How Is Mary Warren Presented In The Crucible

Has there ever been a time when you have been accused of something you did not do and painted in a negative light? This is The Crucible in a nutshell. Salem was in complete disarray as accusations of witchcraft spread through the town. The author, Arthur Miller, vividly depicts the Puritans' rowdy society. The Puritans lived in constant fear and anxiety, hoping they would not be convicted by government officials. This play explores a number of themes as it illustrates the repercussions of fabricating allegations against others. The main themes that were developed throughout the play include hysteria, groupthink, and reputation. Hysteria is a recurring motif in the play because Abigail Williams, the main accuser and antagonist, is well-known

Her manipulations were powerful enough to brainwash a crowd, leading others to believe everything she said. Her clever assumptions deceived the girls of Salem into mimicking Mary Warren's words (Act 3, Line 471, HMH). Mary, a frightened young girl, was one of the many accused women in Massachusetts. Abigail portrayed Mary’s character as one who participates in witchcraft, which allowed her to lead others into her trap: believing that Mary Warren is a witch. This has resulted in an act of peer pressure, causing a chain reaction in the community. This theme of groupthink influenced the crowd when they were being testified in the courtroom (Act 2). As they continuously dispute alleged names all at once, it made the girls of Salem form an alliance; sticking to one another so they can act innocent during the trials. Groupthink allowed the others to psychologically connect to Abigail, seeing her as their leader, despite claiming fake accusations. It was an unfair share as the officials believed in the group’s wrong claims, which put Mary in a bad

During the Salem witch trials, your only chance of surviving and protecting your innocence was to maintain a good reputation. The town respected John Proctor for his integrity and work ethic, but he had one serious character flaw: he had an affair with Abigail Williams. In Act 2, Elizabeth Proctor discovered he had been going behind her back, seeing Abigail at home before she was fired from working for them. This affected the Proctor’s relationship as a whole, as Elizabeth lost complete trust in John. The affair was not to be mentioned in Salem as it could affect his reputation and he wanted to keep his name clean as possible. In Act 4, John confessed his adultery as he could no longer take the guilt within him. He attempts to preserve his reputation one last time before his death, as he ripped up the document of his confession of dealing with the devil. The Crucible's portrayal of reputation is highlighted through John Proctors' actions. During his execution, John considered his reputation, this demonstrates the extent to which a person’s reputation can influence their actions and decisions, even in the face of