You can also read my full summary of The Crucible here for a review of exactly what happens in the plot in each act. These two institutions fuse together in The Crucible to actively encourage accusers and discourage rational explanations of events. Why is Giles Cory expelled from court? 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. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. The evolution of his character is due to vairous . As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. How is Millers underlying message revealed in one of these themes and through the character?". 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 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. The Crucible's themes have lent the play artistic longevity because they're more or less universal to the human experience across time. 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). 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. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about the Salem witch trials. If you hope to write an awesome essay onThe Crucible, you should have extensive knowledge of its themes. 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. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. In The Crucible many examples of hypocrisy are shown. Jennifer has taught high school English for eight years and has a master's degree in curriculum and assessment. Fear plays an immense role in the way people make their decisions, such as when the characters of Danforth and Mary Warren resort to hypocrisy when no other options remain. He chooses to die instead of providing a false confession because he doesnt think life will be worth living after he is so disgraced. Because, the people of Salem will find out about the affair, this would weaken his reputation. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. I propose that each and every one of us is, or at some time has been, guilty of hyopcrisy. 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. 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). Hypocrisy is "the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform". This is interesting because the children are the ones that the rest of the village relies upon to condemn people to death. The desire to preserve and gain power pervadesThe Crucible as the witch trials lead to dramatic changes in which characters hold the greatest control over the course of events. This fact could destroy his credibility, so he is biased towards continuing to trust Abigail. 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. Arthur Miller pokes fun at this in his commentary in the play and explains his intentions to the audience. 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. Tituba attempts to tell the truth about Abigail when she says, You beg me to conjure! He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. Hypocrisy is just one of many personality traits along many spectrums. Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw [Rebecca Nurse] with the Devil (pg. These hypocritical actions take away from the authority of the person or people committing them. In fact, we've all seen hypocrisy in our daily lives. 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. Hale truly believes that the accused have been marked by the Devil. The attitudes towards women in the 1950s, when the play was written, are evident in the roles they're given. 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). Arthur Miller's 1953 play, ''The Crucible,'' features hypocrisy as a recurrent theme. Rebecca Nurse's accusation further demonstrates the hypocrisy in the play. 61). As he says,How may I live without my name? A constant theme through out the play is your personal reputation, maintaining a good name. One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials. Instead of living a simple life and managing his duties in the town, he is always complaining that he either does not have enough material items or someone is attacking him, all thoughts that a priest should not be concerning himself with. First off, what is irony? Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. I'll give a short summary of how each plays a role in the events of The Crucible. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. When he starts to realize he continues to avoid people from getting mad at him for putting innocent people in jail and killing them. The Crucible by Arthur Miller. 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. 6). Why doesnt John immediately tell the court that he knows Abigail is faking? The accused people of Salem are all innocent and have nothing to do with neither witchcraft nor convening with the devil. 91). 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. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. Many of the conflicts that occurred in the play were caused by Abigail Williams. Ask questions; get answers. 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.''. Why does he decide to do so anyways? Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? 67). John tells the judge to summon Elizabeth to back him up because he knows she always tells the truth. In The Crucible, they all fear witchcraft, because there is a rumor going around. | 2 However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. 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 theme is a central topic that is addressed by a work of literature. Miller accomplishes this through almost, if not every character in the story. They use children's stories as evidence though not respecting them otherwise. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. succeed. This attitude comes from a man who has shown no remorse for condemning people to death throughout the play. 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). 129). The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. Reverend Hale enters as a specialist from Boston who has seen the effects that witchcraft has had on others. How is the arrest of Rebecca Nurse a sign that the hysteria in Salem has gotten out of control? The play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller demonstrates the implications of a society in complete chaos over an irrational fear of witchcraft in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. There are two examples of Ad hominem from The Crucible in Act 2 and Act 3. 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 (She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. She has the power to utterly destroy peoples lives with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior. It is not just, (Miller 129). copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. People are quick to believe something even if there is no evidence for their fear. Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused. makes them feel the best about themselves. I chose . 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. The madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. Why is everyone so quick to believe Abigails story? Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. Proctors good reputation is almost a burden for him at this point because he knows that he doesnt deserve it. John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. Choose a single character and discuss how this person embodies one of the themes. Lying- Explain why the girls are more willing to lie . Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. He is completely oblivious to the fact that the victims might be lying. The accusers cannot present concrete evidences, and their wrongful convictions must be further scrutinized. She is a sensible, saintly old woman who chooses to martyr herself rather than lie and confess to witchcraft. Interestingly, she was the first woman put to death in the trials. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. 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. The depths of the hysteria that has gripped Salem are revealed in Act 3 when John finally confronts the court. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, we have Rebecca Nurse. This website helped me pass! Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Every person has some kind of flaw; no one is completely perfect. What Is The Hypocrisy In The Crucible. Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that Johns confession may not be the truth. 22). The play loosely follows the tale of Salem and how the trials came to pass. 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. 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. Hale tries to combat his guilt by persuading the prisoners to confess, refusing to accept that the damage has already been done. Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. John attempts to crush his guilt instead of facing it, which only ends up making it an even more destructive factor in his life. Why is Cory arrested? The town suspected her of lewd dealings, so she was put to death for it. Abigail, the one character who breaks from this mold slightly, is portrayed extremely unsympathetically despite the fact that the power dynamic between her and John makes him far more culpable in their illicit relationship. She is clearly outspoken and dominant, but her initial position in society is one of very little influence and authority. 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. 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. He wrote the play as an allegory of McCarthyism, when the US government discriminated communists. These three characters can be the most to blame for the cause of the spread and start of hysteria in Salem during the Witch Trials. In this case, you're asked to discuss the concept of a tragic character, explaining who fits that mold in The Crucible and why. Salem is under attack from the hysteria that is encouraged by the same people who seek to keep imaginary supernatural demons at bay. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. This quotation shows the overall theme that hypocrisy is bred from the fear and condemnation of a society. She beg me make charm (Miller, pg. The theme of guilt is one that is deeply relevant to John Proctor's character development throughout the play. This attitude comes from a man who has shown no remorse for condemning people to death throughout the play. 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. Reverend Parris' concerns about his reputation are immediately evident in Act 1. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. 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. 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. 123). This is taken as evidence that things are really getting out of control ("if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing's left to stop the whole green world from burning." She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. It is another trait we inherited from them, and it has helped to discipline us as well as to breed hypocrisy among us.'' Abigail Williams was the main accuser of withes in Salem, and in her accusations she gained power in the town. I will not have it said my name is soiled! 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). Danforth is the governor of Massachusetts who thinks of himself as a fair man. The Puritans believed that children were to be seen and not heard. Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of the daughter of a prince (pg. She has the power to utterly destroy peoples lives with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior. The price he has to pay in reputation to save his own life is ultimately too high. The overall message is that. 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. Parris is extremely dismayed by this revelation because of the damage it will do to his reputation. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the setting is Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600s where the towns pious Puritan beliefs directly influence their government. I am with God, I, Danforth expresses his opinions on lying when Mary Warren enter his court to confess herself and he begins the conversation by saying, How were you instructed in your life? 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.