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Mary Warren Character Analysis

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A coward is a person who is so scared of others that they do not take responsibility for their actions therefore they often get innocent people in trouble. In Arthur Miller’s retelling of the Salem Witch Trials entitled The Crucible, the character of Mary Warren is the quintessential coward. She is one of the many girls who accuse others of being witches, though she knows it is wrong, she continues to cover up her faults with lies. Mary Warren finally accuses John Proctor of witchcraft in Act IV because she is a coward and does not want to take the blame for the hysteria she has helped to create. In Act IV Mary Warren is afraid of Abigail, so she points the finger at John Proctor to keep Abby from accusing her of being a witch who is very vulnerable and easily persuaded. When she sees that Abigail and the girls have turned against her by …show more content…

Warren knows Proctor is not a witch, and also knows that Abby accuses Elizabeth Proctor because of personal vengeance, yet when Proctor tries to urge her to tell the truth she shouts, “I cannot! I cannot!” because she knows she will get in trouble for having previously lied in court (125). Mary Warren was not strong enough to tell the truth. She would rather get Proctor in trouble than have to take responsibility and punishment for her own sinful actions. As a result of her cowardly decision Proctor gets thrown in jail and eventually hangs. In conclusion, Mary Warren is a perfect example of a coward, a follower and she lies. She can neither stand up to others who are immoral nor stand up for what she knows is right. Mary Warren falsely accuses John Proctor of witchcraft to save herself from hanging. She takes the easy way out, and blames others instead of admitting her own wrongs. Her lack of courage gets innocent people killed and allows sinners to control her

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Mary Warren Accused John Proctor In The Crucible

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In act three of the crucible, Mary Warren accused John Proctor of witchcraft. The reason being, either way, she would be going to jail but if she found some way to soften the blow a little she could be let of a little easier. The way she picked in the heat of the moment was blaming John Proctor of witchcraft. She was being blamed by the girls that she was a witch and had absolutely no way to defend herself because the judges already are on Abigail's side. She then dropped the bomb and said that John was a witch and made her do it all.

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Compare And Contrast Mary Warren In The Crucible

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In the Crucible, by Arthur Miller, two of the most important characters are, Mary Warren and Reverend John Hale. The story takes place in Salem, 1692, when supposedly witchcraft ran rampant. John Hale gives us the knowledge of witchcraft and puritan beliefs, in the story, in order to decide whether someone was a witch or not, while Mary Warren assists Abigail Williams in the false accusations presented in order to alleviate the punishment they were facing for the actual practicing of witchcraft as well as dancing. In the story John Hale is intelligent while Mary Warren seems to want good, but is too nervous to take a stand on it.

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Abigail Presence In The Crucible

458 Words | 2 Pages

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In the beginning of the play Mary Warren believes that there are actually witches and the devil in Salem. When she returns from court she talks to Elizabeth and John Proctor. She says, “I feel a misty coldness climbin’ up my back, and the skin on my skull begin to creep, and I feel a clamp around my neck and I cannot breathe air” (Miller 147). Mary Warren is trying to explain to the Proctors that she was possessed by the devil in court and he made her accuse the old

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1046 Words | 5 Pages

Mary desperately wants to tell the truth because she believes their punishment will be less severe if they are truthful. Because of this Abigail threatened her and the other girls, saying they will not tell the truth, so the girls decide to use the two afflicted girls to their advantage and claim witchcraft. Their claim of witchcraft leads to an entire mess of people being falsely accused. John Proctor knows that the girls are lying but doesn't do anything about it until his wife is arrested. Whereupon he forces Mary Warren to tell him the truth and say that she will tell the truth to the court to save all of the innocent people.

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Mary Warren is a young girl who is a servant for the Proctors. Mary is the one who made the poppet for Elizabeth and put the needle into the poppet. Because she is the only one who can prove that Elizabeth is innocent and get her out of jail, John Proctor forces her to testify in court despite the fact that Mary is terrified of Abigail. Due to the actions of Abigail that pressure Mary to lie, she accuses John Proctor as she says “‘my name, her want my name. I’ll murder you, he says, if my wife hangs!

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Proctor motivates to learn how the truth can still not matter if it is not what the court wants to hear causing people to be killed and put in jail. John Proctor chooses to try to hide the affair between him and Abigail Williams , which causes half of the town of Salem going to jail for witchcraft. John is talking to Mary Warren when she is talking to him about the Devil being in Salem and they must find where he is:"I

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This is shameful. Today, here we have a sensible, honest, productive member of our community. I cannot say I am quite sure how girls dancing in the woods singing songs translates to witchcraft, but the community says it so. With only fingers pointed and no factual or realistic information, we condemn our village to be hanged. A village, where we put the lies of young children above the credibility of our greatest elders!

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She gets caught performing witchcraft in the woods with Abigail and Tituba in act one of the play. Mary Warren comes off as a innocent and easy going character, until the story unfolds. She then shows what some would her true colors. She proves how disobedient, sneaky, and scared she actually is. She sewed a poppet for John Proctors wife while she was in court and left the needle in her stomach.

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Mob Mentality In The Crucible

751 Words | 4 Pages

After continuous pressuring Mary Warren replies with ‘I cannot, they’ll turn on me— “showing us the mob has driven fear into people and how Marry is afraid to tell the truth in the case everyone will turn on her and blame her. Mary’s feeble attempt to recompense backfires, so when Abigail uses the poppet to blame it on Elizabeth, making Mary feel even worse thus she agrees to go with proctor to testify against Abigail in court. Later after agreeing to go to court to support Proctor Mary is asked who is at fault and in fear replies pointing to proctor “You’re the devil’s man!” (act three, page 119). This demonstrates how the fear of the mob and the overwhelming pressure from the Abigail makes her turn from the truth.

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962 Words | 4 Pages

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