Corruption In The Crucible

Arthur Miller portrays the Salem Witch Trials as a time of intense fear spreading across the town of Salem, Massachusetts. The witch trials were told in the story, as group of girls who were acting as if they were possessed by the Devil and his evil spirits. So they could have certain people in the town convicted and killed. Arthur Miller displays to the reader that power has the potential for unbalanced corruption. Miller shows the readers, people who were previously powerless, who then receive power, tend to do awful things for personal gain. Or vice versa people with power can quickly become powerless.

The most clear way Miller depicts the corruption of power is through the eye’s of Abigail Williams. Abigail is a servant to her uncle

Suddenly she realizes the power and the panic she causes in others, along with the attention. Miller shows us as readers that she uses her intelligence and ability to manipulate people in this society where everyone else is so frightened of her. What they don't know is what she is truly seeking for. What she wants is John Proctor to be her husband. Miller portrays her as a complex thinker, she devises a plan to accomplish her desire. The first step of her plan is to accuse Elizabeth Proctor John’s wife, who resents Abigail because of the relationship she has with John. To do this, she accuses Elizabeth Proctor of witchcraft. Elizabeth is convicted and sentenced to death. Next she is trying to win John over with her charm, for example she says very obsequious statements to him “Oh, I marvel how such a strong man may let such a sickly wife be(The Crucible, Arthur Miller)” but John Proctor will not take Abigail back. He looks at her in the form of an enemy. To the point where he takes

Arthur Miller reports about John Proctor almost as a God among the citizens of Salem. Including the hierarchy such as Judge Danforth or Reverend Parris all respect him greatly. It is as if the people look at him as a leader and role model. The author shows way of losing power through the man who has the most in the beginning. Along with Abigail’s plan, of corrupting John’s life is discombobulated by Abigail accusing his wife of witchcraft. Proctor feels they only way that the hell being raised on salem can only be stopped by him. Proctor realizes there is only one way to stop it, and that would be to confess his sin of adultery, because of his relationship with Abigail. Although he knows he should, he continues not to confess. Finally at the end of the playwright, Miller writes that Elizabeth will not die, because of her child that is coming on the way. Although once the child has been born she will then die. John succumbed to the fact that he must confess to save his wife and unborn son or daughter. Judge Danforth has given him a piece of paper the equivalent to a contract between the two men. The contract depicts that he has admitted to his sins, although Danforth says that it will be posted on the front door of the church. In return it would be seen by the entire puritan population of Salem. As a reaction Proctor rejects this idea, saying you can’t do this to