A fair, pliable, and equitable judge during a trial is key. Judges must be able to view both sides and not be fooled by the other into their party. Such privilege was not given by Danforth who was a buyest, arrogant, and controlling judge during the Salem witch trials in the novel The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Danforth is the ultimate villain because he kept the Salem witch trials viable by allowing no fair representation in court and allowed court to be narrow minded.
To begin with Danforth is the ultimate villain because he kept the Salem witch trials viable by allowing no fair representation in court. In the novel The Crucible Danforth states “[The pure in heart need no lawyer. Proceed as you will]” (Miller 93). In this scene Danforth is talking to Proctor. Proctor is one of the men who had his wife arrested due to an accusation of witchcraft. Proctor is attempting to prove his friends wifes as well as his own wife's innocence. In a normal proceeding a lawyer would be one on behalf of Mr Proctor to defend his wife's innocence. However Danforth as stated in the novel thought that as long as you're telling the truth it is enough. However readers
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“[...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
Judge Danforth is responsible for the outcomes in Salem because he is arrogant, superstitious, and unwilling to listen to reason. Danforth accuses countless girls of witchcraft with no proof to support
Judge Danforth insists that Proctor’s confession be “post[ed] upon the church door” and it is then that Proctor refuses to lie. “What other say and what I sign to is not the same!”. Proctor rips up his signed confession, refusing to sully his name and the name of his family. Similarly to Juror Eight, Proctor has some selfish motive behind his decision, he does not wish to live the rest of his life disgraced. Both Juror Eight and John Proctor are motivated by exposing lies, and by attempting to attain justice in a corrupt legal
His reputation would be ruined. Therefore he stood up in court and said the truth to save other people’s lives, but it didn’t work. He was able to save his own life, but the price when his reputation, which he valued a lot and he believes lying is bad. So he tears up the papers and hangs with others, because Proctor could not live with the guilt that his name would be tainted
He says this to assure the Proctor’s that he is getting to know everyone in Salem as this would ensure that he is being fair in his decisions. Judge Danforth, however, did not do this; therefore he has no idea what anyone is like around him.
This furthers the theme because the judge is no longer listening to evidence that counters the one he agrees with, just because he thinks he can’t be wrong, which is unreasonable. The hysteria surrounding witchcraft has gotten to Danforth, which made him apprehend hundreds of people and send many of those people to their death, despite what others tell him. The uproar about witchcraft got to the heads of many Puritans in
The claims made against Proctor turn Danforth against him. Proctor then presents a
He believes strongly in his ability to judge the character of the informants. This comes into play when others question his judgement of Abigail and the girls from the woods. Danforth has a great deal of authority over the verdict of the accused, he has the power to judge them as not guilty. Danforth being the primary judge means he could have admitted to his foolishness and told the community that the accused people were not witches, and it would have made the townspeople believe that there was no witch problem in Salem at all. Danforth is too concerned with his reputation to admit that his judgement, at first, was clouded.
This part of the play Miller uses rhetorical questions to emphasize the seriousness of this scene as to who is telling the truth and who is not. The character Danforth is prompting Proctor to not try to be a lawyer in these cases of witchcraft due to the fact that witchcraft is a serious accusation that only the victim and the witch herself can come forward to on the matter according to Danforth. Before Danforth speaks Proctor says that he is not indeed trying to be a lawyer to these cases in which Danforth explains in his line that by bringing witnesses he is indeed trying to be a lawyer to the cases. Danforth then at the end of his line asks if he has made his point emphasizing that he knows what he has said was true and he feels strongly
Secondly, Judge Danforth’s irrationality and ignorance brings about poor decisions on his part. One of the instances where Danforth reveals his following attitude is when he denies to even look at a deposition presented by John Proctor as described by his words “ No, no, I accept no depositions” (Miller 88). John Proctor hands him a deposition signed by Mary warren, stating that the accusations made by Abigail and the girls are false. In this regard Judge Danforth replies to John Proctor by repetitively says “No” thereby emphasizing his adamant view on this subject.
In The Crucible, John Proctor the protagonist, becomes a victim of the witch trials when his wife Elizabeth, is accused of witchcraft. In order to free his wife, Proctor must convince Judge Danforth of his wife’s innocence. Judge Danforth does not sign condemnations lightly and takes meticulous inspection of his cases to determine the guilty party. He is also a highly religious man who takes matters between God and men seriously. It is because of Danforth’s dedication to the law and God that Proctor utilizes ethos, logos, and pathos to persuade him.
Another viewpoint, maybe that Judge Danforth was just trying to get the Salem witch trials to blow by quicker, but if this was true, he would´ve accepted John Proctor´s evidence showing that the girls were just playing tricks them. This would make the witch hysteria go away much quicker. Instead, he benefits himself by letting the Salem witch trials live longer. If Danforth was a good Judge he would not have acted so adamant and did his job as a judge to interpret the
Reverend Hale and Judge Danforth are two authoritative figures in The Crucible whose roles in society are to lead the community in the ways and likeness of God so that the people of Salem can, basically, be good Puritans. Despite their similar intentions, there are also blaring differences which distinctly separate the two and their beliefs. To start, both Hale and Danforth work chiefly to serve God and lead his people on Earth to live holy and just lives. When the question of the Devil and witchcraft arise within Salem, both men come to investigate and cleanse the town of evil. While Judge Danforth considers himself “a minister of the Lord” and does “not take a life without there be proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience
Do you understand my meaning?”. This is showing the the judge had complete trust in them and when John had pointed out that the things that the women were doing were kinda suspicious he questions it and realizes that the girls are faking all of it. Sadly he does nothing, still knowing what all the women are doing is suspicious he doesn 't stop the hangings and imprisonments. Judge Danforth may have not started the Hysteria started in the town but he fed into it by believing Abigail and not stopping her from lying when he found out she was lying to the court and the people in the town of Salem. You could say that Judge did not know that Abigail was lieing out of nativity and all his actions were lead by his dense nature because of his faith, blinding him from what was in front of him because he needed something to justify the reason for killing and imprisoning these women.
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.
As the voice of authority of Salem, Judge Danforth leads to the tragedy of their social disturbance by breakdown Salem’s solidarity.