Theme Of Corruption In The Crucible

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” This quote by Abraham Lincoln focuses on the level of honesty, integrity, and compassion an individual can bring to a relationship, a community, and the world. It forces the risk of the possibility of corruption that comes with power. That a man or woman will use their power for self serving purposes to achieve his or her ultimate goal no matter what the cost to others may be. This occurs in The Crucible by Arthur Miller where Abigail, an unmarried girl with a tainted name, obtains power through her false confession of dancing with the Devil and her attempts of incriminating others of the same. With this power, she accuses fellow neighbors with

Since the Puritans live in a God fearing manner, this gives Abigail even more power over the town since she is essentially doing God’s work. “I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with Devil!” Abigail uses her first accusations to give herself credibility. Both Sarah Good and Goody Osburn were homeless beggars who already were deemed impure. Bridget Bishop was accused to her crazy ways and her reputation. By ridding Salem of what they saw as impurities is further evidence that she is evidence that she represents the crucible. The crucible in chemistry is used to separate the pure substance from everything else by eliminating the impurities. In its name, Puritan society, they must be pure. However, her honesty and credibility are later questioned which leads to her

Abigail goes to any length without regards of the possible repercussions of her decisions. Abigail’s narcissistic character makes the reader wonder at what length will a person go to indulge their cravings. She terrorizes the town and forces the Puritans to both turn against each other as well as to burn themselves. Whether it is an obsessive love for another person or an intense hatred for a group of people, narcissism, grandiosity, and intolerance still plague our society. Whether it is in the late 1600s with the Salem Witch Trials, 1950s with the Red Scare, or just this month with ISIS attacks in Paris, they have gone, and will most likely keep going, to extremes to get what they want, much like what Abigail Williams did in Salem to get Proctor’s love. Narcissistic people will remain in our world the question, is when will they