But these themes aren't always easy to explain or dissect in the context of the play, and they can be even harder to develop into essays. Hale doesnt realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark. 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. 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. When Hale asks him to recite his commandments, the only one he forgets is adultery. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. Though hysteria overpowered the reputations of the accused in the past two acts, in act 4 the sticking power of their original reputations becomes apparent. The town, already primed with rumors of black magic, is quickly willing to accept that the first few women who are accused are involved in black magic because theyre beggars and slaves. 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. Tituba is pressured to confess and name the names of other witches to avoid execution, which leads to Abigail and Bettys accusations, now validated by a coerced confession. Essay prompts will ask about these themes in a variety of different ways. 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. In Act 3, Abigails power in the courthouse is on display. Though a character can have significant moral flaws, they can be wise enough to recognize their flaws and change their ways. Hypocrisy: A Human Flaw Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth. While touting his holy credentials, he claims that he dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of my conscience may doubt it (pg. Of course, we know that Danforth has been trading peoples lives for lies this whole time. Examples Of Hypocrisy In The Crucible. Danforth, who has the most authority, is also the most sold on her act, and it only takes a few screams to persuade him that hes in the presence of witchcraft. One flaw that can always be found in society and the Crucible is hypocrisy. No one considers that the accusers are lying, partially because theyre seen as innocent children and partially because many witches confess to avoid the death penalty. 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. makes them feel the best about themselves. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Explore examples of hypocrisy in the play, including the hypocrisy in land disputes, sin, and the characters of Rebecca Nurse, Reverend Hale, and the children. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. Do you not know that God damns all liars? (Miller 101). It can be hard for the deaf and hard of hearing to become engaged in theater. 42). In each paragraph these traits will be further explained . 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). He is known for making the right decisions and never going against them. 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. Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.Parris must rush to be the first accuser so he can place himself beyond reproach. Hypocrisy In Salem And The Crucible Proctor knows that unlike most of the other people who have gotten hanged, his is not completely innocent. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented. The Crucible is not only a dramatization of . Fear that spread among a group of people in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials, that event in history is a prime example of Mass Hysteria. The importance placed on reputation helps perpetuate hysteria because it leads to inaction, inflexibility, and, in many cases, active sabotage of the reputations of others for selfish purposes. This confess or die mindset is one of the central ironies of the play. What is the difference between dissent and disloyalty? Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. 118). Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. 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. The Puritans believed that children were to be seen and not heard. An ad hominem means that it shifts the argument away from the issue to a personal attack on the person involved. In reality, he is constantly judging himself, and this leads to outbursts of anger against others who remind him of what he did (he already feels guilty enough!). 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. This hysteria-based evidence of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it. In the next few sections,I'll take a look at a group of broad themes inThe Crucible, including irony, hysteria, reputation, and power. Both Hale and Proctor don't want to live with the consequences of their mistakes, so they try to ignore or undo their past actions. 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. Ironically, though she is normally honest to a fault, in this situation Elizabeth decides to lie to preserve Johns reputation, not knowing he has already confessed. Abigail possesses a two- pronged approach in her motivation. Anns extreme conclusions are gradually accepted because rational people are too afraid to challenge the consensus and risk bringing accusations upon themselves. This is ironic because, Once the accusations begin, Parris initiates an ironic thought process that persists throughout. The madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. His only goal is to get on the good side of the community as a whole, even in the midst of this bout of collective hysteria. In reality, true irony only happens when a situation is the exact opposite of what you would expect. What motivates their attitudes and responses toward the witch trials? And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out." By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. So, she decides to manipulate the situation by saying that the Devil has come to her and she has resisted his commands to kill Mr. Parris. He shows the hypocrisy of the Puritans by showing their belief system and how they have not acted in accordance with those beliefs. This hysteria-based evidence of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it. 6). Throughout the play, Miller uses the Salem Witch trials as a catalyst for Proctor's crucial development. As he says, How may I live without my name? Irony abounds throughout The Crucibleascharacters who believe they are combating the Devils handiwork actually perform it themselves. First off, what is irony? 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. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. Though actions are often motivated by fear and desires for power and revenge, they are also propped up by underlying worries about how a loss of reputation will negatively affect characters' lives. The accusers cannot present concrete evidences, and their wrongful convictions must be further scrutinized. Abigail, in particular, has quickly risen from a nobody to one of the most influential people in Salem. In The Crucible, they all fear witchcraft, because there is a rumor going around. She also ran the local tavern. 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 (. | 2 In saying this he admits that a person can only avoid a hanging by confessing to witchcraft even if their statement contains no truth. The evolution of his character is due to vairous . In fact, we've all seen hypocrisy in our daily lives. How does Parris pride prevent him from doing anything to stop the progression of events in the play? An example would be something like: "How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? An example of hypocrisy is when Mary defends Elizabeth in court, but then gives her a poppet which lands Elizabeth in jail for owning a tool of witchcraft. As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Why does he decide to do so anyways? A Comprehensive Guide. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Arthur Miller speaks of Reverend Parris, stating: ''until this strange crisis he, like the rest of Salem, never conceived that the children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak.''. The court refuses to challenge anyone who claims to have been afflicted. 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). Rebecca Nurse is a pure soul, who always took care of other people's children. The other two main female characters, Elizabeth and Mary Warren, are somewhat bland. Revered Parris claims to be a godly minister, yet he is always clamoring for more: golden candlesticks, property rights, more money. Mary Warren exemplifies hypocrisy extraordinarily well in the scene when she and Proctor travel to the courthouse so she can confess that the girls have pretended everything and they never actually saw spirits. Historical Context. What the people of Salem have seen as demonic possessions of the girls is nothing more than an act of deception. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. This is ironic becausesearching for "the Devil's marks" as the potential cause of an ailment is inherently superstitious. Ironically, he is the first to demand a confession from Tituba based on Abigail's dramatic but false testimony. Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation. An error occurred trying to load this video. 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. While it does provide an entertaining experience at face value, the true literary genius behind the work is Miller's . One single example is ; Corporate and political greed and desire for power is the reason for most of the suffering as claimed by many. There are several ironies in Act 1 that center around Abigail Williams. 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. It caused many people, in Salem during this event to think fast, rash and jump to conclusions. The petition he presents to Danforth is used as a weapon against the signers rather than a proof of the innocence of Elizabeth, Martha, and Rebecca. She is a sensible, saintly old woman who chooses to martyr herself rather than lie and confess to witchcraft. Other essay questions may not ask you directly about the themes listed in this article, but that doesn't mean that the themes are irrelevant to your writing. Reverend Parris has fallen from his position of authority as a result of the outcomes of the trials. 67). How does reputation influence who is first accused of witchcraft? I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. In the book the Crucible there are many hypocrites some dishonest some just following any one to be guilty, but one of the many character is Judge Danforth he mocks Marry when he ask "How were you instructed in your life? 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? He wrote the play as an allegory of McCarthyism, when the US government discriminated communists. Danforth also becomes frustrated with Proctor when he wont name names in his confession: Mr. How does the central tragic character change throughout the play, and how does this relate to the play's title? you are exactly right. The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. 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. This well-intentioned mistake seals both of their fates. He is completely oblivious to the fact that the victims might be lying. We saw that Arthur Miller used the Puritans in The Crucible to explore the themes, or main ideas of a text, in order to make the statement that society can be hypocritical and that we should question intentions. Fear plays an immense role in the way people make their decisions, such as when the characters of Danforth and Mary Warren . The main display of Abby's hypocrisy is her incessant accusations of the accused as being unholy, God-damned and doing the Devils work. Take a look at this article for details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. Abigail insists that she did nothing to deserve it and tries to put all the blame on Elizabeth Proctor. 91). 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. Tituba attempts to tell the truth about Abigail when she says, You beg me to conjure! There are several ironies in Act 1 that center around Abigail Williams. What are some of the factors that feed the panic and suspicion in Salem, and why are. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. Proctor is infuriated. The each profess to want truth and to desire to punish actual wrongdoers. Create your account, 7 chapters | 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. In Arthur Miller's stunning play, The Crucible, a primary character named John Proctor has an affair with a young woman named Abigail Williams. Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. Giles Cory was expelled from court because he would not list people who signed the document about Putnam wanting to take land. Do you not know that God damns all liars? 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. builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft proliferate throughout Salem. Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. The authorities ignore any inconvenient logical objections to the proceedings because they, too, are swept up in the madness. 133). " jesus christThe simple answer is of course, yes! Innocent and guilty people have been put to death underneath his Judgement, to him this demonstrates his superiority and power. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. In the case of a play like The Crucible, themes are revealed mainly through the dialogue of the characters. 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. He is weak and vulnerable after Abigail's theft of his life's savings, and hes even facing death threats from the townspeople as a result of John and Rebecca's imminent executions. 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. Danforth and Mary Warren both embody hypocrisy, as seen when Mary says she cannot lie anymore and then lies when she becomes scared for her life, and Danforth when saying lying will send a person to Hell, but then forcing people to choose between lying and death. 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. Ask questions; get answers. This means that much of the population that remains is comprised of the power-hungry, the selfish, and the cowardly. She believed she had seen spirits earlier because she was caught up in the delusions of those around her. Many villagers, especially Abigail . 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). The authorities ignore any inconvenient logical objections to the proceedings because they, too, are swept up in the madness. Though hysteria overpowered the reputations of the accused in the past two acts, in act 4 the sticking power of their original reputations becomes apparent. There is a culture of keeping up appearances already in place, which makes it natural for people to lie about witnessing their neighbors partaking in Satanic rituals when the opportunity arises (especially if it means insulating themselves from similar accusations and even achieving personal gain). 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 is a lesson in how fear can twist perceptions of reality even for those who consider themselves reasonable under normal circumstances. (Cheever pg. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Well, it's not. He says, I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town (pg. The seeds are planted in Act 1, when Abigail is questioned about her activities in the woods and ends up accusing Tituba of witchcraft to avoid punishment. 68 lessons Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. First off, what is irony? The play loosely follows the tale of Salem and how the trials came to pass. The cause of the hysteria was caused by Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth. John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. In telling people they must confess to their crimes or be hanged, the officials show that they have already decided the person is guilty no matter what evidence is provided in their defense. Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. The classic example of an incorrect use of irony is in Alanis Morisette's song "Ironic" when she says that "rain on your wedding day" is an example of irony. 129). Danforth, who has the most authority, is also the most sold on her act, and it only takes a few screams to persuade him that hes in the presence of witchcraft. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. Hale tries to combat his guilt by persuading the prisoners to confess, refusing to accept that the damage has already been done. In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft. Lust and pride were John Proctors tragic flaws, lust is of course, one out of the seven sins. Though their Bible would forbid murder, they condemn people to death with an excuse of witchcraft just to get land. As the story progresses, Danforth and many other officials begin to realize that the entire situation in Salem progressed to far and honest people will continue to die unless they can convince people to lie in order to save themselves. Danforth is the governor of Massachusetts who thinks of himself as a fair man. 71). This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. They say not to use superstition when dealing with the Devil, who is in fact a superstition used to cover up the sinful dealings of the people. 22). Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack. 61). Later in the play, she is accused. While Mary Warren gets pressured by Proctor to reveal the truth about Abigail, but the overwhelming pressure from the mob makes her turn from the truth. 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. I'll give a short summary of how each plays a role in the events of The Crucible. Great, character-driven stories often have deeply flawed characters at their heart. People could not take another's land unless it was left to them in a will; however, if someone were to be executed for a crime, that land belonged to the state and could be re-distributed. His only goal is to get on the good side of the community as a whole, even in the midst of this bout of collective hysteria. Some will be very direct. 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. The Devil is really a superstition hiding the townspeople, who are ''precise'' in their accusations because they want land from others. Why is hypocrisy so common in repressive communities like Salem? In a case like this, you'd be writing directly about a specific theme in connection to one of the characters. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. 22). A constant theme through out the play is your personal reputation, maintaining a good name. Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. These attributes are seen in both character, John Proctor from Arthur Millers play, The Crucible, set in Salem in the early seventeenth century and in Atticus Finch from Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird set in New York in 1950. What is the writer attempting to convey to the viewer? Danforth explains that witchcraft is an invisible crime and that only the victims are reliable. It's here that we see the hypocrisy of the situation. flashcard sets. Tituba is forced to accept her role as a pawn for those with greater authority and a stepping stone for Abigails ascent to power. It's atoxic strategy that causes panic to spread quickly and fear for ones life to take the place of rationality. The Crucible's themes have lent the play artistic longevity because they're more or less universal to the human experience across time. 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. Proctors good reputation is almost a burden for him at this point because he knows that he doesnt deserve it. Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.. 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. The book is about witchcraft or what the town thinks is witchcraft. The narrator tells the audience that there is very little good to be said of him (Miller 1100), yet as a minister the people of the town look to him to be a pious religious leader. Arthur Miller used this notion of hypocrisy when he wrote The Crucible to show us the theme, or underlying message, that a hypocritical society can be dangerous. Logic has no power to combat paranoia and superstition even when the claims of the girls are clearly fraudulent. Abigail distracts the judges from any rational investigation in this act by playing into this hysteria. 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. Abigails power skyrockets as the hysteria grows more severe. He. Most Important Themes in The Crucible, Analyzed. This quotation shows the overall theme that hypocrisy is bred from the fear and condemnation of a society. Danforth wont listen to him for this reason. 118). 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 Act 2, John Proctors guilt over his affair with Abigail is demonstrated through an ironic exchange with Reverend Hale. In this environment, whoever yells the loudest seems to get the most credibility. 50). She attended church regularly and was the embodiment of how a Puritan woman should behave. If you can show that you understand the themes of a work of literature, you've clearly mastered the material on a deeper level. The most substantial female character is Abigail, who is portrayed as a devious and highly sexualized young woman. The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Ann Putnam jumps at any opportunity to blame supernatural forces for the deaths of her children. 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. Danforth continues to demonstrate the effects of hysteria in act 4 even after things have died down a bit in Salem and there have been rumblings of discontent about the courts actions. The human lust and want for power has been and is the base of each and every witch-hunt. In this act, we learn more details about the accused that paint a clearer picture of the influence of reputation and social standing on the patterns of accusations. One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. He chooses to die instead of providing a false confession because he doesnt think life will be worth living after he is so disgraced. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. She beg me make charm (Miller, pg. John Proctor surrenders his agency at the end of Act 3 in despair at the determination of the court to pursue the accusations of witchcraft and ignore all evidence of their falsehood. Hales involvement is taken to mean that there must be a supernatural element to Bettys illness. It is part of our carnal nature to hold others to a higher standard than our own. 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. She puts on a fake front to get what she wants, ultimately creating a persona thats even worse than that of the hypocrites she criticizes. In the Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play that is based of 1962 Salem Massachusetts, the site of one of the worst witch-hunts in history. Hysteria blinds the people of Salem to reason as they become convinced that there is a grand Satanic plot brewing in town, and they must not hesitate to condemn anyone who could be involved.

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