Throughout the endurance of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, vengeance plays a prominent role in the actions and fates of various characters. In many ways, vengeance fuels the need for retaliation. Disputes among neighbors has bred hatred and then witch trials brought out the vindictiveness of Salem's population. This leads to the deaths of many citizens in Salem by false accusations to the court. Citizens of Salem were utilizing the court system as a means of "extermination" for people who had interests or beliefs, that were contradictory to their own. As Miller states himself, "This predilection of minding other people's business was time-honored among the people of Salem, and it undoubtedly created many suspicions which were to feed the …show more content…
Cheever comes to arrest her for witchery, and with the evidence says, "I find here a poppet Goody Proctor keeps. And in the belly of the poppet a needle's stuck" (Miller 1282). Elizabeth then argues that she was given the poppet by Mary Warren earlier that day, and then retrieves her to confirm her story. In the end, Elizabeth eventually surrenders herself to Cheever and allows him to take her for questioning. Elizabeth is imprisoned and then ultimately sentenced to death at the gallows, thus completing Abigail's vow for retaliation. Another example of vengeance dictating a characters' actions would be the dispute between Mrs. Putnam and Rebecca Nurse. In a scene at Parris's house, Mrs. Putnam asks Rebecca to take a look at her daughter, Ruth, who is also ill. Rebecca dismisses her anxiety and explains that she is just going through a silly season and will tire of it and wake up. Rebecca's optimistic interpretation of Ruth's condition is not favorably received by Mrs. Putnam. She comments that, "You think it God's work you should never lose a child, nor grandchild either, and I bury all but one" (Miller 1249). Shortly after, one might conclude Mrs. Putnam suspects Rebecca of murder, when she asks Hale, "Is it a natural work to lose seven children before they live a day" (Miller 1256). Since every child Rebecca delivered that belonged to Goody Putnam died, she believes that Rebecca is using her spirit to kill
The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller. In the town of Salem, the people’s obsession of trying to provide justice only caused injustice against the accused. The law of Salem was guilty until proven innocent. Their government was also a theocracy, and their obsession with religion also caused the injustice.
After all of the witch trials in 1692 concluded a total of 20 people were hanged all because of people craving attention and personal gain. There are three people depicted in Arthur Miller's The Crucible that are most responsible for this and they are, Abigail Williams, Judge Danforth, and Thomas Putnam. Abigail Williams is mostly responsible for the Salem witch trials because she was the first person to start accusing innocent people of witchcraft. Judge Danforth is responsible because he is not concerned about justice, all he cares about is being correct about the witch trials. Lastly Thomas Putnam is guilty of causing the witch trials because he was able to have people accuse other people
The Theme of Justice in The Crucible The crucible was set in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The play is based on true facts about events that actually took place. It is about a small secluded town that relies strongly on their religion to keep them feeling safe. Their enemy is the devil and they are always scared of the devil and constantly looking for signs that the devil is there.
A society that praises moral righteousness and piety is destroyed by a series of witch trials that are ironically immoral and unfair. The Salem Witch Trials are fueled by personal motives and feuds that emerge because of the restrictions in Puritan society. The society nurtures a culture of fear and distrust that stems from dread of the devil and strict adherence to the Bible. Salem is the perfect environment for fear and vengeance to spread through witchcraft accusations, because people have no other means to gain power or get revenge on enemies. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller portrays how the Puritan society in Salem influences the witch trials and increases their impact, because of the religion-based justice system, women and
Because of Abigail's twisted plot of sticking a needle in herself to signify Elizabeth's "familiar spirit" pushing it in, and Cheever finding a poppet in the Proctor's house, Elizabeth is charged with murder. Proctor realises what Abigail is trying to do, and feels remorse, as he is partly at fault for his relationship with Abigail. "I'll not give my wife to vengeance."
In the play The Crucible, the author Arthur Miller displays an unfair treatment of humans when it comes to justice. Characters who live in Salem, Massachusetts, receive improper punishments for their sins of witchcraft and are being accused of crimes they did not commit. The justice system in the play is based on the maxim “guilty until proven innocent” which portrays unjust human rights due to executions of individuals without evidence. The accused characters attempt to defend themselves in court but it is ineffective because the only way to survive is to confess to witchcraft. Miller presents a cruel approach in justice systems and proves them to be unjust through the characters Giles Corey, Tituba, and Rebecca Nurse, who all suffered
“Whatever hysteria exists is inflamed by mystery, suspicion, and secrecy. Hard and exact facts will cool it” (Elia Kazan). The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about the story of the Salem witch trials and how people react to the situation during the 1690’s. Miller’s message concerning individual conscience in an atmosphere of fear and mass hysteria in The Crucible is that people can turn on others and suspect each other or tell lies or false accusations in order to save themselves or loved ones.
Today we hear about how people might be sentenced unfairly in court or may be stuck in jail for a crime that they did not commit. Well, how would you like to be accused of something you did not do but you're only choices are to lie and say you did it, or to not confess and be killed. In the very eventful play, The Crucible, the themes superstition, panic, and vengeance are expressed in multiple ways the strike up a lot of conflict throughout the story. These themes lead to innocent people having their lives ruined.
The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, is a play that takes place in the sixteen nineties during the famous but tragic witch trials. The entire community is in pandemonium yet certain characters are also fighting internal conflicts. Miller uses three characters that manifest this internal battle ever so clearly: Mary Warren whose whole world turns upside down, John Proctor who must weigh the importance of his family against his reputation and Reverend Hale who must decide whether to do his job, or do what he knows to be right.
To begin with, Rebecca Nurse and her husband are well known respected person. Rebecca was a member of the church in the Salem town. In other hand there was Ann Putnum who was jealous of Rebecca because Rebecca has eleven children and Ann Putnum who lost her seven giving birth and one children have survived. This jealousy had led Ann Putnum to accuse inncocent Rebecca. Francis Nurse went to John Proctor to ask for help because Rebecca was charged for the murder. In the text, it says “For Murder, she’s charged!” (Miller). “For marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody
The Crucible Author's Purpose: Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible to inform people about the cruel times in Salem, Massachusetts. To show how people turned on each other, accused people of being witches just to gain their land or just because they didn't like them. Miller could also connect to this story because people were accusing him of Mccarthyism, and he was not a communist, which was like the people of Salem accusing people of witchcraft and they were not witches. Character Motivation: Abigail williams is one of the main characters in the play and she is in love with John Proctor. John Proctor ends up having an affair with Abigail.
A recurrent reason for inflicting pain to another is for the benefit of getting even. This is considered acts of revenge. Most rationales for this is to get a point across to the opposing person. In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, revenge is a focal force that drives throughout the play. Abigail Williams, the reverends niece and John Proctor, a farmer who lives outside of town committed a sin that unknowingly escalated into a historical catastrophe. The relations between these two characters caused an out rule within the religious community. Revenge grew within those who were vulnerable, turning lies into the suspicion of witches thus known as the Salem Witch Trials.
The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, is a tragic story of injustice suffered by an innocent community who are subjected to the hypocritical, prideful judges of their trial. These Judges use their power to eliminate evidence of their mistakes and return their community to puritanical ways. The leaders of Salem are not concerned with seeking the truth and justice, but with maintaining their authority and reputations; this objective leads them to consistently rejecting truth, against all logic and evidence of their senses.
“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13)
In every literary work, there are themes. A theme is a broad idea, moral or message of a book or story. One individual may construe the themes of a book or story differently than another, but that is the pure beauty of themes. One great literary work is The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller. Succinctly, the play is about the Salem witch trials that took place in Massachusetts in 1692. Throughout the story, the townspeople indict their neighbors of being a witch and practicing witchcraft. On the surface, this historical drama has a few universal and enduring themes. Themes are universal because regardless of where in the world, the ideas still relates to everyone and is understood. Themes are enduring because the ideas are found