Put Their Logic On Trial It is apparent to all who read The Crucible that the logic and reasoning used in the trials of the accused witches was unsound and plainly groundless. Those in charge charge were corrupt and uneducated. The “witches” could be a model citizen one day, but ripped from their home and jailed the next. Family names were thrown to the dirt and crushed. This time was a true terror and continues as a horror tale today. Logic, reasoning and other ideas are so important today, but how do they compare with the ideas tactics used in the 1600s? Proof is a very evolved idea. In the times of the Salem Witch Trials, proof could be as simple as the victim claiming their dubious accusations are true. It’s similar to when siblings are …show more content…
For example, their lack of logic becomes apparent in many if not all of the trials in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. In Act III Proctor is trying to prove that the girls were lying in court, he brings in Mary Warren, one of the accusers, and she confirms his beliefs. She confesses to dancing in the woods and seeing Abigail watch her make the doll she later used to accuse Elizabeth Proctor (Miller, 77). The only time a decent plan was almost used was with the poppet. It shows a common crime today of planting the evidence. Her charade would have been more believable if she were able to convince Mary to deny putting the needle into the poppet. Logic again was thrown to the side when the court cannot wrap their heads around the idea that Mary gave the poppet to Goody Proctor and had herself, stuck the needle into its stomach for safe keeping. They would much rather believe that Elizabeth kept a poppet for 15 years and stabbed a needle into it with the intention of hurting Abby because Elizabeth is, in fact, a witch. This is just another example of how illogical the Salem Witch Trials