Judge Danforth In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

A crucible can mean either an instrument of heating or a severe trial. In the play “The Crucible,” Arthur Miller uses a great trial in the Salem witch trials to describe how he felt during the Red Scare in the 1950’s. The Red Scare was a national hunt for Communists, or “Reds” as they were called. Arthur Miller felt as if it were a giant “Witch Hunt” after he was accused of being a communist. He wanted to protest these hunts, but he did not want to get arrested for revolting against the government, so he wrote his ideas on the witch hunt based on an actual witch hunt. In his play, many of the characters let the trials continue, but Judge Danforth is the most blameworthy. In the play, his pride and stubbornness prove that Judge Danforth is the

While speaking to Francis Nurse at a hearing, Danforth’s words speak volumes of his character. The text states, “And do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature?” (Miller 183). Judge Danforth is extremely proud of his accomplishments. While speaking to Mr. Nurse, he boasts about all of his “defeats over the devil,” in an attempt to possibly intimidate him. Because of his massive ego, it is apparent that he is to blame for the Salem witch trials. Also, when people talk about things that the court does not, he easily gets offended, and once again, brags about things to distract the people from what is really going on. “Disrespect indeed! It is disruption, Mister. This is the highest court of the supreme government of this province, do you know it?” (182). It is obvious that Danforth is serious about the court and his position within it. One could even say he was conceited about it. He brags about the court and himself any chance he gets. When anyone mentions anything other than what he wants to hear, he thinks about his reputation and himself first, not what the truth is. When he should leave his ego at the door of the court, he does not, and that ends up letting the trials go longer than they ever should