Luke J. Williams Ansley Black English III Period. 3 4 May 2023 CAN WE CHOOSE TO NOT FEAR? The human mind has many systems to protect itself. Although fear is the most pertinent system in the human mind to avoid being vulnerable; this is illustrated best in the play written by Arthur Miller, The Crucible.
Abigail wanted to get her vengeance on Elizabeth Proctor for firing her as a maid. John Proctor screamed in rage at Judge Danforth, “She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave!... But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it…”(3.863-8). Abigail wanted to kill or blame Elizabeth for witchcraft to get her vengeance. She may have wanted vengeance, but that did not happen as much as scapegoating like when Abigail scapegoated Tituba.
Abigail played a major role in the act of vengeance upon others. Just like all the other girls, she told many lies that kept on piling up, bringing people down one by one. The main person that fed her hatred was Elizabeth Proctor. Abby intended to take her place as John’s wife ever since her affair with him. She stated of fake accusations to make Elizabeth appear guilty of witchcraft.
Abigail Williams out of jealousy and hatred targeted Elizabeth Proctor,because. She slept with Elizabeth's husband John Proctor but she fell in love and John didn't. He was still in love with his wife and they ended up fixing things. So she wanted to get rid of Elizabeth
The quote "Fear can prevail over reason so that fact and opinion become confused" by the mathematician and philosopher Thucydides speaks to the idea that when people are fearful, they may lose their ability to think rationally and differentiate between fact and opinion. This concept is central to Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, which depicts the events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts in the late 1600s. In Act III of The Crucible, fear is rampant in Salem as the court begins its hearings and trials to determine who is a witch. As a result of this fear, many characters, including some of the judges and accusers, lose their ability to reason and distinguish between fact and opinion.
What is fear you might ask? Fear is that unpleasant feeling you get when you believe something or someone is dangerous. Many people have different fears. For example, I have a fear of needles and a fear of forgetting. Today you will read about how fear is shown and why it is in Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible.
Throughout The Crucible, fear and hysteria destroy all of Salem’s good judgement. The people who live in Salem do not know how to handle the madness that is taking place. They believe that the only way to attempt to handle it is to give in to it. This is where it is shown that fear can be so much more than fear. It can be used for political benefit, personal gain, and even as ammunition for revenge.
Abigail believed that Proctor actually loved her and she waited every night for him. She was brainwashed to think he would leave his wife for her. The witchcraft accusation came from the beginning of the story when Abigail and the girls were dancing naked in the woods and chanting. She made false accusations that people in the village were worshipping the devil to cover what she had done. Many lives were taken but Abigail had no empathy for anyone who was hanged.
She wants to kill his wife so she can marry John Proctor. Abigail is trying to be on both sides in the situation so that she can save herself. When she is accused of being a witch she rats out other people to try and make it less of a problem for
The Fear of Reality Fear dominates various aspects of life. It can elicit physiological and emotional responses that greatly influence an individual’s reaction. For example, fear can cause an individual to experience an adrenaline rush that gives someone an extra burst of energy to lift a car or quickly flee from a situation. Fear can also cripple an individual by producing intense feelings of anxiety and nervousness.
The Crucible: How Fear Changes People During his first Inaugural Address, Franklin D. Roosevelt once announced, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. Fear manipulates a persons rationality resulting in them behaving in ways they normally would not, especially in the story The Crucible written by Arthur Miller. The characters in The Crucible allow fear to manipulate their beliefs and actions. They all know what is right, but fear alters their mindset causing them to act differently.
Humans have been referred to as some of the most psychologically complex beings. In “The Crucible” Arthur Miller ventures into a highly studied subject, how do humans and societies react in times of crisis and panic? Miller bases his story off of the Salem witch trials, in his dramatized version, A small puritan village is struck with mass hysteria after a girl accuses someone of witchcraft. The story of witch trials is added for entertainment, below the surface Miller gradually explores Human Vulnerability, hypocrisy, and vengeance as his story unfolds, using Humans for relatability and understanding. Creating a great example of how humans and societies can crumble, collapse and bottom out under pressure.
She is the most to blame for the actions made and the deaths that took place in Salem. The affair John and Abigail had caused her to fall hard for him. She has it set in her mind that she will go to unbelievable measures to try and get Elizabeth Proctor out of the picture so she can be with John. Abigail is found dancing in the woods with the other girls at night.
In The Crucible, fear is used as a tool to take control and override the power of the townspeople. The fear of being accused of witchcraft leads many characters such as John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Elizabeth Proctor to be falsely accused in order to protect themselves. In the long run, this fear causes the lives of innocent people to be taken. With fear, John Proctor uses this as a motivator to stand against his accusations. This leads him to confess his adultery and ultimately sacrifice himself for the truth.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” - Franklin D Roosevelt. Fear plays a major role for the tragic ending of The Crucible by Arthur Miller, because fear is upon the citizens of Salem, Massachusetts, it leads to unanticipated accusations, power, and hatred. This feeling, has occurred in everyone’s life at some point, which is more overpowering than some might think. Once hysteria arose about the girls dancing in the woods, due to all the fear it leads to unanticipated accusations, being a slave, Tituba was accused by Abigail to avoid any punishment.
