The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a dramatic play that expresses a very important message and that is how far people would go to save themselves from the hands of death. Where before she was just an orphaned teenager, now, in the midst of the trials, she becomes the main witness to the inner workings of a Satanic plot. By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of the daughter of a prince (pg. Why wont Danforth hear his evidence? Parris initially insists that there are no unnatural causes for Bettys illness because he fears that he will lose favor with the townspeople if witchcraft is discovered under his roof. The Crucible by Arthur Miller, is a play based upon events that occurred in Salem circa 1690s. In Act 1 he jumped on board with the hysteria to preserve his power, but he ended up losing what little authority he had in the first place (and, according to Miller's afterward, was voted out of office soon after the end of the play). In this act, she yells Dont lie! at Tituba immediately before she tells some of the most damning lies of the play accusing Tituba of witchcraft (. When the petition testifying to the good character of the accused women is presented, the reaction from Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris is to arrest the people who signed it rather than considering that this might indicate that the women are innocent. How to use hypocrisy in a sentence. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Danforths image is extremely valuable to him, and he refuses to allow Parris concerns to disrupt his belief in the validity of his decisions. John attempts to crush his guilt instead of facing it, which only ends up making it an even more destructive factor in his life. John Proctor is the tragic hero because he is loving, loyal, authoritative, but his tragic flaw is his . Though Rebecca Nurse's involvement has already been corroborated by other confessors, Danforth demands to hear it from John to confirm that John is fully committed to renouncing his supposed ties to Satan. Recall that hypocrisy is when someone's actions don't match up with the professed values. 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For example, proctor waits till the very last minute to reveal Abigail is lying. This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme. This website helped me pass! The crucible, based during the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials of 1692. He has sentenced people to death based on lies about their dealings in black magic, and he has accepted other false confessions from those who would rather lie than be executed. The Crucible remains a staple of high school English because it is rich in themes that are consistently relevant to human beings regardless of time period. Diehard fan of The Wire. Support me by becoming a Medium member: https://bit.ly/39Cybb8. What are their strengths and personal flaws? This attitude comes from a man who has shown no remorse for condemning people to death throughout the play. 121). They are extremely biased towards believing they have made the correct sentencing decisions in court thus far, so they are reluctant to accept new evidence that may prove them wrong. Being a person, from Latin persona ("mask", per and soneo - "resound") means precisely "being a mask . As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. At first, Mary is being honest by admitting that Elizabeth . Through this statement he clearly demonstrates his belief that lying will send a person to Hell. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar. Essay prompts will ask about these themes in a variety of different ways. In a way. In one of the most well-known quotes in the play, John Proctor angrily insists that the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom (pg. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God. She beg me make charm (Miller, pg. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. He appears to have no governing system of morality. The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. Both flaws led him to delay telling the truth about Abigail's fraudulent claims and their previous relationship, thus dooming himself and many others to death or imprisonment. I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (pg. In the case of a play like The Crucible, themes are revealed mainly through the dialogue of the characters. Even before Abigail makes accusations, rumors of witchcraft have morphed into accepted truths in the minds of the more superstitious members of the community. Hale truly believes that the accused have been marked by the Devil. Abigail Williams was the main accuser of withes in Salem, and in her accusations she gained power in the town. In The Crucible, there are many characters that feed into or contribute to the rapid spread of witch hysteria in the small village of Salem. He believes there is a group of people in town determined to remove him from this position, and he will say and do whatever it takes to retain control. "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. This new power is exciting and very dangerous because. The overall message is that when a person's actions are driven by desires to preserve favorable public opinion rather than do the morally right thing, there can be extremely dire consequences. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted. Throughout "The Crucible", Abigail Williams commits the largest act of hypocrisy. Why is Giles Cory expelled from court? . Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, the events that occurred during the Salem witch trials are dramatized, and the truth of judgement and vengeance is examined in a web of lies amongst the townspeople. Abigail possesses a two- pronged approach in her motivation. Many people are under the impression that irony is just when something happens that you don't expect (or that you really hoped wouldn't happen). One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. Compare and contrast three authority figures in this drama: Hale, Danforth, and Parris. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. 22). Many of us in today's society do not believe in this; however, the Puritans really did believe that people could be vessels for the Devil. Abigail insists that she did nothing to deserve it and tries to put all the blame on Elizabeth Proctor. Is reputation more important than truth? The depths of the hysteria that has gripped Salem are revealed in Act 3 when John finally confronts the court. When Hale asks him to recite his commandments, the only one he forgets is adultery. This lie essentially condemns both of them. He believes that Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. All rights reserved. She is cast as a villain. They so fear the devilish consequences of challenging the accusers that theyre willing to take them at their word and ignore any defenses the accused have to offer. 22). People were put to death because their neighbors suspected them of committing a crime, but murder is a sin in the Puritan religion. references the many sentencing decisions he has already made in the trials of the accused. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" is a fictional account of the real life Salem witch trials, but the play has far deeper meanings than just a dramatic interpretation of the event. His guilt leads to great tension in interactions with Elizabeth because he projects his feelings onto her, accusing her of being judgmental and dwelling on his mistakes. To illustrate, here are some examples of . Here are a few questions related to this theme that you can use to test your grasp of irony and its significance as a theme in The Crucible: Hale wrongly assumes that his academic mindset will save him from jumping to the wrong conclusions in the witchcraft investigation. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. This means that much of the population that remains is comprised of the power-hungry, the selfish, and the cowardly. Many people are under the impression that irony is just when something happens that you don't expect (or that you really hoped wouldn't happen). It is another trait we inherited from them, and it has helped to discipline us as well as to breed hypocrisy among us.'' Miller wrote it as an allegory to the Red Scare, the promotion of fear of a potential rise of communism. 41). I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Well, it's not. The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God. Danforth also becomes frustrated with Proctor when he wont name names in his confession: Mr. It's one thing to understand the major themes in The Crucible, and it's another thing completely to write about them yourself. Hypocrisy is shown between the characters: Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Hale. (pg. The accused people of Salem are all innocent and have nothing to do with neither witchcraft nor convening with the devil. Sign language interpreters, though extremely helpful, do not allow deaf audience members to fully experience a show. The Judge forcing people to lie to save their lives he cant see the wrong hes doing. Abigails power skyrockets as the hysteria grows more severe. Hypocrisy relates to The Crucible in that both Reverend Parris and Mr. Putnam are incredibly hypocritical characters. Hypocrisy is "the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform". Just like generosity, honesty and kindness are natural in people with those tendencies. The book is about witchcraft or what the town thinks is witchcraft. Why doesnt John immediately tell the court that he knows Abigail is faking? By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials. While I speak Gods law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering (pg. Before I get into the nitty-gritty of howThe Cruciblethemes are expressed, let's do a quick overview of what themes are and why they matter. Explain the irony of Hales position at the end of the play as compared to his actions at the beginning. Miller includes some commentary on Hale: ''One cannot help noting that one of his lines has never yet raised a laugh in any audience that has seen this play; it is his assurance that, 'We cannot look to superstition in this. Proctors good reputation is almost a burden for him at this point because he knows that he doesnt deserve it. you are exactly right. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. In saying this he admits that a person can only avoid a hanging by confessing to witchcraft even if their statement contains no truth. This new power is exciting and very dangerous because it encourages the girls to make additional accusations in order to preserve their value in the eyes of the court. The Crucible provides an example of how convenient lies can build on one another to create a universally accepted truth even in the absence of any real evidence. Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? Hales involvement is taken to mean that there must be a supernatural element to Bettys illness. Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. Some will be very direct. Explain who you believe is the central tragic character in the play. Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused. She is enraged when Parris questions her suspicious dismissal from the Proctor household. Shes not a traditionally accepted target like the others (except in her susceptibility as a woman to the misogyny that runs rampant in the play). Parris is hypocritical because he is not a . Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!" The play is about human weakness, hypocrisy, and vindictiveness. The Crucible, a short play dedicated to these events in Salem shows us how hysteria was such a leading cause of why the Witch Trials had even occurred. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out." Not living up to our beliefs, opinions,virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards is not a hypocrisy.Hypocrisy is pretending (and lying to others) to have them when we don't. Miller addresses a similar hysteria throughout his play. This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme. They could either confess to being guilty and is punished and put into jail or deny any relationship with the devil and be hanged and killed. Nowhere is there any consideration of ulterior motives. Even Judge Danforth, supposedly a reliable source of justice and solidity, goes against what he knows to be true by forcing those arrested to either confess to crimes they did not commit or face the gallows, all to save his name and prevent it from looking like he had hanged innocent people. This is especially true with the reputation and hysteria themes. He is completely oblivious to the fact that the victims might be lying. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. Believer, Baltimore City IEP Chair, and 2:39 marathon runner. Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. How does Reverend Hale make Tituba feel important? Hypocrisy: A Human Flaw In the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller repeatedly portrays that duplicity and deceit are a natural part of human lives. Miller portrays Danforths characterization as stubborn, highly religious, and arrogant in order to to provide a clearer understanding. The Puritans believed that children were to be seen and not heard. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. 121). Its easy for more respectable citizens to accept that shes in league with the Devil because she is an "other" in Salem, just like Tituba. Where before she was just an orphaned teenager, now, in the midst of the trials, she becomes the main witness to the inner workings of a Satanic plot. One flaw that can always be found in society and the Crucible is hypocrisy. A 17-year-old girl named Abigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor, a wealthy, married man. The Crucible's themes have lent the play artistic longevity because they're more or less universal to the human experience across time. hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. This mob mentality leads to unthoughtful acts and false accusations. A theme is a central topic that is addressed by a work of literature. 119). Here's another example of a potential essay question for The Crucible that's less explicit in its request for you to discuss themes of the play: "Most of the main characters in the play have personal flaws and either contribute to or end up in tragedy. I'll give a short summary of how each plays a role in the events of The Crucible. When she cant get John to abandon Elizabeth for her, she decides to take matters into her own hands and gain control through manipulating the fears of others. 68 lessons These are themes that could be considered subsets of the topics detailed in the previous sections, but there's also room to discuss them as topics in their own right. In one of the most well-known quotes in the play, John Proctor angrily insists that the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom (pg. 123). In reality, true irony only happens when a situation is the exact opposite of what you would expect. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. 73), meaning the girls are testing out the extent of the chaos they can create with their newfound power. Danforth wont listen to him for this reason. I chose . In addition to grubbing for a few extra pounds every year, Parris makes a show out of needing golden candlesticks for the altar to replace the pewter ones that have served the church since it was built. Though the Puritans believed that children were not to be taken seriously, they are later convinced by the court officials that the children are the authorities on witchcraft. How do the witch trials empower individuals who were previously powerless? They so fear the devilish consequences of challenging the accusers that theyre willing to take them at their word and ignore any defenses the accused have to offer. Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. These people are the only ones who refuse to throw out false accusations or lie about involvement in witchcraft, so they find themselves condemned (this is the fate of Rebecca Nurse). officials (like Danforth) unable or unwilling to listen to reason? There's a message here about the choices we have in dealing with guilt. 6). It is a somewhat fictional play about the Salem Witch Trials. Though their Bible would forbid murder, they condemn people to death with an excuse of witchcraft just to get land. Rebecca Nurse is a pure soul, who always took care of other people's children. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses. The accusers cannot present concrete evidences, and their wrongful convictions must be further scrutinized. Each new false confession is thrown onto the pile of evidence of a grand Satanic plot, and as the pile grows larger, the hysteria surrounding it is fed generously. In Arthur Miller's stunning play, The Crucible, a primary character named John Proctor has an affair with a young woman named Abigail Williams. The fear caused by the thought of supernatural evil in Salem causes the characters in the play to turn a blind eye to logic and instead believe in claims not backed by actual "hard as rock" proof. As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. Many people confess when threatened with execution, and this only heightens the paranoid atmosphere. In reality. People who were accused of witchcraft are wrongfully indicted, and those transgressions must be justified. In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft. Miller himself was blacklisted for refusing to testify in front of the HUAC, a committee that was created to investigate any person who might be a communist. The main point that the story revolves around is that people would rather lie and blame someone else instead of confessing and accepting the punishment. | 2 These types of statements made by Hale earlier in the play become even more ironic in Act 4 when he realizes he made a horrible mistake by trusting the evidence that was presented to him. I propose that each and every one of us is, or at some time has been, guilty of hyopcrisy. Miller fills us in on much of the history in breaks in the play where he offers commentary in his own voice. 71). The second major theme in The Crucible (and one that teachers often ask about) is fear and hysteria. Download it for free now: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, '688715d6-bf92-47d7-8526-4c53d1f5fe7d', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, '03a85984-6dfd-4a19-93c8-5f46091f5e2b', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. The idea that a witch's familiar spirit is capable of stabbing people is too scary for the superstitious and now hysterical people of Salem to give Elizabeth the benefit of the doubt. Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation. By examining the characters of the play, I believe that the three major characters who should be blamed the most for the witch trials are Abigail Williams. Upon arriving in the court Mary Warren says, I cannot lie no more. The hypocrisy in this statement is almost funny. One single example is ; Corporate and political greed and desire for power is the reason for most of the suffering as claimed by many. People in power continue to believe the accusers out of fear for their own safety, taking the hysteria to a point where no one is above condemnation. Why is Cory arrested? No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted. 118). Abigail is told by John to move on but instead, Abigail starts accusing the townspeople of witchcraft, including John Proctors wife Elizabeth. Through Abigail Williams, Miller was trying to state the injustice in Salem because she targeted the innocent people, leading to their death. What is the writer attempting to convey to the viewer? In Act 2, the value of reputation in Salem starts to butt heads with the power of hysteria and fear to sway peoples opinions (and vengeance to dictate their actions). Many of the conflicts that occurred in the play were caused by Abigail Williams. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Throughout the play, Miller uses the Salem Witch trials as a catalyst for Proctor's crucial development. She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. Tituba attempts to tell the truth about Abigail when she says, You beg me to conjure! Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. She was seen as a grandmother to the village. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Score, list of every single character in the play, details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. In a case like this, you'd be writing directly about a specific theme in connection to one of the characters. He refers to Johns refusal to confess as a calamity, looking past his own involvement in the larger calamity of the conviction that led John to this point. As Reverend Hale says to Danforth, Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellions spoke? (Act 4, pg. This quotation shows the overall theme that hypocrisy is bred from the fear and condemnation of a society. In Act 1 he jumped on board with the hysteria to preserve his power, but he ended up losing what little authority he had in the first place (and, according to Miller's afterward, was voted out of office soon after the end of the play). In her conversation with John, Abigail claims that he helped her realize all the lies she was told by two-faced people in Salem who only publicly adhere to the conventions of respectable society (pg. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. Hale doesnt realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark. . Read on for an overview of what a theme is, a list of important themes in The Crucible with specific act-by-act details, and a summary of how to use this information in your essays and other assignments. She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. Here are some discussion questions to consider after reading about the thematic role of the concepts of power and authority in the events of the play: Mary Warren when she comes back from Salem in Act 2. 91). Themes tell us what the purpose of the work is. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. In this case, you're asked to discuss the concept of a tragic character, explaining who fits that mold in The Crucible and why. The people in charge are so eager to hold onto their power that if anyone disagrees with them in the way the trials are conducted, it is taken as a personal affront and challenge to their authority. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? Arthur Millers portrayal of a town in the midst of a downfall The Crucible, tells the story of how mob mentality and hysteria can significantly influence not only individuals but the whole town. A character named Abigail lived with proctor and his wife and his two sons. At the end this act, John Proctor delivers a short monologue anticipating the imminent loss of the disguises of propriety worn by himself and other members of the Salem community. In Act 2, John Proctors guilt over his affair with Abigail is demonstrated through an ironic exchange with Reverend Hale. This shows us how one person who starts. He shows the hypocrisy of the Puritans by showing their belief system and how they have not acted in accordance with those beliefs. There are two examples of Ad hominem from The Crucible in Act 2 and Act 3. 44) but realizes that her word against Abigail will not stand. -Hypocrisy is the state of falsely claiming to possess virtuous characteristics that one lacks. The attitudes towards women in the 1950s, when the play was written, are evident in the roles they're given. Do you not know that God damns all liars? (Miller 101).