Abuse Of Power In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

The Salem Witch Trials forced townspeople to lie and possibly lead another to death or deny accusations and get hung as a result. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, people with authority in Salem make unfair decisions in order to punish those that have been accused of witchcraft. Judges knew the hangings were wrong, but continued to hang innocent townspeople. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller shows hypocrisy,judgment, and abuse of power throughout the town of Salem by explaining people’s lies and accusations in the play. Authorities in Salem were not truthful, felt little sorrow for their wrongdoings, and used their power to their advantag,in a bad way. For example, John Proctor says, “If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris is

Elizabeth says, “I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you but a good man, John- with a smile- only somewhat bewildered.” (Miller 55). Elizabeth Proctor was betrayed by her husband when he cheated on her, yet she does not judge him and thinks he is a good man. Elizabeth was tried in court and could’ve been hanged, even when she is a forgiving person, but the people of Salem think the good people should be punished instead of the people doing the punishment. Mrs. Putnum says, “But I must! You think it's God's work you should never lose a child, no grandchild either, and I bury all but one? There are wheels within wheels in the village and fires within fires.” (Miller 28). Judgment and jealousy go hand in hand. Mrs.Putnum accuses the most holy woman in Salem of witchcraft because Goody Nurse is able to bear children and Mrs.Putnam cannot. Rebecca never sinned, but was hung with no evidence to prove she was one with the devil. Abbotson states, “With no firm evidence, men and women accused of being witches by young girls in the town, were hanged by inflexible judges when the would not confess.”(Abbotson 190). Danforth never questioned the young girls doing the accusing because he saw them as innocent when in reality, the leader of that group is cruel and unholy. Instead, the judges try innocent men and women for false accusations of witchcraft, if they