Ivan Delgado Mr. Fuerst and Mrs. Smiley English III 27 December 2022 Representation of Injustice and Justice The Salem Witch trials forced many people to decide whether they would tell an unforgivable lie leading to the possible death of others, or deny the accusations and be sent to their death by lynching. In the crucible many had to make these tough choices, Abigail Williams accused many of witchcraft leading to a snowball effect some denying the accusations others giving out more names where on the other hand John Proctor would not say any names. Danforth demonstrates the motif of injustice when he abuses his power and hangs the innocent people of Salem without evidence, whereas John Proctor demonstrates the motif of justice where he stands …show more content…
Danforth represents the motif of injustice throughout the play, while having high power which he abuses he does not listen to the people of Salem and sends them to their death. In act III, Danforth demands the marshall to have Giles Corey carried away for contempt of court, despite not evening hearing his evidence. When Reverend Hale insists that Danforth, Danforth is infuriated and exclaims in the courtroom “No uncorrupted man may fear this court, Mr Hale! None! You are under arrest in contempt of this court.”(Miller 98). Danforth does not want to hear the evidence of the innocents to not be proven wrong, despite the injustice this is brought to the people of salem. While Giles Corey does not want to give names of others to be incarcerated, Danforth put Giles Corey in jail for contempt of court. In Act III, In court Danforth is accusing the innocent people of Salem of being wrong just for …show more content…
In act II, Mary Warren gives Elizebeth a poppet that she made in court, later on Elizebeth is put under arrest. Elizebeth was charged with witchcraft by Abigail because she wanted John proctor all to herself. The poppet was a way to accuse Elizebeth of witchcraft. After Elizebeth is accused of witchcraft John Proctor speaks out to marry Warren and exclaims "My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me!"(Miller 80). Mary Warren put a needle inside of the poppet, later on Abigail fell to the floor screaming with a needle in her stomach. Cheever finds the poppet in Elizabeth's possession and she is convicted of witchcraft. John Proctor knows the truth and speaks up to receive justice for his wife. In act II, Cheever arrives at John Proctor's house with a warrant for the arrest of his wife, Elizebeth was accused for the needle being found in Abigail's stomach. John Proctor rips the warrant out of Cheevers hand for Elizabeth's arrest and tears it in half. John Proctor has been challenging the court of Salem for the injustice that has been taking place and states “ If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris is innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now?” (Miller 77). John Proctor does not let Cheever take Elizebeth into custody and starts to question
Mary Warren's discreet selfishness led to Elizabeth Proctor being jailed and John Proctor being hanged. In Act Two, Mary came home from the courthouse and gifted Elizabeth with a poppet she spent all day sewing because it symbolizes something out of the ordinary, perhaps witchcraft (Miller 56). She is trying to frame Elizabeth for having something strange in her home that she should not have. Mary does this because her friend Abigail wants Elizabeth Proctor gone so Abigail can be with her husband, John Proctor. Mary wants Abigail to approve of her and will do whatever it takes to get that approval; however, Mary does.
The Proctors are known and loved by almost everyone one in the town, and they know that they are honest people and pure of heart. However, what they do not know is the fact that John had an affair with Abigail, the leader of the afflicted girls. Abigail then accuses Elizabeth of sending her spirit and stabbing her with a sewing needle. The court's proof was the fact that Elizabeth had a poppet with a sewing needle still inside of it.
Mary Warren not going against Abigail and confessing the truth shows that Mary Warren will do things even if she does not want to, to please Abigail. Second, Marry Warren makes a poppet in court and gives it to Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail accuses Elizabeth Proctor of stabbing her through the poppet with a needle. Then Elizabeth Proctor gets taken to jail and John Proctor tells Mary Warren she must confess that she made the poppet. Mary Warren shows herself being scared of turning against Abigail by saying, “She’ll kill me for sayin’ that!...”
Because Danforth is a judge, he is seen as a powerful being, with implied respect from others, as well as implied power. When he signs people off to be jailed and killed, no one dares to question him. He is responsible for the hangings that occurred in Salem. If he had never abused his power and set over three hundred people to be hanged, the officials of the town would have never hung a soul. In fact, Danforth is responsible for the people who were hanged lives’.
When Abigail sees Mary Warren put a needle in a poppet, she harms herself in order to accuse Elizabeth of witchcraft: “Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out. And demandin’ of her how she come to be so stabbed, she—to Proctor now—testify it were your wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in” (Miller 74). Abigail stabs
Many ask for his mercy towards the accused and he denies it to them to keep his reputation, “... Postponement now speaks floundering on my part...” (Miller 667). This shows that Danforth could have ended the hysteria in Salem by admitting that he does not believe that any of the accused are guilty and claiming the accused not
“[...a person is either with the court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between.]” (Miller 94). In this scene Danforth was given a testament of 91 landowners who thought good of Elizabeth Proctor, Rebbeca Nurse, and Martha Corey who were arrested for accusation of witchcraft. Danforth instead of questioning why such a large number of individuals would stick up for women accused of witchcraft instead thought of them as if they were against the court. This shows that there was no middle ground of whether witchcraft was present or not in Salem. Danforth only saw those who didn't agree with his conclusion on the three wifes arrested as individuals who were against the
In this play the crucible does portrays injustice by Danforth is not following court that is ruled by religion, Abigail intimidating the court, and the accused not having proper court rights. The people back in the sixteen hundreds did use the excuse of calling someone a witch for their land. That person then would have no evidence to prove himself innocent. The court back then was people are guilty till proven innocent when our courts today are the total
After continuous pressuring Mary Warren replies with ‘I cannot, they’ll turn on me— “showing us the mob has driven fear into people and how Marry is afraid to tell the truth in the case everyone will turn on her and blame her. Mary’s feeble attempt to recompense backfires, so when Abigail uses the poppet to blame it on Elizabeth, making Mary feel even worse thus she agrees to go with proctor to testify against Abigail in court. Later after agreeing to go to court to support Proctor Mary is asked who is at fault and in fear replies pointing to proctor “You’re the devil’s man!” (act three, page 119). This demonstrates how the fear of the mob and the overwhelming pressure from the Abigail makes her turn from the truth.
Giles Corey tries to present evidence to Judge Danforth to save his wife who was accused of witchcraft, but Danforth responds to him in anger. ¨
In the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, authority causes hubris within characters which allows them to persuade the witch trials negatively. Abigail Williams, the niece of Reverend Parris, gains authority through her multiple accusations during the trials. Later she uses her power to stretch the witch trials onward by threatening the judges to believe her or go against God. Abigail has caused an uproar in the town which leaves people in fear and torn between what to believe. Judge Danforth, on the other hand, uses his authority in a slightly different way to influence the trials.
The situation that’s taken place is the questioning of Martha Corey, who is the wife of Giles Corey. Martha is being questioned about being a witch which she denies. Giles Corey later enters the courtroom saying he has evidence for the court, but his evidence is denied by the court, and he is escorted out by Cheever. Judge Danforth thinks of himself as a very even-handed person , but he is, in fact, a stubborn Judge. Danforth is guided by God in the play; therefore, he believes that nobody will be judged unjustly, but at this result he fails to analysis evidence justifiably.
Thus Cheever is quick to agree with what the courts have told him about Elizabeth and unable to hear why she may be innocent. He has the evidence he needs to make a case, and Cheever has to investigate further. The poppet is said to belong to Mary Warren, the Proctor’s servant, who admits to having seen Abigail making the doll for her. Abigail loves John Proctor and strongly believes that he
Abigail encouraged a group of girls to pretend to be sick, Including Mary Warren, Elizabeth’s servant. Abigail stated that she saw a ghost of Elizabeth, basically that Elizabeth had done witchcraft on her. Elizabeth was given a poppet by Mary, and that poppet had a needle in the stomach under the dress. Abigail stabbed herself in order to make believe that Elizabeth was bewitching her. When they went to search the proctor’s house they found the poppet and they took Elizabeth.
Danforth: Judge, Jury, and Executioner Judge Danforth’s position in the crucible is the Judge assigned to the proceedings of the Salem witch trials. Instead of treating this immense responsibility with the respect and restraint that is needed, Danforth abused his power by betraying the people of Salem and the Law. He did not listen to the people of Salem defending themselves before inevitably being sent to death; and he cared more about his reputation and the law than he did about peoples’ lives. Danforth was a ruthless power over the people of Salem he demanded respect for himself and the court; and nothing was more important than that.