ipl-logo

The Salem Witch Trials In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

867 Words4 Pages

“Long-held hatred of neighbors could now be openly expressed and vengeance taken, despite the Bible’s charitable injunctions” (Miller, pg 1129). This quote perfectly explains the Salem Witch Trials and what went through Abigail and the girls heads when they accused innocent people of bewitching them. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about the small village of Salem and the mass hysteria that was caused by young girls. Innocent people were hung and thrown in jail because they accused these people of bewitching them. The judges, Abigail, Tituba, and the girls are to blame for the Salem Witch Trials because the girls lied and the judges only relied on what these girls said for their evidence but Hale, a minister, was obligated to believe the girls …show more content…

When Parris and Hale were first suspicious of the girls dancing for the devil Abigail repeated over and over again, “I didn’t see no devil” (1154). As the conversation went on, Abigail then blamed Tituba of making them dance around the the fire and drink blood. They go to Tituba to question her about everything Abigail is telling them and Tituba admits she sees the devil so that they do not hang her. Tituba is the first to say that Goody Good and Goody Osburn are witches. Abigail realizes that she has to play along with Tituba to stay out of trouble for drinking blood and dancing. Abigail interrupts Hale while he is telling Tituba that he will bless her and she will be fine, and says, “I want to open myself, I danced for the devil and saw Sarah Good, Goody Osburn and Bridget Bishop with the devil” (1156). Abigail and the girls begin shouting innocent women that they supposedly saw with the devil because they can then say they were bewitched and that is why they were drinking blood with Tituba. This shows that because of Abigail, Tituba and the girls lying, the Salem Witches Trials soon took over the

Show More
Related
286 Words | 2 Pages

Abigail had accused Tituba of witchcraft

Read More
921 Words | 4 Pages

Hale questioned Abigail about dancing in the forest she blamed it on Tituba and told everyone that she was forced to drink chicken blood. “She makes me drink blood!” (pg. 482) Tituba was really confused and denied everything thinking this would be the best way to save her, but she received a lot of negative attention for her reaction and was whipped for her actions. She quickly changed her story and made up that she made a pact with the devil and signed his book along with a few others after she was promised an even better life back in Barbados with a pretty dress. “You work for me, Tituba, and I make you free!

Read More
577 Words | 3 Pages

When Abigail was accused of conjuring up spirits in the forest when she was dancing, she accuses Tituba of forcing them. Tituba didn’t force or invite them to join her. Abigail says that Tituba forced her to dance with her, causing them to take Tituba to trial of Witchcraft. This false accusation adds on to the genocide that was the witch trials by showing how misconceptions can lead to terrible

Read More
806 Words | 4 Pages

When he first enters Salem it seems his head is held high with knowledge and determination, but he will not allow any conclusions to be made unless they are from his books that guide him through witchcraft cases. After Abigail reveals she did not see the devil, Hale immediately makes an accusation and suspiciously asks, “Why are you concealing? Have you sold yourself to Lucifer?” (Miller 1259). Because of Hale’s authority, Abigail becomes defensive and puts the blame on Tituba.

Read More
326 Words | 2 Pages

The Spread of Hysteria in Salem In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, multiple factors fueled the hysteria leading up to the Salem witch trials, such as Abigail’s deceiving plots, Reverend Hale not establishing the truth, and citizens’ mindless accusations. Abigail is the most guilty of causing outbreaks of panic starting with dancing in the woods with other girls, then moving to framing Mary Warren with a doll, and fake acting out seeing otherworldly entities. One example of Abigail’s manipulation is when she stabbed herself with a needle to frame Mary Warren: “Stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out” (176). Abigail also has a habit of accusing falsely and gets to girls to gang up during hearings, but everyone believes

Read More
1254 Words | 6 Pages

Salem, Massachusetts declared itself as a religious community in while which evil was going on. Salem's people considered the forest the center of the Devil. Salem was surrounded by forest. The Crucible tells the story of three girls that danced in the center of the devil which in the long run causes a number of unfortunate events. Joseph McCarthy, U.S. Senator, made false accusations that more than 200 card carrying members of the Communist party had went against The United States Government.

Read More
865 Words | 4 Pages

Once Tituba says she has dealt with the devil Abigail realizes the trouble she may be in because she was caught dancing and attempting to perform hex spells. Therefore Abigail in fear and trying to save herself cries out “[she] saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil,” even though she knows what she just said is not true (Miller 1157). When Abigail cried out names of people who dealt with the devil she damned the people of who she accused, for one can be hung for being accused a witch and not admit to dealing with the devil. When Abigail said the names it made people wonder if there were others roaming through Salem who is a witch, and now people are in fear because of false accusations a girl made to save herself. Abigail accuses some people witchcraft was not the only deed she did which cause the people in the town to constantly be crying

Read More
1694 Words | 7 Pages

In reading The Crucible by Arthur Miller, it seems unfathomable in today’s world of science and logical reasoning, that such mass hysteria could break out. While we don’t blame supernatural witches any longer for strange behaviors, there are still many cases in recent history that can be paralleled to the Salem witch trials. One example is a 2012 case of over a dozen high schoolers in Le Roy, New York who developed uncontrollable tics with no obvious cause. When I chose to read The New York Times article, “What Happened to the Girls in Le Roy,” by Susan Dominus, I thought the case would give a clear psychological explanation for the cause of the girls’ afflictions, and give insight into why girls in Salem acted the way they did. However, like

Read More
804 Words | 4 Pages

Parris tells Hale about Abigail, Betty, and the others dancing in the woods. Hale questions Abigail, and she blames Tituba for everything. Abigail says that Tituba makes her drink blood, plagues her dreams, and tempts her to sin. (pg. 22 )

Read More
928 Words | 4 Pages

In the 1600s Puritans from England came to North America to start a new life where they could have religious freedom and practice their faith as they saw was best. Many of them settled in small towns in Massachusetts in which they started families, businesses, and close communities. They had very strong beliefs and ideals of how a good Puritan was supposed to be for example: they had to attend church regularly, consistently read the bible, and never disrespect God’s name or commit disrespectful acts, that are considered sins. The Crucible takes place in the late 1600s in Salem, Massachusetts. Reverend Parris was the Minister of the Salem church and he had an active role in the community.

Read More
542 Words | 3 Pages

I saw goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!”. She proceeded to go on and accuse more women of witchcraft. All in an effort to save herself from getting in trouble for dancing in the woods. As time went on, Abigail had to accuse more and more people to keep the blame from coming back to her.

Read More
516 Words | 3 Pages

In Act I, the reverend of the town asked for Reverend Hale to go to the Parris household to find out why Abigail was “sick.” Soon after, he confirmed she was bewitched, being blind to the fact that Abigail was faking it all along. Hale also said that Betty was bewitched and began to question Tituba after Abigail accused her of doing witchcraft. To try to get Tituba to confess, he told her, “You’re God’s instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil’s agent among us” (Miller 594). Abigail wanted that kind of special attention too, which was part of the reason she started accusing others

Read More
665 Words | 3 Pages

I hear her singing her Barbados songs and tempting me with—” (Miller Act 1). Abigail falsely accuses Tituba of witchcraft and it demonstrates how the Salem witch trials are corrupted. This false accusation is still effective because it saves Abigail herself. Another example is when Abigail takes control of the girls in court. Abigail pretends to see a bird which the judges believe that it is allegedly Mary Warren’s spirit attacking them.

Read More
1882 Words | 8 Pages

Out of fear, Abigail betrayed Tituba, Sarah Good, Goody Osburn, and Mary Warren. While in the court in Salem, Hale was questioning Abigail about what had happened in the woods the night before. Reverend Parris,

Read More
596 Words | 3 Pages

Hence, they declare a witch hunt that only fuels the atmosphere of hysteria, in which prejudices and deep-seated grudges are running the show. Soon enough, alleged witches are found, convicted and hanged . Misfortunes of Tituba, a black slave of the Reverend Parris, began from seemingly harmless dances in the forest with the group of girls, which the local minister, Reverend Parris accidentally has spotted. Further, she is used by Abigail, who needs a scapegoat in order to look innocent and significant in eyes of the Reverend Parris and people of Salem. For this reason, Abigail tricked Tituba into performing the voodoo ceremony.

Read More

More about The Salem Witch Trials In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Related Topics

Open Document