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The Crucible Greed Analysis

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In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, villagers of Salem demonstrate greed through the service their self interests, whether it be preservation of reputation, or land possession, despite conducting unjust acts. Arthur Miller, in turn, uses the setting of the play, Abigail’s willingness to perjure in preservation of her desires, and imagery to highlight the importance of the greed as a social issue upon the play as a whole. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible sets in a Puritanistic community, where qualities of purity, dedication to God, and honesty, construct the core ideals of society; thus, provides the grounds to highlight the negative significance of greed as a social issue. The Crucible sets in Puritan Salem, where a theocratic governing body, who …show more content…

Abigail, in fear of the likelihood of a deteriorating reputation for having casted charms in the forest, finds an outlet in Tituba’s confessions. As Abigail realizes Hale’s encouraging reactions to Tituba’s confession to service of the Devil, she proclaims, “I go back to Jesus...I saw Sarah Good, Good Osburn with the Devil!” (45). Abigail takes advantage of her fellow villagers’ naivety in believing in the existence of witchcraft, in doing so, acts as though she’s sending herself back to God, presenting an image of a truthful Christian. Moreover, Abigail accuses other villagers of witchcraft, despite their innocence, relieving speculations upon her conducts in the forest and putting them upon her fellow villagers, harming others in protection of her personal reputation. Not only so, Abigail threatens, or on many occasions, harms, or possesses thoughts of harming others in order to satisfy her own desires. From the beginning, Abigail, as Elizabeth Proctor argues, “thinks to kill [Elizabeth], then to take [Elizabeth’s] place”, possesses motives not only to preserve her name within the town, but to accuse Elizabeth of witchcraft, and consequently obtain her status of being John Proctor’s wife as well …show more content…

As Hale warns Danforth of his decisions, he proclaims, “orphans are wandering...abandoned cattle bellow on highroads...and stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere,” using these imageries in insinuation of the court’s failure to justly judge when regarding conducts of witchcraft, suggesting that they, as Danforth had earlier pronounced, “hold four hundred in the jails upon their signature”, thus an immense amount of power and authority that presumably their leaders would not want stripped away (121,81). From the beginning, as Danforth suggests, the safety of the court’s prolific dominance lies upon its ability to continue charging villagers of witchcraft upon its signature. Hale, consequently, using the images of “abandoned cattle” and “wandering orphans” to suggest that the court’s inability to realize the reality that the outcomes of their trials lie beyond just simply whether one is with God or the Devil, thus taking away its people's’ lives, brings forth its leaders’ reluctance to disregard Abigail Williams’ erroneous acts as signification of their greed upon power, fearing that if they were to charge Abigail for perjury, all their previous decisions conducted upon Abigail’s lies would damage their prestige within the town. Greed, again, is demonstrative of the vast alternation in the town’s dynamic through Miller’s use of imagery. The Crucible’s

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In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the setting is Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600s where the town’s pious Puritan beliefs directly influence their government. A 17-year-old girl named Abigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor, a wealthy, married man. Abigail is told by John to move on but instead, Abigail starts accusing the townspeople of witchcraft, including John Proctor’s wife Elizabeth. As this hysteria begins to rise, other people such as Thomas Putnam, a rich landowner, start to also allege Salem villagers. In this play, the author illustrates the central idea that people should not allow jealousy to control their actions.

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The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a dramatic play that expresses a very important message and that is how far people would go to save themselves from the hands of death. There are many characters in the Crucible who are guilty of taking innocent lives, but there are three major characters who, without a doubt, are the most at blame. The play takes place in the city of Salem, a city filled with people that would do anything to keep their reputation clean. Throughout the play, Miller is introducing multiple characters that experience changes in their decisions and negatively influence more people eventually leading up to the witch trials. The main point that the story revolves around is that people would rather lie and blame someone else instead of confessing and accepting the punishment.

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As Bob Marley once said, “The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” Integrity is the quality of being honest and upholding one’s morals and principles. Living in a fast-paced and ever-changing society, human beings have come into contact with adversity and hardship all throughout history. Those who act with integrity during tough times have a major influence on those around them, and taking a stand and upholding ones’ beliefs and morals at great self sacrifice can inspire and encourage others to do the same. Arthur Miller’s 1953 play, The Crucible is a prime example of upholding integrity, and the characters within the play face difficult choices between doing

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but in reality she was caught attempting to cast a spell on Elizabeth. The reason for her trying to cast a spell is because Abigail falls in love with John Proctor but he is married to Elizabeth but that doesn’t bother Abigail.

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Abigail is willing to accuse any one in her path of witchcraft even if it means taking the lives of those close to her. Abigail Williams’ emotional desire guides her actions even if it conflicts with morality. Abigail williams is driven to do unthinkable things because of her love for John Proctor. Abigail works in the Proctor’s home and while doing so she finds herself attracted to John. Abigail’s obsession with Proctor leads them to have an affair, which they try to keep

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(I.465-472). Seeing Abigail cry, it suggests that Abigail’s affair with John Proctor has influenced her behavior in jealousy and lust as she strives for nothing more than her love for John Proctor. By only being heartbroken, Abigail is not to be fully blamed for the hysteria within the town as her actions are only based on desperate attempts to win John Proctor over, and no intentional harm whatsoever. However, on the other hand, Abigail cannot be excused with outside forces making her the way she is due to the fact that she has clearly had a choice in most of her decisions and actions throughout the witchcraft crisis. When Mary Warren, another girl involved in the forest incident, enters the court, she explains to Danforth, the judge, that the girls are lying and are only pretending to see spirits.

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Human is a species that live in group, and conformity is one of the distinct characteristic of human nature. In the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller investigates various natures in community throughout Act 1 and 2. The play took place at Salem, a town that primarily based on puritanism, the major plot of this play is about witchcraft and witch hunt. Miller conveys a essential message of people always search for conformity from society as a form to prove their identity, further, any rebellion would consider as outcast from majority. The author explores the theme by the use of conflict, this literary element best demonstrates changes of characterizations and complication between others and internal struggle.

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She wants to kill his wife so she can marry John Proctor. Abigail is trying to be on both sides in the situation so that she can save herself. When she is accused of being a witch she rats out other people to try and make it less of a problem for

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Citizens in both Salem and the United States refused to stand up for themselves and their neighbors. The strict Puritan society, swayed by fear, fell into a madness as people began accusing each other. Accusations sharply increased and Reverend Hale, “signed seventy-two death warrants” (Miller, The Crucible 99) by the end of the trial. Noteworthy citizens like John Proctor allowed their pride and reputation take precedence over their public obligation to protect the innocent. Miller makes Proctor’s affair the central conflict of the play and uses this creative license to argue the need for social responsibility in both Salem and the United States.

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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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Abigail 's heartless attitude is shown in act two when she frames and accuses Elizabeth Proctor for witchcraft. She desired and longed for this revenge on poor Proctors innocent wife, aiming for her through out the play. Later on in Act Three she seems to lose her last attachment of society by destroying John Proctor, who she claims to love with all her heart. When John attempts and threatens to expose Abigail’s wrong doings, she skillfully manages to turn the whole problem around on him, sending him off

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In the small town of Salem, religion was a strict priority, and strange illnesses like these were often thought to be the devil’s work. Miller demonstrated the paradox in The Crucible from the beginning of the play by allowing Abigail Williams and the other girls to unjustly accuse whomever they wanted of witchcraft. The play presented us how too much power is dangerous, for the temptation was always there to abuse it. Under the justification of a theocratic government, the people in authority in Salem abused their almost absolute power, destroying many innocent people in the process. What theocracy illustrates is how the law is not always based on truth, and that if it is not we should stand up to it.

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In Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, Abigail is most to blame in the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials is based on a period of time where the devil’s work has found its way into the Christian city of Salem, causing everybody accused of witchcraft to confess, or be hanged. Abigail, a teenage girl at the time, has fell madly in love with a man by the name of John Proctor. John is a married man, but in his past he has had an affair with Abigail which nobody knew of. Abigail’s immaturity shows throughout the story, along with major jealousy over Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife.

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Arthur Miller’s portrayal of a town in the midst of a downfall “The Crucible”, tells the story of how mob mentality and hysteria can significantly influence not only individuals but the whole town. This mob mentality leads to unthoughtful acts and false accusations. Two characters who demonstrate how mob mentality can lead to the demise of Salem are Abigail and Mary Warren. As Abigail begins to be accused she is pressured to deter from the truth. While Mary Warren gets pressured by Proctor to reveal the truth about Abigail, but the overwhelming pressure from the mob makes her turn from the truth.

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