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Leadership In Arthur Miller's The Crucible And Margaret Atwood

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Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is about the witch trials in ancient Salem, and how one girl’s love interest caused many people, including the one she loves, to be hanged due to being accused as a witch. Half Hanged Mary by Margaret Atwood is about Mary Webster, a woman accused of witchcraft and hanged for the crime, but managed to survive the night. In both of these texts there is evidence of a corrupted leadership.

The Crucible has evidence of a corrupted leadership as found in act 4 scene 5, when the text states “Danforth: (in deep concern, raising a hand to Hathome) Pray you. (To Parris)
How do you propose, then? Parris: Excellency, I would postpone these hangin’s for a time. Danforth: There will be no postponement.” This shows that the judge, Danforth, refused to listen to his top advisor when he told him to postpone the hangings. A second piece of evidence is actually in the movie, when Danforth tells a girl that it is impossible for someone she is accusing of witchcraft to be a witch because she is Reverend Hale’s wife. This shows corruption because he is refusing to believe certain …show more content…

Whenever there’s talk of demons, these come in handy.” This shows corrupted leadership because people are being prosecuted basically because they’re female. Another example of corrupted leadership in this text is “The bonnets come to stare, the dark skirts also, the upturned faces in between, mouths closed so tight they're lipless. I can see down into their eyeholes and nostrils. I can see their fear. You were my friend, you too. I cured your baby, Mrs., and flushed yours out of you, Non-wife, to save your life. Help me down? You don't dare. I might rub off on you, like soot or gossip. Birds of a feather burn together, though as a rule ravens are singular.” This shows that if anyone were to speak against what was happening, they too would

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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.

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