The Crucible- Persecution Essay During the play The Crucible persecution happens as a result of vengeance. For example, in the play one of the characters Abigail Williams does everything she can to get revenge on Goody Proctor, Mr. Proctor’s wife. She accuses Goody Proctor of using a poppet (a doll) to do voodoo on her. Abigail was next to Mr. Proctors daughter Mary Warren when she was making the poppet, and she saw Mary stick a needle in the doll for safe keeping. When Proctor turns down Abigail’s advances towards him she uses a needle to stab herself so she can accuse Goody Proctor of sticking the doll so she would get hurt. Abigail Williams and Mr. Proctor had an affair which led to Goody Proctor kicking Abigail out of their home. Goody Proctor is arrested after Abigail’s accusations are thought to be true. Mr. Proctor then convinces Mary Warren to testify …show more content…
Thomas Putnam was accusing all of his neighbors of witchcraft so that he can buy their land. Giles Corey tells the court that a man told him that Putnam was wrongfully accusing people so he could buy their land, but Giles would not reveal to the court who gave him this information. Giles Corey states “you know well why not! He’ll lay in jail if I give his name!” (Miller 187). He’s telling the court the reason why he wont give the mans name up because he doesn’t want the man to be put in jail. Giles also chooses to be pressed instead of hanged like the others because his sons will still be able to inherit his land. This quote shows that no one was safe from being persecuted for witchcraft. Another time that pride lead to persecution was when Danforth admits that he’ll hang as many people as it takes. Danforth states that he is willing to hang all 10,000 people if he had to, to keep the good name of the court. He didn’t care how many people he had to wrongfully kill as long as it didn’t mess up his