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What Does The Poppet Symbolize In The Crucible

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What would a poppet symbolize to you? During act 2 and 3 we see this doll cause a big effect in The Crucible. A poppet to me I see as a victim that gives the owner a sense of power or control. In this story we see just that. Not just in the doll itself but with the people in the story. Poppets are sometimes referred to as “voodoo” dolls. Those dolls were believed to have supernatural powers of witchcraft, and were used to harm people. In this story, the poppet given to Elizabeth symbolizes both victimization and power. Many people, years ago believed that the voodoo doll or poppet is used as a hold over someone. The poppet would be believed to be able to control or harm a person it is binded to. That would give the owner of the poppet a form of control or power. The original owner was Mary Warren of the poppet but was told to the court it was Elizabeth’s. What was told to the court is a reverse to how reality was. Abby has the upper hand in this situation and she likes to use it out of jealousy towards Elizabeth. “Goody Proctor …show more content…

In this case Supernatural is a theme of the play because of the element of “witchcraft” throughout the story. It’s a theme that can be tied back to the poppet because of the history of a poppet. A poppet is to be a thing of witchcraft. Either if it is used for good or bad, like in this story. “Like a beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her,and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out.”(page 1177) The witchcraft might not be real in this story but it is still believed to be very real in this story, far enough to grant death. The court believes this to be true because of the “evidence” they have seen. All though supernatural events don’t actually occur everyone believes and he story is based off of witchcraft, making this a theme, and the poppet adds depth to this

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