123). The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. The book is about witchcraft or what the town thinks is witchcraft. Lust and pride were John Proctors tragic flaws, lust is of course, one out of the seven sins. 121). 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). This is a lesson in how fear can twist perceptions of reality even for those who consider themselves reasonable under normal circumstances. In The Crucible, they all fear witchcraft, because there is a rumor going around. 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. This is also the commandment that he has violated most explicitly, so youd think it would be the first one to spring to mind. Of course, we know that Danforth has been trading peoples lives for lies this whole time. Miller carries the theme of hypocrisy through Parris by giving the reverend a very greedy nature. Danforth explains that witchcraft is an invisible crime and that only the victims are reliable. Miller explains this further: ''long-held hatreds of neighbors could now be openly expressed, and vengeance taken, despite the Bible's charitable injunctions.'' 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. Being a person, from Latin persona ("mask", per and soneo - "resound") means precisely "being a mask . The accused people of Salem are all innocent and have nothing to do with neither witchcraft nor convening with the devil. . Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. 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 only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. As Abigail begins to be accused she is pressured to deter from the truth. Reverend Hale enters as a specialist from Boston who has seen the effects that witchcraft has had on others. The other two main female characters, Elizabeth and Mary Warren, are somewhat bland. Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.. To Danforth, anything that doesnt confirm that he was right all along is a lie. How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? 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? Through this statement he clearly demonstrates his belief that lying will send a person to Hell. The Bible that the Puritans swore to live by is not being honored when they used the trials to condemn their neighbors to death. John feels incredibly ashamed of his affair with Abigail, so he tries to bury it and pretend it never happened. John attempts to crush his guilt instead of facing it, which only ends up making it an even more destructive factor in his life. 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. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. This act also sees the irony of Hale discussing the powers of the dark that are attacking Salem (pg. Hale doesnt realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark. Hypocrisy relates to The Crucible in that both Reverend Parris and Mr. Putnam are incredibly hypocritical characters. 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. 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. 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. 123). The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt. Hypocrisy is shown between the characters: Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Hale. The attitudes towards women in the 1950s, when the play was written, are evident in the roles they're given. you are exactly right. The turmoil in Salem is propelled forward by desires for revenge and power that have been simmering beneath the town's placid exterior. Being in contact with someone else means mediating between ourselves and the other. The play loosely follows the tale of Salem and how the trials came to pass. This well-intentioned mistake seals both of their fates. How Is John Proctor Selfish In The Crucible - 1393 Words | Bartleby Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. 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. Danforth is convinced that there is a moving plot to topple Christ in the country! and anyone who doubts the decisions of the court is potentially involved. Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. Even with prompts that ask you to discuss a specific character or plot point, you can find ways to connect your answer to major themes. AbracaDENIAL! I propose that each and every one of us is, or at some time has been, guilty of hyopcrisy. 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. 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. As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. Through Abigail Williams, Miller was trying to state the injustice in Salem because she targeted the innocent people, leading to their death. Explain the irony of Hales position at the end of the play as compared to his actions at the beginning. If Danforth accepts Marys testimony, it would mean that he wrongly convicted numerous people already. 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). (Cheever pg. 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. When he starts to realize he continues to avoid people from getting mad at him for putting innocent people in jail and killing them. Johns concern for his reputation is strong throughout the play, and his hesitation to reveal Abigails true nature is a product of his own fears of being labeled an adulterer. This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme. 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. Examples Of Weak In The Crucible - 444 Words | Internet Public Library 133). Judge Danforth a well respected man in the society that has the supreme rule over the court. Proctor is infuriated. 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. What Are The Human Flaws In The Crucible | ipl.org He says, I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town (pg. 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 The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the setting is Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600s where the towns pious Puritan beliefs directly influence their government. He appears to have no governing system of morality. Take a look at this article for details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. This is especially true with the reputation and hysteria themes. Why does John decide to ruin his reputation in Act 3 by confessing to the affair? 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. 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. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. Is hypocrisy a natural human flaw? Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. 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. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 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. -Hypocrisy is the state of falsely claiming to possess virtuous characteristics that one lacks. 119). If you hope to write an awesome essay onThe Crucible, you should have extensive knowledge of its themes.