How Does Arthur Miller Use Abuse Of Power In The Crucible

In any society there are those that are in charge and those who are oppressed. And unfortunately it does not take an extreme event to tip this unstable balance. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible take a literary look on the major historical event of the Salem Witch Trials and comments on the redistribution of power that arose during the trials.
The Crucible is a fictional take on the Salem Witch trials, focusing on a puritan community. The trials took place in 1692 when a small group of girls fell ill, becoming privy to hallucinations and seizures without any medical reason. In the overly religious community of Puritans, such random occurrences were often attributed to acts of the devil or his minions. This uncaused illness spread among countless young girls and furthered fears of witchcraft in the community. Eventually, the afflicted girls in order to escape blame accused the other residents of Salem of consorting with the devil. This

Those who lack authority also lack innocence. Miller displays a chilling portrayal in which a simple word has the power to ruin a person’s reputation, take their land, send them to jail, and sentence them to death. For the young girls, the witch trials serve a bigger purpose than just saving them from punishment; it offers these young women a forum for venting their resentment toward their close knit, oppressive society. Those who were once powerless held the fate of others in their hands, and were able to settle the score whether it be out of maliciousness, fear, or even grief. They could do all this while still maintaining a proper reputation and standing in their society. Women who fully take advantage of this were able to walk the streets with their heads held high, and say whatever to whomever they please. Abigail and her companions were able to reverse the social order of the village and situate themselves above the men, becoming women who were beyond the control of the