The Importance Of Pride In The Crucible

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In The Crucible written by Arthur Miller in 1953, Miller illustrates the importance of seeing past pride and listening to other people. The Crucible is about the small town of Salem Massachusetts. The story takes place during the Salem witch trials. It is centered on a few main characters, Reverend Parris, Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams, some other girls in the town, John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, and Judge Danforth. Abigail is a 17-year-old girl who is trying to lie her way back into John Proctor’s heart. When John says no Abigail goes on a rampage of lying (also leading a few other girls with her), causing 20 deaths and ultimately not succeeding in her goal. The other characters, besides John and Elizabeth Proctor and Reverend Hale, cannot see …show more content…

Towards the end of Act III Abigail states that “If [she] must answer that [question]” she would leave and not comeback (Miller 189). This statement is almost an indirect confession to the question that is being asked and Danforth does nothing about it, even when she runs away. Judge Danforth doesn’t send the guards to track her down or anything. Judge Danforth basically forgets about her. It isn’t a surprise that Reverend Hale gets upset with him later in the play. In Act III, John Proctor and Mary Warren (one of the girls that follow Abby) have evidence against Abigail so they come to the court. Judge Danforth asks Mary to faint but she can’t. Danforth states that “… here we have no afflicting spirit loose.” And then implies that there was one during the other session of court (Miller 188). This question makes it clear that Danforth cannot see past the innocent faces of the girls and into the evil that lurks below. As a head judge, Danforth should be able to see through the deceptions of criminals. Danforth’s lack of common sense is one of many examples that prove that he is the most responsible for the hysteria during the