In Arthur Miller's play The Crucible we are introduced to a few dynamic characters, but the character that I will be focusing on is Judge Danforth. Thomas Danforth who’s in his sixties, and is very gullible is the deputy Governor of Salem, Massachusetts. We are first introduced to Judge Danforth in Act Three of the play. He is the Judge of The Witch trials alongside Judge Hathorne. Our first meeting with Danforth is in the courtroom.
Danforth felt as though God brought him to the court for a reason. If someone was against the court, then they were against God. “You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between.” (The Crucible. Act 3.
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 are a dark and haunting chapter in American history, remembered for hysteria, paranoia, and the tragic loss of innocent lives. At the center of this period were the judges who presided over the trials, holding immense power and authority in a community controlled by fear and suspicion. Judges such as Samuel Sewall and William Stoughton, prominent members of the Puritan society in colonial Massachusetts, played pivotal roles in the unfolding drama of accusations, trials, and executions that defined the Salem Witch Trials. A closer look at the judges involved in this episode reveals the difficulty and stupidity of their decisions, the impact of their actions, and the legacy of their roles in one of the most infamous
Ariel Medina C.L.I.M Mr.Zeko English 3 Period 4 6 December 2016 The Crucible “The Crucible” is based in real records taken during the Salem Witch Trials back during the late 17th century. Many people were unjustly hurt, imprisoned, and even killed during these times which show their rough moral structure. In the play “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, Judge Danforth and Abigail Williams can be seen as the two characters most responsible for the death of fellow townsmen, John Proctor. Abigail could be seen as the cause of death of John Proctor because of her compulsive lying and her way of manipulating
The Salem witch trials began in 1962 when a group of girls were accused of being possessed by a devil (History.com). Many women were accused of being witches. They were eventually tried in court to see if they were innocent or not. Governor Danforth is at fault because he dominates the witchcraft trials with poor decision making, favoritism towards people and believes no one should fear God or the court’s ruling. One reason is guilt is Danforth believes Abigail and the girls are incapable of lying during the trials.
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Judge Danforth held the highest position of authority. He was the only person who ultimately had the power to stop the craziness, but he chose not to; therefore, even though others were partially responsible, Danforth was most at fault. He liked being in power. In Act 3 he even bragged, “And did you know that four hundred are in jails… upon my signature?... And seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature?”
In Act 3 of The Crucible, Arthur Miller reveals that the arbitrary power structure in Salem causes an abuse of power and an erosion of justice in the courtrooms. Judge Danforth is approached by Francis Nurse and Giles Correy because they want to prove their wife’s innocence in court. They explained that Danforth was deceived by the girls and Danforth exclaimed “Do you know who I am, Mr. Nurse?” (87). Danforth's own belief in his abilities makes him appalled at the thought of him being deceived.
Judge Danforth was the person who decided what happened to the ¨guilty¨ people, which led to 24 killed, 19 hanged, 1 pressed, and 4 who died in prison. "Near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature...and seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature" ( Page 183). Danforth talks about how with his signature he killed many people and put many people in prison. He shows how he is responsible for many deaths in not just Salem but, other places too. Judge Danforth used his powers as a Judge to his advantage, he was the most corrupt in this story.
Lastly, Judge Danforth is one of the characters responsible for the trails because he convicts many people, and he leads them to their death without fully examining all the evidence that is put in front of him. Ultimately, all three of these characters are responsible for the witch trials due to their individual failings. Abigail
Stopping the trial means that he would have to admit that he is wrong, and he doesn’t want to be proven wrong because so many people have already died. In the cases of both Judge Danforth and Abigail Williams, the reader can see how the actions of many individuals, motivated in one way or another by pride, combine and precipitate the catastrophe known as the Salem Witch Trials. Judge Danforth’s pride, as a majestic Deputy Governor, finally causes much innocents to death and the downfall of
Judge Danforth’s unwavering egotism culminates in the unfortunate deaths of Salem townsfolk. Arthur Miller’s classic play The Crucible demonstrates how the actions of one person can affect many others. Judge Danforth cares more about his own reputation than what is right. Often times people try to think of what is right instead of saving their own face, Judge Danforth is an exception to this stereotype. The Salem Witch Trials were a horrible time where many people lost their lives due to an unjust court system.
As the voice of authority of Salem, Judge Danforth leads to the tragedy of their social disturbance by breakdown Salem’s solidarity.
Power is something that allows the one with it to control and oppress others. In the play The Crucible by author Arthur Miller, use characters from the play to show power. However the character with the most power is Judge Danforth. The reason Judge Danforth is the most powerful out of all the characters in The Crucible is because, Judge Danforth has the power of speaking, the power of speaking is where Judge Danforth decides who is able to speak or who is able to be heard, where Judge Danforth says “Turn your back.
Danforth: Judge, Jury, and Executioner Judge Danforth’s position in the crucible is the Judge assigned to the proceedings of the Salem witch trials. Instead of treating this immense responsibility with the respect and restraint that is needed, Danforth abused his power by betraying the people of Salem and the Law. He did not listen to the people of Salem defending themselves before inevitably being sent to death; and he cared more about his reputation and the law than he did about peoples’ lives. Danforth was a ruthless power over the people of Salem he demanded respect for himself and the court; and nothing was more important than that.
