The True Crimes
In a town full of religious-imposed justice, is the crimes happening in the towns actually considered true crimes? Should the people that committed the crimes be held responsible? In Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” the town “Salem” many are being accused of witchery, which is a crime in their society.The problem is that they aren't witches, but normal people to be hanged. The executioner behind these accusations were a group of Salem girls, but the one who leads is Abigail Williams.The witch court that soon comes, makes the punishment of these crimes hanging or confess of witchery. Another problem occurs when the accusations that the Salem girls state are false.So are there any “True” crimes being committed in this play.Should
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The Salem girls should be punished for their acts of involuntary manslaughter because when they accused many of witchery even though they weren't witches, most of the accused were hanged.Evidence for this is during a conversation between Reverend Hale and Danforth , when Hale says “I have signed seventy-two death warrants”(Miller.239-243). Evidence shows that after many Court sessions the accused of the Salem girls were appointed to death by hanging which is involuntary manslaughter.The reason why Judge Danforth too should be punished, is that when Abigail left town with stolen money the trials should have ended but he kept continuing them.The evidence for Abigail leaving with stolen money is presented during a conversation between Parris and Danforth, when Parris says “My niece, sir, my niece - I believe she has vanished my strongbox is broke into....Thirty-one pound is gone. I am penniless.”(Miller 132). What this shows Is that even though the “leader”and now a questionable witness of the Salem girls Is a criminal, he continues to go on with the hangings and trials without question. Which Is now considered involuntary manslaughter as the people he hangs were non-guilty.The punishment for this act of crime should be death by hanging like the