In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, people in Salem endured many court cases; all of which who was convicted were sentenced to death. For many people, this put a toll on everyday life. Despite the differences within the town of Salem, John and Elizabeth Proctor managed to unite and made their marriage much stronger than before. Originally John and Elizabeth Proctor had a tense, suspicious and trust lacking relationship with each other. The problems that the Proctors were having with each other really put a strain on their marriage.
What are some principles or beliefs that you are willing to die for? Most people would answer with something very meaningful and significant to them. The play “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller portraits how important principles may be. Hale, a character in the play, states that “No principle, however glorious is worth dying for”. His statement and opinion is wrong.
In the movie, The Crucible, the Salem Witch Trials and their effects are highlighted. It begins in the Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Reverend Parris, the town minister, discovers his daughter, Betty, his niece, Abigail, and other girls dancing in the forest with his slave Tituba. Betty faints and does not wake up due to the shock and fear of being discovered. The villagers suspect witchcraft and gather at Parris 's house.
Lying can either make or break a person. It affects the outcomes and events that are given to the deceiver, and that individual has to live with the lies’ consequences. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the act of dishonest actions actions impacts the characters’ thoughts and decisions through the manipulation of fear and choice, whether to be truthful or not. The citizens in Salem, Massachusetts call themselves Puritans, a group of Protestants of the 16th century known for withholding a religious aspect. Even with their Puritan background, the hysteria of witchcraft seems to break through and consume their beliefs.
Henceforth, few regulations enjoined by superior authority were acknowledged in small areas like Salem, Massachusetts. Danforth proclaims “And do you know that near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature?... And seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature?” (Page 87). Danforth, apparently, derived pride and a sense of condescension from condemnation and punishment.
Confusion in the Cauldron Many people in society refuse to follow the rules. Whether they think they are above or below the law, part of the population feels that they aren’t obligated to abide by the same criteria as everyone else. Many pieces of literature that we have read this year have displayed the theme of civil disobedience. One piece specifically that beautifully portrays this theme is The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
Arthur Miller was born in Harlem New York City New York on October 17, 1915. With both Jewish immigrant parents from Poland he was wealthy enough that he could afford a six floor apartment. On October 24, 1929 stock market crashed and Arthur Miller and his family who invest in stocks and took a hard-hit in the depression within a couple years Miller was forced to move from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Arthur Miller graduates from high school in 1932 from Brooklyn Abraham Lincoln high school and begins to work in a auto warehouse to save money to go to college. He finally has enough money to go to college and he registers at a city College but quits after 2 1/2 weeks.
In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, it is clear that most people (specifically the court) favour the accusers more than the accused. Act three has many examples of why this statement is true, both directly and indirectly. The court is supposed to be a fair place for people who are accused to try to prove their innocence, and the court takes advantage of these accused people and gets them into even more trouble. At the start of the play, the people of the court are introduced as fairly untrustworthy and suspicious people. If one person says anything, the court believes them no matter what, unless they are the accused, of course.
Today I witnessed a weird court session in which Giles had accused Putnam of attempting to get more land and that he had proof of it but when asked by Danforth to present his proof he could not. After this happened Mary Warren and the other girls entered the room and claimed to only be pretending to be afflicted by witchcraft. I think that they are all trying to undermine the court. Danforth too thought that Proctor was trying to undermine and questions him but Proctor remained strong and said that all he wants to do is free his wife.
Rationale In an effort to fulfill the criteria of Part 3: Texts and Contexts “Consider the changing historical, cultural and social contexts in which particular texts are written and received,” I wrote an additional act to The Crucible by Arthur Miller. This dialogue which includes Parris, Danforth, Hale and Francis Nurse, aims to demonstrate changing social constructs in Salem through Parris and establish The Crucible as a text that can be seen as relatable to anyone, and not just an allegory to McCarthyism. This continuation is considered ‘Act Five,’ which takes place the day after the end of The Crucible. This means the work is targeted towards those who are knowledgeable of the play’s events.
One Choice Can Change Lives Who knew one seemingly innocent lie could cause 19 deaths and pit an entire town against itself? That’s exactly what happens in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Authors often use similar plot devices, and their favorite one is having their characters face a test. In a small town called Salem in early America, something terrible is happening.
During ‘The Crucible’ by Arthur Miller, a story about the Salem witch trials in early American colonies, people constantly fight over what they believe is right as well as their personal authority. Throughout the story, the thought that people will abuse the sometimes small bit of authority that they have is prominent, one case being how Abigail and how she affects the trials. In many cases this authority also affects the capacity of independent thought throughout the colonies at the time much like the laws set in place that require the population to be Christian. Abigail, the daughter of parris, is a major part of the abuse of authority throughout the play and this is primarily due to the fact that she is the niece of the town reverend, Parris.
Points of view creates, contrast, entertainment and clashes characters to strengthen a story. Arthur Miller suggests one’s point of view often contrasts from another. An example found in The Crucible is the members of the court, and the villagers of the town Salem. The majority of the town members agree with the court’s point of view, however there are some that oppose their ideas. Occurrences such as witchcraft, values and relationships are examples of this.
In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the author tells the story of the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. However, he implants his own opinions into the plot and characterization of characters in order to advocate for social changes within the society of his time period. Although his lifetime did not overlap with the trials, he used the story as an instrument to combat the Communist paranoia stirred up by Senator Joseph McCarthy by illustrating the likeness of these two events. Authors like Miller should be allowed to spread social reform because they have the ability to reach the public and teach them about how past tragedies can repeat in the future.
The Crucible “Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power” as exclaimed by James Madison. The abuse of power has been a major role in world literature. One of the plethora of these roles can be seen in The Crucible, from the misuse of power of several people of authority. During times of distress and hysteria in Salem Village, Massachusetts, three main people with authority are shown to misuse their power. These characters are nominal to the events of corruption and misuse of power that happens daily, but show great example what still takes place in today’s world.
