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Freudian Psychology In The Crucible

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“I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! I saw your face when she put me out and you loved me then and you do now!” Abigail exclaimed while grasping John’s shirt. “Child..” John said. “How dare you call me a child!” Abby cried throwing him away. “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I‘ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby” (Miller Act 1). The Crucible by Arthur Miller is an incredibly complex play depicting the fictional events of the Salem Witch Trials. If one is to begin to dissect the contents of said play, you must look at it from a psychological point of view. Particularly, a view of Freudian psychology might provide insight as to why some characters made certain decisions and carried out the actions they did. Using a Freudian psychological lens to examine The Crucible, readers can take a closer look at the actions of John Proctor and Abigail Williams and form hypotheses as to their deeper motives. Before diving into a psychological analysis, Freudian methods must be explained. Freudian Psychology is defined as “Psychology relating to or influenced by Sigmund Freud and his methods of psychoanalysis, especially with reference to the importance of sexuality in human behavior” (PsychologyToday.com). This definition, in simpler terms, means that it is the study of the sexual motives behind a person’s actions. Abigail Williams is
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