This book the Crucible, it takes place in Salem in which a series of problems have come up. In addition, a girl named Abigail persuaded and intimidated people to get what she wanted, which is John Proctor. However, Danforth accused Proctor for working with the devil and gets hanged for it with Sarah Good. These events caused people to take revenge on others and killed, out of greed. To begin with, the Salem witch trials had a negative impact to the people, Judges, and the people of the Church.
In Arthur Miller’s, The Crucible, passions turned into problems. Witchcraft in Salem Massachusetts became a remembered event since 1692. Three girls were said to have interactions with the devil. When they were confronted about it they denied every interaction the people who were convicted they would say they weren’t a witch and would bring someone else’s name into the equation. Those who would admit to being a witch would go to jail, but for those who denied having interaction with the devil would have been trialed and hung, so really, anyway you put it
Also because of what he found out by asking Elizabeth about people who have confessed. Reason number one behind John Proctor’s decision to be hanged is, his decision to not sign his name. At the beginning John says to the court, “Damn the village! I confess to God and God has seen my name on this!
Death can be the greatest fear, as in the Puritan days, being accused of witchcraft meant death. In order to save her own skin, Warren turns on Proctor and accuses him of controlling her to overthrow the court. This slander is completely made up, but at that time the court will believe anything the victim has to say according to Danforth, and the Mary Warren has justified herself as a victim when accusing Proctor. Fear as seen in the Crucible plays a major part in controlling members of their Puritan society, to create accusations and slander towards people influencing drastic measures and actions. The Crucible
The conflict of vengeance illustrates the chaos going around Salem and the lies she tells to fill her obsession. Abigail continues to try and sway john towards in hopes of him leaving Elizabeth behind. Jealousy causes people to think like the devil and corrupt the good things in someone’s life. Abigail Williams pretends to be angry at Elizabeth, she is telling lies about me... She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her!”
She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her!” Abigail said about Elizabeth to John because, in the past, Abigail used to work for the Proctor’s, until Elizabeth dismissed her from their service because she walked in on John and Abigail committing adultery. After Abigail went back to living with her uncle, John realized that he made a terrible mistake and wanted nothing to do with Abigail, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. When John had finally told her how he truly felt, this was the starting point of Abigail 's selfish ways. She didn’t care about anyone else in the town or how they would be affected if they were accused of witchcraft, she only cared about her feelings and how she was going to get John all to
In The Crucible, Arthur Miller shows that truth does not concern the people of Salem; the townspeople are concerned with what they want the truth to be. The idea of witchcraft has plagued Salem, several girls including Tituba and Abigail have confessed to practicing witchcraft. Salem is relying on Abigail and her friends to tell the truth, they do not know that there is no thing as witchcraft. Proctor presents himself to the court to testify against Abigail, the court dose not listen because Danforth and the other court members are concerned with preserving the reputation of the court. While Abigail uses lies to protect her reputation, Proctor uses the truth.
Abigail Williams calls Elizabeth’s name in court accusing her of witchcraft: “she (Abigail) wants me dead, john, you know it” Elizabeth said. Abigail started this hysteria hoping to kill Elizabeth so she could have her husband. By looking at The Crucible by Arthur Miller, one can see how the people were being accused of witchcraft in Salem, which is important because it all started upon John’s adultery with Abigail Williams and ended up causing innocent people to die. Protecting her reputation motivates Abigail Williams to accuse people of being witches.
In Salem, a small town where it is believed that evil souls are roaming, teenage girls are given the authority to determine whether one is possessed with evil spirits. Not having any way of proving the accusations wrong the church heads are blinded into the girls’ trap. Abigail Williams, the main teenage accuser, turns to Reverend Parris to believe her every word; the only clear reason Abigail is trusted is due to the fatal connection to Reverend Parris and with them being related there would be no reason for her to lie… or so they think. This Puritan society is lead by Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale believing the wicked lies “I have seen too many frightful proofs in court—the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare
Abigail does this so the court thinks that Mary is a witch and is hurting Abigail through Mary’s spirit. Soon after Danforth asks Mary if she has compacted with the devil and Mary told him never. Then Abigail and the girls copy what Mary said saying, “Never, never!”(Miller, 192) Abigail and the girls are copying Mary to make Judge Danforth and the court that Mary’s spirit is still harming them. Abigail manipulated Danforth into thinking Mary is compacted with the devil.
It is Proctor’s beliefs and qualities that stop him from going along with the trials. Throughout the story there are events that show Proctors qualities, the first of these is when Mary comes home from the trials(page ). Proctor is shocked that people are being hanged because of the lies, he never believes the charges that so many were faced with . The second event is when Hale comes to his house, the Proctors tell him that they do not believe that there are witches in Salem and that the charges of witchcraft on them are false. The third event is when procter comes to the court with evidence from Mary stating that the girls
Mary Warren has to explain what the whole spiel with the coma and dancing in the woods was about. John Proctor was the connection between that for when he forced Mary to promise on her life that the dancing was the practice of witchery and to explain it in front of the court. Throughout the story John has hell thrown at him in all directions, but somehow he stays just the brink of insanity only going above that line when Abigail lost in court. John did have an affair with Abigail which he soon confessed about in court.
Many of those accused as witches died not just because of the accusers but, because of the unfairness of the trials. The judges of the trials used spectral evidence, ignoring the accused, and the judges were unfair because they believed in witches and want those who were witches dead. In the trials judges used spectral evidence. Spectral evidence is when the accused claim that they saw the spirit of the person on trial do something that they should not have done.
Around the time of the witch trials, the people in Salem were very religious. Rumors were easily spread and it was nearly impossible to prove yourself innocent if people were talking about you otherwise. During the witch hysteria, innocent people were imprisoned and and executed because someone has accused them of being a witch. It is understandable that some would accuse others to save themselves from imprisonment or from possible death. However, I believe Abigail should be held responsible for the imprisonment and execution of innocent people because she threaten the girls, so they would act bewitched and she also lied about getting stabbed by a needle and making it look like as if Elizabeth Proctor did it with witchcraft.
The count of Salem gave an unfair trial, to those individual who contradict of witchcraft. The only deference, the people of Salem is to say the truth or lie. However the witch trail shows the difference between saying the truth and saying