Salem Witch Trials In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Written by Arthur Miller, The Crucible is a play that is based off of the Salem witch trials. The play takes place in Salem in 1692 and follows the lives of characters that were all real people. While using story lines and the names of actual people, Miller dramatizes what actually happened. In act one of The Crucible, the readers are introduced to over 10 characters. Two of those characters are Abigail Williams’ and Samuel Parris. Act one begins with Samuel Parris discovering that his niece, Abigail, was dancing in the woods. Today, this would not be overly concerning, but back in that time children were hardly allowed to speak to anyone. Since children were supposed to be so submissive towards adults, it was shocking that a group of kids would go out to dance by themselves and was suspected to be witch trials. As most would in the late 17th century, Parris believed that his niece and daughter were performing witchcraft in the woods and that was why his daughter Betty had fallen sick. Throughout majority of

Aside from that, people accused others of being witches or having something to do with witchcraft if they had a grudge against them or needed something. People were able to accuse others of being witches for having too much land or for owning too many cattle. Witch trials were not only a way to get rid of the Devil, but also a way to get rid of people that you disliked. In the case of The Crucible, the witch trials began because of religious beliefs and the fear that Lucifer was controlling the children of Salem. To get out of trouble during the witch trials, those who were accused simply just accused others to be seen as innocent and avoid execution. When Abigail, Tituba, and Betty are accused of witchcraft, they accuse others in return and use anything that seems slightly off about the people they are accusing as evidence of