't be punished as
The dictionary defines a crucible as a place or occasion of severe tests or trials. During the late seventeenth century, many places around the world began to have an increased fear of the supernatural. Witch trials sparked by these fears brought great pressure upon all involved. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the people of Salem were placed under a lot of pressure as the witch trials were occurring. With pressure mounting, three men from the story each struggled in a different manner; Parris becoming fearful and cowardly, Hale undergoing a change in character, and Proctor taking a stand for what he believed to be right.
The Crucible is a play by Arthur Miller that takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. At the time there are a series of trials, called the Salem witch trials. The play begins with us finding about a young girl who is unable to move in her bed. The villagers dubiously see witchcraft but they do not know that the night before all the girls left the village sneaked out to the woods where they made a potion, with the help of a black slave, Tituba, to let them have the man they love. It was fine until one girl, Abigail went too far and wished death on the wife of John Proctor.
It is revealed in the play that Reverend Parris strictness was taken to the max because he “... [Rev. Parris] 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” (4). It can be interpreted from that exert that he also ran a strict household, and was controlling over his daughter Betty. Puritans, including Reverend Parris, believed if you went against their religion or did not follow their rules perfectly that in Salem one “... may be accordingly proceeded against” (5). This means you could be sentenced in jail for not being religious enough.
“’She makes me drink blood”’ says Abigail (Miller 160). The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller. The play takes place during the Salem Witch Trials, where many people were accused of witchcraft. The accused were either jailed or hanged. In the play many characters are blind to the truth and are changing the path of life.
The author, Arthur Miller, displays a theocracy to demonstrate a court's ignorance towards actual facts. A theocracy is a religion based government. Throughout the novel, The Crucible, the religion of the government corrupts decisions that are made in court. If someone was not a part of the church or did not attend every Sunday they were thought to be a witch, or at least dishonorable. Danforth, deputy governor, brought forth the main issue of the whole novel, "A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between" (Miller 94).
One of the main elements that eventually build up to the main plot in the play is power. Many of the characters in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible have a strong desire for power. The Salem witch trials empowered several characters in the play who were previously marginalized in Salem society. It gave them the chance to misuse it leading to horrible suffering and even deaths of some innocent people in the town. Some of these characters are Abigail Williams, Deputy Governor Danforth and Reverend Parris.