Deception In The Crucible

During times of mass hysteria, people will believe what others say no matter the implausibility. In the 1600s, Puritan villages such as the one in Salem, Massachusetts, began to fear the uprising of witchcraft. Puritan beliefs command that one should fear God and fear the unknown, and many things were considered sins. These sins could lead a person to sorcery and the Devil. To save oneself in Salem, one had to lie. However, these citizens of Salem discovered that, through calling others witches, they were able to gain power and control. Through deception, characters in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible were able to pursue their own selfish ends and create a town full of suspicion and hysteria. The girls of Salem are the most deceptive in the play

Warren was a nervous, gullible girl who had come to feel guilty for her crimes against her town. This lead to the court scene and her testimony. However, as Frank Ardolino states, while “[s]he was prepared to confess the truth in court… she [was] harassed and coerced into resuming her original lies and, consequently, [was] welcomed back into the ranks of the "saints" by Abby.” Warren, when attempting to tell the truth, was ostracized by her once friends to the point of doubting her own honesty. Ardolino summarizes saying that while Warren had tried to right her wrongs, she ultimately returned “to Abby’s control” because she was too weak-willed. John Proctor tries in vain to convince Warren to pursue her original goals, but with Warren under William’s power, Warren lashes out at Proctor. She finds a way of apologizing to Williams for her attempted betrayal by declaring Proctor “the Devil’s man” (Miller 110). Curtis suggests that Williams’ control of Warren is deeply psychological, to the point of Warren’s actions not being her own. During the court scene, Warren is unable to faint at will. Curtis explains this by saying that “her crime is not really her own, so her powers are not at her own disposal” (Curtis 9). Curtis puts the entirety of the blame on Williams. No matter Warren or the other girls’ actions, the final result will be conjured by

He comes to Salem because of Betty Parris’ “magical slumber.” He is described to have “felt the pride of the specialist whose unique knowledge has at last been publicly called for” (Miller 33). When Hale starts asking questions about how she could have gained her affliction, he is told about the dancing. Abigail starts to blame Tituba and Hale encourages her to go on. This leads to many people being accused of witchcraft, and with Betty waking to give another name of a witch, Hale takes this as an achievement for him, exclaiming “Glory to God! It is broken, they are free!” (Miller