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I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (pg. This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme. This is interesting because the children are the ones that the rest of the village relies upon to condemn people to death. The main pillars of traditional power are represented by the law and the church. The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. Here's another example of a potential essay question for The Crucible that's less explicit in its request for you to discuss themes of the play: "Most of the main characters in the play have personal flaws and either contribute to or end up in tragedy. Though the Puritans believed that children were not to be taken seriously, they are later convinced by the court officials that the children are the authorities on witchcraft. The people who preside over the trials are corrupt. Parris is very quick to position himself on the side of the accusers as soon as Abigail throws the first punch, and he immediately threatens violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. In The Crucible, there are many characters that feed into or contribute to the rapid spread of witch hysteria in the small village of Salem. Why is everyone so quick to believe Abigails story? His guilt leads to great tension in interactions with Elizabeth because he projects his feelings onto her, accusing her of being judgmental and dwelling on his mistakes. John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft. By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials. Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented. Both flaws led him to delay telling the truth about Abigail's fraudulent claims and their previous relationship, thus dooming himself and many others to death or imprisonment. Tituba, the slave of Reverend Parris, is the first to admit to dancing with the devil. In a way,John welcomes the loss of his reputation because he feels so guilty about the disconnect between howhe is perceived by others and the sins he has committed. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses. Examples Of Hypocrisy In The Crucible. She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. In Act 2, John Proctors guilt over his affair with Abigail is demonstrated through an ironic exchange with Reverend Hale. There are several ironies in Act 1 that center around Abigail Williams. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses. The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God. Is hypocrisy a natural human flaw? He. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in Salem in a Puritan community. The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. Miller fills us in on much of the history in breaks in the play where he offers commentary in his own voice. Abigails presence is always rife with irony in The Crucible, as she constantly chastises others for sins she herself has committed. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. Based on the background knowledge of the time, slaves were not considered part of the class system, so she was not valued as a community member. Hale also contends with his guilt in act 4 for his role in condemning the accused witches, who he now believes are innocent. Reverend Parris, the paranoid widower and heaven-ordained minister of the town of Salem, was, simply put, a hypocrite. Revenge in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Theme, Examples & Analysis, Allusion in the Crucible by Arthur Miller | Examples & Overview, Thomas Putnam in The Crucible | Character Traits, Quotes & Personality, Irony in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Overview & Examples, Abigail Williams in The Crucible | Quotes, Traits & Descriptions, The Crucible by Arthur Miller: Act 1 | Quotes, Overview & Analysis, Judge John Hathorne in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Analysis & Quotes, John Proctor in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Quotes, Analysis & Development, Reverend John Hale in the Crucible by Arthur Miller | Traits, Quotes & Analysis, Reverend Parris in The Crucible | Character Traits & Quotes, Hysteria in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Theme, Quotes & Examples, Fear in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Quotes, Examples & Analysis, Judge Danforth in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Character & Quotes, Giles Corey Character Analysis & Quotes | The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Ruth Putnam in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Character & Analysis, Symbols in The Crucible by Arthur Miller | Examples & Analysis, NYSTCE English Language Arts (003): Practice and Study Guide, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Study Guide, English 103: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature, EPT: CSU English Language Arts Placement Exam, ILTS English Language Arts (207): Test Practice and Study Guide, Common Core ELA Grade 8 - Language: Standards, College English Composition: Help and Review, Create an account to start this course today. John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale, Reverend Paris, and Abigail are the main characters. Its easy for more respectable citizens to accept that shes in league with the Devil because she is an "other" in Salem, just like Tituba. Do you not know that God damns all liars? (Miller 101). What motivates their attitudes and responses toward the witch trials? Read this character flaw list (with examples) for inspiration and develop interesting character weaknesses: 1. Sure, you don't expect or want rain, but it's not the polar opposite of getting married. Download it for free now: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, '688715d6-bf92-47d7-8526-4c53d1f5fe7d', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, '03a85984-6dfd-4a19-93c8-5f46091f5e2b', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. The life of such man is ruled by the desire to seek the truth and justice in all that surrounds him, including himself. In steadfastly refusing to confess, Rebecca Nurse holds onto a great deal of power. He insists,I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie (pg. Her jealousy of Elizabeth Proctors position as Johns wife has led her to attempted murder, first by the charm in the woods and now by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. He is somewhat responsible for all of the witch trials; if he wouldn't of committed adultery with Abigail, she wouldn't have gone on her rampage of blaming people. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. She is enraged when Parris questions her suspicious dismissal from the Proctor household. In this environment, whoever yells the loudest seems to get the most credibility. "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. Hale truly believes that the accused have been marked by the Devil. Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. In the final events of Act 4, John Proctor has a tough choice to make between losing his dignity and losing his life. As this hysteria begins to rise, other people such as Thomas Putnam, a rich landowner, start to also allege Salem villagers. There are two examples of Ad hominem from The Crucible in Act 2 and Act 3. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. The Crucible remains a staple of high school English because it is rich in themes that are consistently relevant to human beings regardless of time period. Other essay questions may not ask you directly about the themes listed in this article, but that doesn't mean that the themes are irrelevant to your writing. As Reverend Hale says to Danforth, Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellions spoke? (Act 4, pg. Choose a single character and discuss how this person embodies one of the themes. Salem is under attack from the hysteria that is encouraged by the same people who seek to keep imaginary supernatural demons at bay. A constant theme through out the play is your personal reputation, maintaining a good name. People could not take another's land unless it was left to them in a will; however, if someone were to be executed for a crime, that land belonged to the state and could be re-distributed. In a way. The accused people of Salem are all innocent and have nothing to do with neither witchcraft nor convening with the devil. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft proliferate throughout Salem. I feel like its a lifeline. Here again, he is driving the point home that the villagers were greedy and seeking land, so they put some of the pillars of the community to death for their own gain. Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. 71). I highly recommend you use this site! John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. John attempts to crush his guilt instead of facing it, which only ends up making it an even more destructive factor in his life. 22). She was seen as a grandmother to the village. Danforth and Mary Warren both embody hypocrisy, as seen when Mary says she cannot lie anymore and then lies when she becomes scared for her life, and Danforth when saying lying will send a person to Hell, but then forcing people to choose between lying and death. In today's society no one want to hear about something they fear, they would rather it be left alone than try to understand it. She has the power to utterly destroy peoples lives with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior. By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials. They are extremely biased towards believing they have made the correct sentencing decisions in court thus far, so they are reluctant to accept new evidence that may prove them wrong. Abigail Williams was the main accuser of withes in Salem, and in her accusations she gained power in the town. The authorities ignore any inconvenient logical objections to the proceedings because they, too, are swept up in the madness. I am with God, I, Danforth expresses his opinions on lying when Mary Warren enter his court to confess herself and he begins the conversation by saying, How were you instructed in your life? The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat.