Examples Of Reputation In The Crucible

In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, the people of Salem, Massachusetts prove time and time again that they care more about their reputations than the events that are taking place and how these events are affecting the people around them. Having a good reputation can be a good thing but when being concerned about your reputation clouds your judgement, that is when it becomes a dilemma. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses having a good reputation, the character of Parris, and how reputation and The Crucible tie into modern life to enlighten the reader that even though having a good reputation is great, it should not cloud one’s ability to see the harm they are doing to others.

Within today’s society, an individual’s morals determines how one is scrutinized, judged, and reprimanded. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, Abigail Williams is a character with compelling moral principles. Abigail’s disoriented moral constitution allows the theme, the detrimental effects of mass hysteria, to be constantly reassured throughout the play. Through the egotistical, manipulative, and deceitful rhetoric of Abigail Williams, Arthur Miller is successful in conveying how the spread of misinformation can tear apart a small town.

As we all know reputation is a really big deal in today’s society. Hardly any kid can be themselves because they are so scared they won't fit in or be popular. Many adults feel the same way. If there neighbor buys a boat, they feel like they should buy one to just fit in. In “The Crucible” it is the same way reputation is very important to them and they don’t want to ruin there reputation even if it is gonna sacrifice them being alive, they want to make sure they keep their good name in the community. In this novel there were a bunch of characters who cared about their reputation. Parris, Abigail, Rebecca Nurse, and John Proctor. The main two who cared about their reputation would be Abigail and John. Many characters in “The Crucible” are concerned about their reputations. Two of the main characters especially concerned with the betrayal of their reputations are Abigail and John.

Abigail is a highly jealous character, concentrating her jealousy on Elizabeth Proctor. This jealousy is driven by lust and her desire for John Proctor. Abigail served as a servant in the Proctor household and after an affair with her husband John, Elizabeth fired her. She still resents Elizabeth for this as she is still in love with John. She clearly says to John, "You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!" Abigail is still in love with John and she assumes the converse. Her love for John only causes her resentment for Elizabeth to strengthen. She hates John Proctor's wife and in her conniving ways she attempts to inspire the same views of Elizabeth in John's mind. Saying things to him such as, "She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me, She is a cold, sniveling woman." Abigail fabricates stories in attempt to steel John from Elizabeth. She is a manipulative liar that does and says as she pleases in order to get what she wants.

In Arthur Miller’s dramatic play The Crucible, the notable writer successfully argues that the people in Salem rely too much on their reputation by creating a connection to the audience in order to convey the message. He does this in hopes of informing the world that in times of hysteria, reputation means nothing. To prove the argument, Miller uses ethos by developing his credibility when he explains his very own knowledge of the historical situation. Also, the appeals of logos and pathos are evident when illustrating the value of reputation within the play through the characters’ tones.

First and foremost, Abigail is obsessive. Evidence for this is shown when she refuses to believe that her relationship with John Proctor is over. In a heated argument she openly states, “You love me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”(Miller 146). Not only does this statement prove she is head over heels for John but that she does not care at all that he has a wife. She even tries to guilt the poor man into continuing the love affair. Abigail tries to get Elizabeth out of the picture by falsely accusing her of witchcraft, so she can have John to herself.

Socrates once said, “Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of -- for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again”.In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, Miller utilizes the Salem witch trials as inspiration for a parable of McCarthyism of the 1950’s in which the HUAC would decimate one’s reputation on the grounds of suspicion as a communist. Miller reflects this in his story of trials of townspeople suspected of witchcraft. Miller develops the theme of the importance of reputation in society through the contrast in characterization of his characters Reverend Parris and John Proctor, who are most concerned with their good name in the eyes of their community and god, respectively.

In Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, Arthur intrigues audience time and time again with the historical context, social implications, and the Salem, Massachusetts Witchcraft Trials of 1962. Most members in Salem feel the need to prove their authority in ways such as accusing those who have done nothing or hanging them without proving their innocence first. The thing is authority is not made up by an authority figure, but by society. Miller’s The Crucible, demonstrates how people misuse their authority for cruel purposes through a fascinating plot, well-crafted characters, and well-set theme. During the hysteria of witchcraft trials in Salem, there were multiple figures of authority or per say the community who abused their power, Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris and Judge Danforth.

Abigail Williams is a very complex character. She may not be as evil as everyone thinks she is. Abigail Williams is a victim in her own society because of outside forces upon her. Abigail can be pardoned because she just wants to be loved, society fails to help her recover from her parents death, and her society has left no room for her to have fun or be creative One reason Abigail is a victim in her society is because she just wants to be loved.

Once she is hired by the family to fill in for Elizabeth's house work while she is ill, she goes after John. He falls for her and the two have an affair. Eventually John denies that the two were together and this drives Abigail to obtain revenge by ridding of his wife. Proctor sees fit after this to convince the town that Abigail is nothing but a fraud. Here the initial conflict is set between these two individuals who have their own reasons for what they're doing.

Despite Abigail pretending she’s angry at Elizabeth Proctor for tarnishing her reputation in the town. She is more envious of Elizabeth and her marriage to John Proctor. Here she resorts to paltry name-calling in order to cast suspicion in John’s mind.

A respectable reputation is a commonly sought after title that many will go to extreme lengths to achieve. People all over the world value how their peers view them. In the late 1600’s one’s reputation was their everything. In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, characters manipulate the truth and strike fear into others to furiously protect their reputation. Multiple characters use the act of manipulation to save their reputation in a small town.

Have you ever done something that might hurt your good reputation that you wouldn’t want anyone who you cared about to know what you did; and will lie and do just about anything just to make sure they think of you as this perfect person. Well, in the play THE CRUCIBLE by Arthur Miller; a group of little girls were caught in the woods committing witchcraft and so they lied and blamed other people just so that their names would go back to being pure. Their lies cost the lives of a lot of people. Arthur Miller is trying to communicate that these characters will do anything to keep their name good in the village.

One major them in The Crucible is reputation. In Salem, there is not a lot of differentiation between public and private matters which makes the witchcraft trials and the Proctor’s marriage more public than anyone would like. While the trials are technically public information it gets more public as the community finds out. People are almost obsessed with keeping a picture-perfect reputation and fear of being guilty by association. For example, when Abigail first started speaking about the adultery committed between her and John he refused to testify as a precaution to keep his name from being tarnished.

The theme of a man’s obsession with maintaining his reputation is present in the beginning of Act I of “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller. In seventeenth century New England, which is where this play is set, privacy was unheard of since the Puritans believed in practicing mutual watchfulness to ensure no one was posing a threat to the well-being of the public by failing to conform to social norms. Because there was no room for deviance in such a society, Reverend Samuel Parris worries deeply about the rumours spreading regarding his daughter Betty being a victim of bewitchment due to her newly catatonic state as he fears those who despise him will use this scandal to usher his fall from grace (pg. 10-11) Reverend Parris values people’s opinions