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Morality And Religious Reputation In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

1249 Words5 Pages

In a place where moral and religious reputation is highly valued, what lengths will people go to in order to protect their position in society? In such an environment, people fear damage to their public reputation through association with the sins of their neighbors and will protect themselves through any means necessary. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a play set in the Puritan village of Salem, Massachusetts, disturbing occurrences, attributed to the devil and witchcraft, contributed to villagers accusing one another of consorting with spirits. Fear of damage to public reputation, old grudges and jealousy generated hysteria among the residents faced with potential charges of witchcraft. In this frightening environment, individuals acted …show more content…

Deputy Governor of Massachusetts, Judge Danforth, is a presiding judge of the Salem witch trials, and although he ultimately doubts the truthfulness of the girls, he is able to force others to defend themselves against charges that they are in opposition to the court. In the climate of hysteria surrounding the witch trials, power resides with those who can maintain the court’s absolute authority, as he emphasizes to Francis Nurse, “But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between”(94). Danforth sustains his position based on the idea that the court is infallible but compromises his religious and legal beliefs as a result. When Mary Warren supports John Proctor by testifying that the girls were not engaged in witchcraft, Danforth and Parris question if Proctor desires to subvert the court(88). Danforth desires to maintain the power, authority and integrity of the court, even though he questions Abigail’s truthfulness, examining her sincerity, “Is it possible, child, that the spirits you have seen are illusion only, some deception that may cross your mind when--”(108). After Abigail’s accusation that Mary is sending her spirit into them, causing a hysterical scene in the court, Danforth’s doubts grow about the girls’ truthfulness, but he allows the trials to continue on false evidence, forsaking his moral authority, to protect his position as Deputy Governor of Massachusetts. Only the ultimate punishment for those accused of consorting with the devil will satisfy the desire to maintain civil and religious order of the

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This is shameful. Today, here we have a sensible, honest, productive member of our community. I cannot say I am quite sure how girls dancing in the woods singing songs translates to witchcraft, but the community says it so. With only fingers pointed and no factual or realistic information, we condemn our village to be hanged. A village, where we put the lies of young children above the credibility of our greatest elders!

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Throughout Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the characters are portrayed to be good citizens and how important it is for them to keep a good name. A good reputation is hard to achieve but even harder to maintain. Judge Danforth wants to be known as a righteous man, as well as john proctor, who strongly fights for his beliefs and others. Abigail is known for believing nothing was beyond her grasp. Reverend Paris is puritan minister, who lives by bible and it teaching.

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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.

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