Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. 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. 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. 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. 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). Salem is under attack from the hysteria that is encouraged by the same people who seek to keep imaginary supernatural demons at bay. . Lying- Explain why the girls are more willing to lie . 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. 71). As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. 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. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented. 50). Later in the play, she is accused. 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. The madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. 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). She beg me make charm (Miller, pg. The each profess to want truth and to desire to punish actual wrongdoers. Historical Context. The dark, witchcraft-filled production follows a series of deaf characters who are narrated in English, rather than the other way around. The crucible, based during the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials of 1692. To Danforth, anything that doesnt confirm that he was right all along is a lie. Danforth insists that John must know more about the Devil's dealings than he has revealed. The other two main female characters, Elizabeth and Mary Warren, are somewhat bland. 42). 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 attitudes towards women in the 1950s, when the play was written, are evident in the roles they're given. Tituba is forced to accept her role as a pawn for those with greater authority and a stepping stone for Abigails ascent to power. 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. Innocent and guilty people have been put to death underneath his Judgement, to him this demonstrates his superiority and power. In another section, Miller explains the teachings of the Puritans and how it related to the mess that the trials became: ''These people had no ritual for the washing away of sins. hypocrisy is a flaw in human character that can be avoided if chosen to be. Arthur Miller pokes fun at this in his commentary in the play and explains his intentions to the audience. A constant theme through out the play is your personal reputation, maintaining a good name. Lust and pride were John Proctors tragic flaws, lust is of course, one out of the seven sins. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. 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. 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. This hysteria-based evidence of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it. In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft. Hypocrisy: A Human Flaw In the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller repeatedly portrays that duplicity and deceit are a natural part of human lives. (pg. Well, it's not. 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. 67). Tituba is conscious that she is in danger, she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back (Miller, pg. 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. Hypocrisy is shown between the characters: Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Hale. 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. Reverend Parris, the paranoid widower and heaven-ordained minister of the town of Salem, was, simply put, a hypocrite. The madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. 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. Human flaws such as lust for power, greed and jealousy explain the errors many tragic figures from books make, from Mr Kurtz to Lord Voldemort. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. As this hysteria begins to rise, other people such as Thomas Putnam, a rich landowner, start to also allege Salem villagers. Ironically, he is the first to demand a confession from Tituba based on Abigail's dramatic but false testimony. Abigail, in particular, has quickly risen from a nobody to one of the most influential people in Salem. 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. John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. First off, what is irony? 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. They're also revealed though events in the plot. Mary is a hypocrite, because she's supposed to be helping the church rid of conjurers of the devil but instead she is deceitful. How are characters behaviors affected by concern for their reputations? Why does Mary Warren warn John about testifying against Abigail? She is enraged when Parris questions her suspicious dismissal from the Proctor household. A character named Abigail lived with proctor and his wife and his two sons. Create your account, 7 chapters | This act also sees the irony of Hale discussing the powers of the dark that are attacking Salem (pg. 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. An ad hominem means that it shifts the argument away from the issue to a personal attack on the person involved. The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. This fact could destroy his credibility, so he is biased towards continuing to trust Abigail. 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. Themes tell us what the purpose of the work is. Sign language interpreters, though extremely helpful, do not allow deaf audience members to fully experience a show. 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!). Miller fills us in on much of the history in breaks in the play where he offers commentary in his own voice. John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. She was seen as a grandmother to the village. Take a look at this article for details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. I will not have it said my name is soiled! How is Millers underlying message revealed in one of these themes and through the character?". Abigail William is hypocritical because she does not follow the rules of the Salem trials. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented. you are exactly right. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. Judge Danforth a well respected man in the society that has the supreme rule over the court. Miller wrote it as an allegory to the Red Scare, the promotion of fear of a potential rise of communism. 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. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. Combining this notion with the one he declared earlier displays the hypocritical nature of Danforth when put in this hysterical. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. Elizabeth's side of the story is disregarded because Abigails testimony is far more dramatic. A Comprehensive Guide. He is completely oblivious to the fact that the victims might be lying. 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. The whole purpose of a trial is to hear both sides of the story before a verdict is reached. What are their strengths and personal flaws? 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. He says, I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town (pg. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. 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 second major theme in The Crucible (and one that teachers often ask about) is fear and hysteria. Abigail possesses a two- pronged approach in her motivation. Miller depicts through characters such as these that humans cannot exist without the flaw of hypocrisy. A man of conscience is one who is aware of his moral and ethical beliefs and judgments and one who will prefer right over wrong. 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. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. I propose that each and every one of us is, or at some time has been, guilty of hyopcrisy. A theme is a central topic that is addressed by a work of literature. 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 play loosely follows the tale of Salem and how the trials came to pass. AbracaDENIAL! He appears to have no governing system of morality. Thomas Putnam who has grudges against the people of Salem, and Abigail is a shameless liar who leads the accusations against the people of Salem. 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. Greed is a sin in the Puritan religion, so the people who supported the accusations were indeed hypocrites. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. The Crucible by Arthur Miller. The girls are essentially given permission by authority figures to continue their act because they are made to feel special and important for their participation. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. 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. To Danforth, anything that doesnt confirm that he was right all along is a lie. Miller explains this further: ''long-held hatreds of neighbors could now be openly expressed, and vengeance taken, despite the Bible's charitable injunctions.'' 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. Interestingly, she was the first woman put to death in the trials. Abigails power skyrockets as the hysteria grows more severe. 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. The turmoil in Salem is propelled forward by desires for revenge and power that have been simmering beneath the town's placid exterior.