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John Locke: The Enlightenment Period

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The Enlightenment period, also referred to as the Age of Reason, took place during the mid 17th century to the beginning of the 18th century. People of the Enlightenment period were convinced that human reason could discover the natural laws of the universe and determine the natural rights of mankind. An author of that time period who demonstrated these believes in his writing was Philosopher John Locke. John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, in England. He attended Westminster school and then continued his education at the University of Oxford. There Locke studied medicine and became a highly influential philosopher through his ability to express her logic in his writing. Some of his most famous concepts Locke composed were found in Chapter …show more content…

In the play hysteria and rumors flooded Salem, massachusetts leading a group of girls to accuse many innocent citizens of witchcraft and consorting with the devil. The church stepped in to restore order to the town. Similarly, in “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the setting is during the seventeenth century. In the novel a young woman, Hester Prynne must admit to the act of adultery she has committed and wear the scarlet letter “A” as a symbol for her sin. The novel is focused around the punishment for her sin and her secrecy. Both the play and the novel address the common theme of the effect of sin on man and the outcome of the main characters confessions. John Proctor in “The Crucible” suffered from the sin of adultery he committed. This sin creates an internal conflict Proctor struggles with throughout the play. He understands the outcome of exposing Abigail because it will also exposing himself of his wrong-doing. Hester Prynne in “ The Scarlet Letter” often has conflicted views with her daughter Pearl. In this conflicted relationship Hawthorne shows just how Hester 's sin (Pearl a representation of sin) will never go away. Just like how abigail is still tormenting Proctor after their affair. The principles explained by John Locke in his “Second Treatise of Government” are illustrated clearly by John Proctor and Hester Prynne, Characters who illustrate the coming

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In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, there exists a common theme of adultery, a sin according to the commandments of the Puritan church. The stories center around the adulterers- John Proctor in The Crucible, and Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. Both are members of early Puritan communities that are known for their very devout faith. Each character shows different reactions and feelings towards the sin, and each must face different consequences. A common theme that brings the two characters together is that they are given a chance to escape their sin and move on with their lives.

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The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play involving numerous conflicts and relationships between multiple characters with the setting of Salem, Massachusetts 1692 during the Witch Trials. The most prominent one of them all is between the protagonist, John Proctor, and the antagonist, Abigail Williams. Their relationship changes drastically throughout the four acts due to Abigail’s actions. This then leads to John Proctor becoming aware of her true personality and intentions. Before the play, John was on much better terms with Abigail, seeing as they had an affair, but in Act 1 those feelings seem to be a lot more muted.

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