Examples Of Reputation In The Crucible

The play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, takes place in the town of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. This time in Salem, witchcraft was suspected of almost everyone in the town. Preserving one’s reputation becomes recurring concept throughout the play. The witchcraft accusations are usually made by people that have a biased view against others, which is why everyone tries to make sure their reputation looks well with the rest of the town. This concept is proven through the characters of John Proctor, Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale. These three characters go to great lengths to protect what the town of Salem thinks of them.

Thesis: Every character in the crucible caused a negative consequence to take place, which leads him or her to endeavor to protect the virtue of their reputation. Three most significant characters, whose endeavors are majorly emphasized are Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Danforth.

Another thing Miller illustrates, through the character of Parris, is that trying to keep a good reputation will make one focus mainly on themselves, making them less empathetic and blind to the struggles of others. Parris is not the only one guilty of this though. In a piece titled “Reputation of The Crucible” it says, “John Proctor and Parris both were very concerned that their reputation was at stake in many different instances in this play The Crucible” (Reputation of the Crucible). Our reputations, like the image of the characters John Proctor and Parris, are always at stake and it is important to be careful not to do things that will interfere with our status. Though not the only one, Parris is a major offender of letting his image and his reputation cloud his judgement and even get in the way of his duties as a father. The piece later states, “When the play first begins, Parris fears that Abigail, his niece, is convicted of being a witch because of her intolerable actions, and the witchcraft that associates with his daughter’s coma will cause much chaos and bring down his power as a Reverend in Salem. Parris feels that power and reputation is the most important thing to him as a

Abigail Williams struggles to show that she has a good reputation throughout The Crucible. On Pg 111, Danforth asks Abigail did you ever have a sexual relationship with John Proctor? “If I must answer that, I will leave and I will not come back again” (pg 111 Abigail). Everybody in Salem is starting to find out about Abigail and John, but when she is asked if it is true, she lies. It tarnishes her reputation because she is seen as a whore now. She doesn't want her name to be blackened in Salem. Once you have had sexual relationships with someone and your not married, it will be hard for Abigail to find someone else to love her because she has already been with someone else, so who would want to be with her? “ Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sister’s. And that is all. And do not speak of the other things” (pg 20 Abigail). Abigail and the other girls, were dancing in the woods, getting naked and making charms. The girls knew it was wrong but they blamed it on witchcraft rather than taking a punishment for it. This destroyed Abigail's reputation because she did not tell the full truth on what happened in the forest, but instead, she blamed it on witchcraft. She also threatened the other girls to go along with her to not make her look bad. Abigail does not take ownership of her downfalls and like to place the blame elsewhere.

In the play “The Crucible” written by Arthur Miller, demonstrates a them that is represented in each character in which they all treasure the most, and that is reputation. Abigail Williams is charged with participation in which craft, and tries save herself by confessing to the court all of the names of the girls she seen with the devil. Reverend Parris is worried about his status in Salem because he is worried that the rehearsal of witchcraft was in his home, and that it might ruin him. Lastly there’s Judge Danforth, and he wants to prove to all and others in the court that he knows how to do his job and he wants respect from the town of Salem. Reputation is a key theme in this play because reputations is important to human lives as well. We all want to be known for great successes and at times we feel that we want to be accepted in society, just like these characters.

Reputation is a social phenomenon for individuals in every society. Every one of us cares how we are viewed at some point, and everyone else provides that view. Reputation has transformed largely over the centuries, and we can see a large theme of it in Puritan-based literature such as Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. In the Puritan lifestyle, reputation was among the utmost importance to citizens. Keeping a good name through correct moral conduct was a very critical social aspect for Puritans. In The Crucible there is a strong theme of the importance of reputation which directly applies to John Proctor, Abigail, and Reverend Parris.

Reputation is something that one holds above their head to keep their good name safe. Everyone has their own reputation that they have made up for themselves in their own mind. Not only have they made one up for themselves but others make one for them too. There are several people in the Crucible who value their reputation over the truth. Having a good reputation on one’s name is good in the small town of Salem. It helps to have a good name because it makes people want to help with business. There were three important people in the Crucible who valued their reputation the most, John Proctor, Abigail Williams, and Parris.

Arthur Miller made sure to point out that having a good reputation was very important to the characters in The Crucible. After all, they are Puritans. Puritans always felt the pressure to succeed. They were on a “city upon hill” (Winthrop 1). They believed that everyone looked up to them-- that they were always in the spotlight. If they ever slacked off, it would feel like the end of the world for them. It is shown in the book that if one does not have a good name, then they’ll be rejected by the society. They might as well do anything to make sure they have a good reputation. This led to the Puritans’ hyper concern for reputation that was a driving force behind the witch trials as dramatized in The Crucible. Reverend Parris, Reverend Hale,

Reputation; what significance does this one word have that a Spanish proverb states, “He who has lost his reputation is a dead man among the living”? According to the townspeople in theocratic Salem, an individual was to become prestigious and sacrifice everything for a good name. There was no such thing as private moralities, instead, a person’s reputation was a public matter showcased for the town to judge and discern. Nothing is more unimaginable than having to lose an influential position. Throughout the play “The Crucible”, individuals base their actions on safeguarding or earning a standing. Miller uses the characterization of Reverend Parris and John Proctor to demonstrate that when one exclusively focuses on the preservation of their reputation, one is more likely t o use outrageous actions and deception to hide one’s faults.

In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, one of the many themes that stands out to most people is the importance of a having a good name and reputation. Miller uses certain characters outcomes in the play to prove that reputation was actually not the biggest concern. He consistently shows that reputation means nothing when it came to being accused during the Salem Witch Trials because many innocent people were killed. People began to use these accusations for their own benefit and that’s when it became chaotic. These random accusations of witchcraft could immediately cause someone’s admirable reputation to disappear. He provides evidence in the play through most characters that we would consider to have a good reputation such as: Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor.

Many people cherish their reputation, what other people think and believe about someone is crucial in today’s society. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is centered around the theme of reputation. One’s name is tremendously important in Salem, where someone’s social standing reflects their ability to follow religious rules and obligations. In Salem, reputation far surpasses the truth. Majority of the characters in The Crucible would rather die than risk damaging their “good” name. When witchcraft accusations start spreading through the town, one’s fate is determined by their reputation. John Proctor and Abigail Williams are both perfect examples of this, both risking everything in attempt to protect their tarnishing reputations.

John Proctor shouts in Act 4, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!” (4.910). In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the idea of one’s reputation is displayed in many scenarios. Reverend Parris values how people perceive him because of its effect on his job. Judge Danforth values his reputation because it grants him a level of esteem and control. John Proctor, on the other hand, values his reputation because he believes it is a direct representation of himself. Although the motives of these characters vary, they all highly value their “names”. Miller uses the theme of reputation to show that people will make great sacrifices to shape other’s perception of them.

Abigail begins to have authority over the other girls in the town of Salem. They follow her league in every lie that Abigail gets them caught up into. In Act I page 10, Abigail lies to Parris about what really happened in the woods and what he really saw. “Uncle, we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it and I’ll be whipped if I must be. But they’re speakin’ of witchcraft. Betty’s not witched.” She doesn’t state the real reason as to why they were in the woods to Parris and his suspicions raise up. Abigail is in total denial and somehow convinces Parris that he has mistaken what he saw. This raises up questions about witchcraft and the presence of the Devil, so Abigail starts with accusations with people in the town. From that moment

like a judge versus a prisoner. Reputation is also a very big thing in “The Crucible” by Arthur

Reputation is extremely important in a town where social standing is tied to one’s ability to follow religious rules. Your good name is the only way you can get other people to do business with you or even get a fair hearing. Of course, reputation meant nothing when a witchcraft accusation was staring you in the face. But reputation is what made the Reverend hale begin to doubt whether the accused individuals were actually guilty. And it was for the sake of his reputation and his friends’ reputations that John Proctor refused to sign a false confession. He would, quite literally, rather die. Although John Proctor goes to his death falsely condemned as a witch, he gains his reputation and respect among those who matter, like his wife, because he refuses to falsely identify his friends and neighbours as witches. The loss of Abigail’s reputation toward the end of the play shows that characters in The Crucible eventually earn the reputations they deserve, despite the personal tragedies that might take place along the way. Having a good reputation is very important in The Crucible. It means you can be accepted by society. If you do not have a good name, you will be completely rejected. John Proctor would no longer be thought of a morally straight and righteous person. Reverend Parris would lose all his respect and not be accepted by society. Judge Danforth would be constantly questioned and lose his job. Keeping and maintaining your good name is an overwhelming theme in The