Evil is the force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and the sin that harms even the holiest of people. In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, the nature of evil is revealed through the corruption of reverend Parris which ultimately leads to devastation of society and reverend Hales good intentions. During 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, the witch trials begin as girls who were caught dancing in the forest pretend that they are under the influence of the devil. When the court is introduced in Salem many innocent people get accused of witchcraft so that the accusers can simply satisfy their own desires. Although both Parris and Hale are spiritual leaders, Hale shows integrity as he sticks for what his goal is, whereas Parris …show more content…
I dare not step outside at night” (128). Here, even when Parris is almost killed due to his lack of integrity, he still does not admit that the girls are lying. Furthermore, this occurs after Abigail steals his money, but he never admits that it is his fault, proving his lack of integrity. On the other hand, both Parris and Hale might be spiritual leaders but Hale shows he is heroic as he attempts to fulfill his obligations. Throughout the play Hale shows integrity because he is looking to find justice in the court no matter what it takes. During the courts discussion “in all justice, sir, a claim so weighty cannot be argued by a farmer. In God’s name, sir, stop here; send him home and let him come again with a lawyer” (99). Here Hale shows integrity because he is standing up for what he believes is correct; justice. Hale wants John Proctor to go back home and get a lawyer for the court so that he has a fair chance to save his wife. Furthermore, by the end of the play Hale tries one more time to create justice in Salem as he is talking to Danforth “There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!!” (131). Here Hale is experiencing heavy guilt because before he had signed many peoples death warrant and now he has realized that there was never any witchcraft in Salem. In addition, Hale shows integrity as he tries to fix what he has done wrong. Therefore, reverend Parris is too corrupt to admit his evil actions that destroys Salem while reverend Hale
Truth is oftentimes glazed over or obscured by the sweet words of the manipulator, and the journey to discover it is painful in the mental aspect by challenging one’s mindset or morals. To those who have faith in truth, however, it can be a savior shining a light onto the path of righteousness. In the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, the eloquent lies of a single girl by the name of Abigail expands into full-blown witch trials where minister Reverend Hale is brought in to examine the markings of those tainted by the Devil. Within his time spent in the ominous village of Salem, the lies exposed to him begin to query his life-long standings of the Bible and God. As he further uncovers the truths, Hale’s role in the Salem Witch Trials undergoes a dramatic transformation from a certain accuser, to a precarious bystander, to the defender of the tried.
The Crucible written by Arthur Miller is a play that takes place in the sixteen nineties during the famous but tragic witch trials. Reverend Hale who is a minister and an expert of the demonic arts and witchcraft is sent from East Hanover to Salem where there is a spreading fear of witchcraft. When Hale arrives in Salem he finds the entire town in total chaos. At the beginning Hale is adamant in believing that they’re where witches and that nothing but good could come of his being there. Near the end when the truth has been exposed, Hale with so much blood on his head pleads : ‘‘ I come to do the Devil’s work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on
The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, was a historical play written about the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1692-93. The Salem witch trials created mass hysteria throughout the entire village of Salem, which was also mainly inhabited by Puritans. Puritans had a set ideal of firm beliefs that managed how they lived. Essentially, they were living as an elect, which meant they (referring to the Puritans) had a place in heaven for the righteous acts they have done in the physical world. Meaning, any sinful acts could potentially hinder the chances of entering heaven as an elect. The Crucible, questioned everything the Puritans abided by. It questioned the basic morals of a pure lifestyle, adultery and
A society that praises moral righteousness and piety is destroyed by a series of witch trials that are ironically immoral and unfair. The Salem Witch Trials are fueled by personal motives and feuds that emerge because of the restrictions in Puritan society. The society nurtures a culture of fear and distrust that stems from dread of the devil and strict adherence to the Bible. Salem is the perfect environment for fear and vengeance to spread through witchcraft accusations, because people have no other means to gain power or get revenge on enemies. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller portrays how the Puritan society in Salem influences the witch trials and increases their impact, because of the religion-based justice system, women and
In Arthur Millers play, The Crucible, Reverend Parris is to blame for the witch trials in Salem. The witch trials took place in Salem, Massachusetts from 1962 to 1963. During the trials, people were accused and blamed for partaking in witchcraft and worshipping the devil. In some cases, neighbors turned on neighbors and family members turned on themselves. Reverend Parris is to blame for the witch trials that took place because of his egotistical attitude, his selfish ways, and lying to his peers.
In the novel, The Crucible by Arthur Miller leads the reader on a journey back to 1692 to reexplore the Salem witchcraft trials. Miller creates an atmosphere and mood in the play with the historical background and Puritan culture. People are being arrested, convicted, and are dying as trust is fading away in the Salem community. The citizens who live in Salem deal with extremely restrictive laws. Evil is characterized by believing illusional ideals that leads people to death which lead Danforth to be selfish, prideful, values his reputation, and tries to do his best for Salem yet crumbles the society.
Salem is not what it appears to the naked eye for dishonest children accuse and condemn the innocent to swing on the gallows. The Crucible a tragedy by Arthur Miller, relates to the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials in 1692. The reputation of Salem at the time is that no one is safe, anyone can be a witch in their eyes in order for their own benefit of freedom. Truth can stand on its own against any circumstance. Such as John Proctor stands up against Abigail for the troubles she is causing. In the same way it is almost impossible to be an outlaw to this way because of the substantial consequences if you are not just like society. This ultimately brings out the darkness in Salem. Due to envy, revenge, and lies this town
The Crucible by Arthur Miller takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It all started when Reverend Parris discovers a group of girls dancing in the woods. After he found the girls in the wood, his daughter Betty fall ill. Since Betty wouldn’t wake up, people become paranoid and started believing that witchcraft was real. Fake accusations were made and innocent people kept dying. In The Crucible there are many people to blame for all for everything that occurred, characters such a Abigail Williams, Reverend Hale, and Reverend Parris. Abigail Williams is to blame because she accused everyone else just to protect herself. Reverend Hale is also blame because he was the one who got people to think that witchcraft was real. Lastly Reverend Parris is to blame because he was just worried about himself and his reputation in Salem.
“The arrogant are wise in their own eyes, but the wise will recognize their lies” (Anonymous). This quote accurately describes how the events in the Salem Witch Trials unfolded. The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, places the reader into the city of Salem, Massachusetts. Arthur Miller tells a fictional story based on real events of how people who were wise in their own eyes used others to better themselves in a community based on honesty. Three characters from the story stand apart in their arrogance. Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Reverend Parris were conceited and cared only about their personal gains. These characters used their power to blame, but not to be blamed or accused of alleged witchcraft which resulted in the deaths of several townspeople. Arthur Miller used these characters to illustrate how simple lies and rumors can spread and become an unstoppable force. With these simple but powerful accusations, well respected citizens soon became the targets of these characters manipulation.
American playwright, Arthur Miller, in his play The Crucible, implies that witch hunts still exist in American society. Miller supports this claim by drawing parallels between the Salem Witch Trials and the Senator Joseph Mccarthy Trials. His purpose is to warn his readers of the dangers of mass hysteria. He uses emotional appeals and logic to convince the reader that mass “hunts” are still a danger to Americans today. The central way, however, that Miller achieves his topmost goal of displaying the hazards of Individuality vs. Ideology is through the expressive characterization of Reverend John Hale. John hale is an example of outward conformity because he believes in the devil in the beginning, he sees that the girls are
The Crucible is a play that takes place in Salem, Massachusetts during the 17th century and is based on true events. The Puritans believed in witchcraft and were gullible. At the start of the play, the audience learns some girls were caught dancing naked in the woods by Reverend Parris. They had supposedly “conjured up spirits” and this led to the accusations of the girls as witches. In order to escape the punishment, they accuse other women of the town of being witches. They say that they were approached by the devil but did not go over to his side so they are used as members of the jury.
In Act 1, Hale’s devotion to carrying out God’s law reveals his sense of obligation in eradicating the diabolic disturbances in Salem, despite the negative impact it may have on its citizens. Prior to entering the town, the Reverend’s motives lie in defeating the Devil, believing that this valiance will bring preservation to the Puritans. Although “his goal is light,” he believes the people of Salem have been “called upon to face what may be a bloody fight with the Fiend himself” (36). Despite wanting to face off with the devil, Hale stands strong in his belief that this will restore peace and prove to be beneficial. Consequences aside, his heavy
In the past, every decade and every generation has had its momentous event that has shaped it and left a mark on its history. The 1600's were no different. In The Crucible, the author, Arthur Miller, demonstrates many examples of the complexity of “good” and “evil” in his characters. He does this through many characters, seen and unseen. The entire village bases its belief system on the conflict between Good vs. evil, or Satan vs. God. It may seem like evil is winning, as one innocent person after another is put to death. The towns people are mislabeling people as good or evil like Mary Warren, although they have very little evidence. Rebecca Nurse is an outstanding example of honesty, and a well-respected member of the
One concept is capable of more destruction than almost anything else. It can change a person’s life, or end it. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is a play that is set in Salem, Massachusetts in the early 1690’s. The play revolves around the infamous Salem Witch Hunts and their proceedings both within the court and outside of the court. Within this plotline, a theme of greed functions in the play, influencing the actions of certain characters, including Reverend Parris, Thomas Putnam, and Abigail.
The Crucible depicts the protagonist as having to come to terms with the community to understand themselves and their position within it. Miller uses the motif of social pressures and religious laws to set up the basis for the play, with the Salem citizens entrenched in a society that relies on strict social norms to maintain order in the community. An almost exact definition of tyranny of conformity. Individuality, here, is the ability to retreat into families and homes. In 1692, however, Salem is shaken at its foundations by greed for land from neighbours and insecurity in property. Furthermore, the Reverend Parris, head of the theocracy, is materialistic and is focused on his own needs over the communities. The struggle for the communities survival is what brings about the witch