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Responsible For Hysteria In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

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Courage is not the absence of fear. Rather it is the judgment that something else is more important than fear. In Arthur Miller's, The Crucible, many characters have to decide whether they should confess to dealing with the devil and run away their “good name” or be hanged for something they did not do. In life, everyone is responsible for their actions which mean the characters in The Crucible should confess to their actions with the devil. Abigail Williams the vehicle that drives the play, Abigail, Reverend Hale, and Mrs. Putnam all bear the responsibility for the hysteria in the trial. Mrs. Putnam creates hysteria into the trail by making rumors and false claims. As Mrs. Putnam walks inside small upper bedroom which Abigail, Susanna, …show more content…

As Reverend Hale walks into the small upper bedroom in the home of Reverend Samuel Parris, the narrator describes one of his quotes. “The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone” (Page 35). While Hale puts his trust in Abigail and she is lying about her committing witchcraft and Betty in an unresponsive state, Hale can't figure out if Betty committed witchcraft. Late in the play, inside a room in Salem meeting house, Hale was speaking to Danforth. Hale states “Excellency, I have signed seventy-two death warrants: I am a minister of the lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it” (Page 104). Hale begins to fear the justice of God as he realizes his position, he may have signed seventy-two death warrants to innocent people. Without hard evidence, no one can make the call if Betty is at fault of witchcraft.Hale is just doing his job and it may not show a factor of hysteria. But, Hale is holding up the call that announces if the girls are guilty which, makes the city on the edge of their seat to see if the girls are innocent or guilty. By Hale holding the call, it creates hysteria to see if the rumors are real or

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When he first enters Salem it seems his head is held high with knowledge and determination, but he will not allow any conclusions to be made unless they are from his books that guide him through witchcraft cases. After Abigail reveals she did not see the devil, Hale immediately makes an accusation and suspiciously asks, “Why are you concealing? Have you sold yourself to Lucifer?” (Miller 1259). Because of Hale’s authority, Abigail becomes defensive and puts the blame on Tituba.

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532 Words | 3 Pages

Hockey is one of the most important parts for Saul's traumatizing story. It is introduced to him by a priest he met at a residential school, which is ironic as the priests didn't usually bring any good for indigenous kids. He passionately practices the sport using literal feces as equipment which is evidence of his passion. It teaches him valuable life lessons throughout the novel and helps him find a healthy output. Hockey plays a significant role in Saul's story as it serves as a source of hope, freedom and resilience.

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

(35) This shows that Hale is so involved in his work that he could possibly end up accusing someone who was not guilty of witchcraft. Hale seems overly conscious about his own life and his duty to serve the people to find the devil in Salem; he doesn’t seem to like the idea that he himself could be wicked. This shows that Hale too, did not show himself to be truthful and courteous when it came to the

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721 Words | 3 Pages

Putnam claims that “There is a murdering witch among us, bound to keep herself in the dark. Let your enemies make of it what they will, you cannot blink it more” (16). Putnam is yet another powerful male figure in Salem Betty has taken a grip over in the town. He, in this quote, truly believes that the devil is among the town of Salem based on Betty’s current condition. Reverend Hale, encouraging Tituba to give more names of witches, tells her to look at Betty’s “god- given innocence; her soul is so tender; we must protect her; Tituba; the Devil is out and preying on her like a beast upon the flesh of a pure lamb.

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Hale acknowledges human’s mortality more so than Danforth who believes his word is the final say. Furthermore, Judge Danforth appears to only be concerned with having those who were jailed, confess to being witches whether they were or not. All those who do not confess to conspiring with the devil in his eyes are evil and those “who weep for [them, therefore] weep for corruption” (134). In contrast, Hale is desperate to save the innocent from their inevitable doom because he believes “life is God’s most precious gift” and “no principle [] may justify taking it” (122). He even encourages Elizabeth Proctor to “prevail upon [her] husband to confess” because “God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride” (122).

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At the same time he is doing his duty of making her confess. Nevertheless, Reverend Hale knows that John and Elizabeth are innocent, and that Abigail Williams and the girls are guilty of witchcraft.” You are goodwife Proctor”(2. 266-267). He could have done something more than just trying to convince Judge Danforth that they are innocent.

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1028 Words | 5 Pages

Hale says to Danforth, “Excellency, I have signed seventy-two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it” (The Crucible pg 184). At this point in the play, John Hale has a new perspective on the situation occurring in Salem. He realizes by starting the witch trials, he encouraged the accusation and death of innocent people. Hale feels guilty for the lives he ended and begins his new mission of saving

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847 Words | 4 Pages

The goodness and honesty of a person is revealed when he or she faces a crucible. In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a strict Puritan town by the name of Salem is overpowered by the lies and deceit of supposed witchcraft. Everyone is subject to affiliation with the Devil and no one is safe from allegation. Two righteous men – John Proctor and Reverend Hale – compliment and contrast each other in their search to uncover the truth. As the play proceeds, Proctor and Hale find themselves and follow their own moral values.

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The theocracy in Salem was essential to a Puritan society where everything was subject to spiritual scrutiny and enabled individuals like Parris to assume power over the village. This entitlement also allowed for greater consolidation of power through persecutions and trials where the defendants were often guilty until proven innocent. Like most Puritans, Danforth remains convinced of the reality of witchcraft testified by Abigail in Act Three, an act integrated with immense dramatic irony. Despite the persuasion of Hale who once held substantial power over the town with as the Puritan pastor of Beverly, Danforth is quick to imprison and condemn a suspect to death demonstrating the powerplay in Salem as orchestrated by Abigail and the girls

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819 Words | 4 Pages

Hale went to the houses of those accused because he was starting to worry that they were actually innocent. He acknowledges, “No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack upon this village. There is too much evidence now to deny it” (II.469-473.). Hale tells John and Elizabeth how the accusations are attacking the village, and how there is more evidence making it more difficult to not believe Abigail’s lie. Hale is worried that innocent people are being accused, but he also feels obligated to agree with the court.

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609 Words | 3 Pages

The witches are on the hunt for the innocent souls of Salem with Hale stating, “The Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points” (Miller 1251). Hale is determined to use God’s mighty hand against the “evil witches”. This shows that Hale is faithful to Abigail’s accusations against the common people of Salem. At first, Reverend Hale is eager to prosecute, but as more innocent people are condemned, his compliance turns into distaste. His dissatisfaction eventually turns into rage when Hale shouts, “I denounce these proceedings!”

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613 Words | 3 Pages

Hale says “There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!!” (Miller, Act 4, Line 312). He says this because because he let the law decide the witches fait. Hale no longer believes in the witch trials, the law or telling the truth, especially if their life depends on

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1159 Words | 5 Pages

In The Crucible, a drama by Arthur Miller, John Proctor demonstrates courage by speaking out for what he believes in while knowing his consequences, admitting his wrong doings with Abigail to save Elizabeth’s life, and choosing to be hanged over having his name posted on the church door because the second his signed confession is posted, his and his loved ones reputations will be ruined. In the beginning of the play all John Proctor cared about was his reputation. However, ultimately he sacrificed his reputation by telling the court he committed adultery. John telling the court he was guilty ruined his reputation, which made all hell break loose.

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561 Words | 3 Pages

The play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller demonstrates the implications of a society in complete chaos over an irrational fear of witchcraft in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. Fear plays an immense role in the way people make their decisions, such as when the characters of Danforth and Mary Warren resort to hypocrisy when no other options remain. Danforth and Mary Warren both embody hypocrisy, as seen when Mary says she cannot lie anymore and then lies when she becomes scared for her life, and Danforth when saying lying will send a person to Hell, but then forcing people to choose between lying and death. Mary Warren exemplifies hypocrisy extraordinarily well in the scene when she and Proctor travel to the courthouse so she can confess that the girls have pretended everything and they never actually saw spirits.

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707 Words | 3 Pages

Hysteria in Salem The Crucible is a play written by American author, Arthur Miller, in 1953. It is a somewhat fictional play about the Salem Witch Trials. Miller wrote it as an allegory to the Red Scare, the promotion of fear of a potential rise of communism. Miller himself was blacklisted for refusing to testify in front of the HUAC, a committee that was created to investigate any person who might be a communist.

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