Imagine a world when females could not read books, practice medicine, remarry, or even live in poverty without being accused of witchcraft. As hard as it is to believe, this was the reality of the Salem community in the 1690’s. The story “The Crucible,” centers around a male protagonist while both sexualizing and villinazing the persecuted women of the Salem Witch Trials. The antagonist, Abigail, represents the stereotypical female that uses dishonesty and manipulation to get what she wants. Miller, by putting Abigail in a position of power shows his misogynistic ideology, blaming the trials on the so-called corrupt female sexuality unfairly representing women within the story. During the Puritan era in the 1690’s, women were taught to be subordinate to men and directed by the church to honor their husbands which likely contributed to Miller's …show more content…
Womens subordance and mistreatment is shown throughout the story, one example including when Proctor yells to his wife Elizabeth, “I’ll whip you if you dare leave this house again!”. This clearly demonstrates Miller’s interpretation of men’s superiority and control over women during this time period through physical abuse as well as the constriction of women's rights. Throughout the play Miller unfairly represents women making them appear superficial, weak, and manipulative. When Tituaba was first accused of practicing witchcraft she confessed, explaining that the devil persuaded her saying, “I give you pretty dress to wear”. In Miller having Tituba explain that she was talking to the devil because he offered her a pretty dress, he sexualizes her, portraying her as superficial and more concerned with her appearance than the moral implications of speaking with the devil. Mary is another character in the story who is unfairly portrayed as having no backbone. When the play