Internal Conflicts Place In Public Appearances In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Internal Conflict’s Place in Public Appearances Concording with the Puritan philosophy when something bad happens in one’s life, it is a direct punishment from God. Appearing in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, almost all of the characters manage to neglect that idea and resort to placing blame, not upon themselves, but on others when faced with the human conditions of conflict and challenges. The definition of human conditions is, “generality of situations that humans face in getting along with each other and the world, situations that are difficult to encompass in some way because of hang-ups or predispositions of one kind or another” (The Human Condition). The main problem portrayed in the play is conflict and it expresses the

From the beginning of the play Marry has originally wanted to confess the wrongdoings and come clean. Whence, she says to Abigail in Act one, “Abby, we’ve got to tell. Witchery’s a hangin’ error, a hagin’ like they done in Boston two year ago! We must tell the truth, Abby! You’ll only be whipped for dancin’, and the other things.” (1.174-5). Later on, Marry innocently gives Goody Proctor a poppet doll. When that doll leads to Goody Proctor’s arrest, John Proctor demands that Marry go to court and tell the truth behind the accusations. Fearful for her life, Marry repeatedly says, “I cannot, they’ll turn on me—…I cannot do it, I cannot!” (2.205). Just after this event, Marry is facing the Judge Danforth and Abigail. Consequently, with Judge Danforth placing pressure on her to confess dealings with the devil and Abigail, along with the other village girls, having an attack of hysteria, Marry flips the story around to place the blame upon John Proctor. Notwithstanding the external and internal conflicts she faces, Marry consistently changes her story and whose side she appears to be on. Marry’s conflict was prominently internal but had external factors that played a role in her ultimate decision to keep a good name among those in the village rather that tell the wholesome truth. Providing evidence towards Miller’s observation that human’s nature is to lie about the truth, especially if the truth is harmful to

Elizabeth Proctor according to testimonies has never told a lie in her life. At a previous time, Abigail Williams worked for the Proctor household but was thrown out after Elizabeth discovered an affair between her husband and Abigail. In the court’s efforts to discover the truth of John Proctor’s confession, Elizabeth is brought, unbeknown as to why, before Judge Danforth. Elizabeth’s personal morals urge her to tell the truth, but her love for her husband tempts Elizabeth to lie. Consequently in Act Three because she is hesitant to answer, Elizabeth is confronted with the direct question from Judge Danforth, “…To your own knowledge, has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery?...” (3.223) to which Elizabeth faintly answers, “No, sir.” (3.223). By lying, Elizabeth attempts to protect her husband’s good name but in doing so blemishes both names in the process. Elizabeth Proctor’s internal conflict proved to be the most powerful in confirming that division among one’s self can affect and alter the person with even the strongest