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Imperfection Of Truth In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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Shannon L. Alder once stated, “Sometimes painfully lost people can teach us lessons that we didn't think we needed to know, or be reminded of---the more history changes; the more it stays the same.” Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, realized the truth in Alder’s words when Senator Joseph McCarthy created frenzy much like the Salem witch trials did. In Miller’s play we see a serious of strenuous struggles develop a very interesting plot line. We find out that Abigail William and John Procter had an affair but John realized his wrongs and denied his love for Abigail. Abigail, feeling rejected, looked to avenge herself and got the perfect opportunity to when she accused John’s wife of witchcraft. Millers play captures the hysteria caused …show more content…

It is also be defined as a trial, test, or situation that produces something new. Miller has named his play The Crucible because of the various types of tests and trials depicted in his play which result in a different product than what was started with and causes imperfections to arise. One reason miller has named his play The Crucible is because a crucible causes imperfections in metals that are hidden to emerge just like the tests and trials in Miller's play caused imperfections in characters to be exposed. One example of the pressure and tests, created by witchcraft, bringing out the worst in characters was Abigail Williams reaction an attitude. Abigail shows her true nature by saying, "Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of the night …show more content…

John Proctor starts off in the play as a guilty man who is self judging and the ends the play finally saying that he is a good man. John's wife, Elizabeth Proctor says, "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him" (134). Elizabeth's words explain that John has finally realized although he did a bad thing he is still a good man and not a witch. John changes from a self judging character to a forgiving one. Furthermore, Reverend Hale has a huge character change from a man doing God’s work to an unjust man who has condemned the innocent. "Why, it is all simple. I come to do the devils work. I come to council Christians they should belie themselves. (His sarcasm collapses) There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head! " (121) Reverend Hale's words show he is growing guilty after condemning so many although that was his original purpose for coming to Salem. Another example of a dynamic character in Miller's play is Mary Warren. Mary Warren changes her story back-and-forth from saying I saw spirits to it was all a lie. "I cannot lie no more. I am with God, I am with God" (94). Mary Warren starts off the play as a timid girl under Abigail's authority but for a brief period of time she tries to tell the truth. Mary Warren is eventually frightened to the point she grows timid again but at

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“The Crucible,” an Arthur Miller play, is a story during the Salem Witchcraft trials, where accusations of witchcraft were made. Elizabeth, the wife of John Proctor, found out that John had an affair with a young seventeen year old, Abigail Williams. Goody Proctor displays a disturbed tone as suspicion rose between John and Abigail’s relationship. John proctor is angered and displays an indignant tone towards Elizabeth for not trusting him. When Elizabeth tells Mr. Proctor, “then go and tell her she’s a whore,” Goody Proctor wants John to defame Abigail because she knows what happened between them.

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Reverend Hale is the character that changes the most in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible because his feelings on witchcraft turns from full belief to unbelievable doubt, his thoughts on Proctor changes from thinking that he is evil to thinking that he is a good and honest man, and he switches from doing God’s work to doing the Devil’s. Reverend Hale makes a huge change on his claim of witchcraft. In the beginning of the play when Reverend is called to the town of Salem to see if the reason why Betty and Ruth are unconscious is due to witchcraft he brings with him many books. When Reverend Parris sees this he makes a comment that Hale responds to him explaining his expectations. This shows that Reverend Hale is focused on one thing, finding

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516 Words | 3 Pages

“Container for melting a purifying metal” and “severe test” are the definitions of the word crucible. Throughout this play there are several test and challenges each character goes through. In this story written by Arthur Miller, each character was faced with a test. Proctor is the only one that succeeded. Reverend Hale didn’t completely fail nor succeeded.

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Hannah Doherty Mrs. Jones American Lit. and Comp. 10, November 2015 One Word, Three Meanings In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, there is clear evidence as to why he named the story, The Crucible. John Proctor battles conflicts between himself and others and stands up for what he believes in, Abigail Williams’ is motivated to keep the truth hidden so she is not punished, and Elizabeth Proctor is torn on what the best thing to do is.

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Abigail exclaims of her passion and love for God when in reality she is filled with sin and lust. Opportunity was given for honesty throughout The Crucible of which

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Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953. Miller wrote The Crucible because he had a story to tell. Miller was a political advocate against the inequalities of race in America. He was a target for Senator McCarthy. Miller was called to the House of Committee on an un-American activities which triggered him to write about the witch trials.

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Hale comes back to salem to fix the stuff he did when he was part of the court. In the jail, Reverend John Hale says angrily “Why, it is all simple, I come to do the devil's work. I come to counsel christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head” (57)!

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The word crucible means a “container for melting a purifying metals” and a “severe test.” The word has two very different meanings. Both meanings are appropriate because it clearly shows how the characters have to show their truest self in the play. Not only that

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The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about what happened during the Salem Witch Trials. It gives insight about what people had to deal with in this situation and how they handled it. The trials were basically a big test which helped figuring out whether or not people were guilty of witchcraft. This is an example of what a crucible is. In our world today we still have crucibles and even though they are different than back then, they all relate to each other because of what influence they have on people.

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And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that’s all” (1268) proves the fact that Abigail harms people, and accuses them without thinking twice about it. Abigail’s choices to lie, and cover up does involve and affect the majority of the other characters in the play. She affects the characters when she involves them in her lies to hide herself from the wrong things she is committing. “ I say shut it Mary Warren” (1269) this quote is proving that Abigail Williams is a mean person to the girls and guys that get into her

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Arthur miller’s play The Crucible contreveys the transformation throughout the setting, plot, and character. Arthur is tryna show jealousy. He is identifying jealousy by exposing the actions of Abigail Williams. The development of the story shows a central idea to show jealousy and deceit. Abigail goes through a lot of trouble to be with john proctor.

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In The Crucible, Miller uses the words and actions of the townsfolk of Salem to show how the perception of apparent and real goodness can be dangerous. He warns readers not to adhere to blind acceptance of what society deems as real goodness and rather make their own decisions based on what they believe goodness should be. Through the characters in the play he gives insight into what he believes goodness should be. Miller uses The Crucible as a way of expressing his own beliefs of real and apparent goodness and this can be seen though the interjections in the play. He gives reasoning in these interjections for why specific characters are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and this also provides the background knowledge the audience requires to give insight

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Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible is set in Salem, Massachusetts during the start of the Salem Witch Trials during the 1690’s in which innocent residents of a Puritan town were wrongfully accused of witchcraft. Miller didn’t just pick the title of his play out of the random; he had a purpose of the meaning of word when writing the play. The crucible has two definitions, a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted at a very high temperatures and a place or occasion of a severe test or trial. Throughout the play Miller represents the “containers in which metals are melted” as the town of Salem and the court trials for the people accused of witchcraft as “a severe test”.

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Adultery in the year 1692 is one of the worst crimes one could commit and would lead to death. In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller one of the main themes is of adultery and lust. One of the characters, John Proctor, commits the crime of adultery with Abigail Williams who is a young girl in the town of Salem. This crime acts heavily against John throughout the play and controls his actions. In the beginning of the play he denies Abigail’s affection however this action sets Abigail to conspire against John Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth.

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Upon arriving in the court Mary Warren says, “I cannot lie no more. I am with God, I

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