The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, which takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, has examples of gossip, lies, adultery, and sin throughout the whole play. John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor, a married couple, were at a point in their relationship that was slowly diminishing. Their maid, Abigail Williams, had been disengaged from her job by Elizabeth Proctor. Though John and Elizabeth Proctor’s marriage was diminishing, they both loved each other dearly. Abigail has been charged for witchcraft by the courts and has confessed to witchcraft. As she confessed, she gained an exponential amount of power in Salem. She uses that power to accuse others of witchcraft and the consequence of that is death, by hanging. Throughout the play, the lies and …show more content…
As this gossip spreads around, a man by the name of Reverend Parris, starts to investigate these witchcraft accusations. The girls all confess and gain power in the court. Because the rumors had been spread, Reverend Parris takes action and shuts down the girls’ witchcraft. The high courts question the girls asking if they have seen anybody else with the devil, the girls start naming names after names after names and cause a lot of innocent people to die if not confessed to witchcraft. This relates to the real world because as rumors are spread around a certain area, people can get in trouble with the authorities or their own personal lives. One example of that is how Arthur Miller was found guilty of being a Communist by mere rumors stating facts that shows he is a …show more content…
In the play, John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth were in a marriage that was falling apart. John Proctor was having an affair with their former maid, Abigail Williams, which is adultery and adultery is against the law in Salem. Though the play doesn’t directly state that Elizabeth had knowledge of the affair, evidence given has caused the audience to infer that she knew. Later in the play he later told Elizabeth that he was having an affair with their former maid. As Abigail rose to power in the play, John has cut all ties with Abigail concerning the affair. Because of this, Abigail becomes obsessed with John Proctor and wants to love him all to herself without anybody in the way. Abigail soon accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft to get closer John Proctor, who doesn’t really love her, and just wants some ass. The whole town of Salem does not know that John was having an affair with Abigail. As John realizes that Abigail has accused his wife of witchcraft, he then goes to the courts, who then asks him why would Abigail want to accuse his wife of witchcraft, he confesses that he has had an affair with her. Though he confessed to the worst marital mistake to ever commit, he was sentenced to death. He was not in favor of everybody knowing that he has committed adultery so it was a hard thing to confess to. It was either shame his family name, or confess and die for his family. There
Proctor 's decision to tell the court about his affair ironically demonstrates his goodness. He also spoke up for the innocent girls that had their names branded. He willingly sacrifices his good name in order to protect his wife and others who are wrongly accused. Only through his public acknowledgment of the affair does Proctor regain his wife 's trust. At the end of the play, Proctor refuses to slander himself by allowing the court to make him make a false confession. The court told him to lie, and that if he lies that he would not be sent to the gallows. He did the right decision by telling the truth about his affair with Abigail. He honestly told the truth about the affair, and that he was not part of the witchcraft. His response further exemplifies Proctor 's integrity. But John was not guilty. He had nothing to do with witchcraft, he admitted to his own mistakes. Proctor knows that if he confesses that he will be damned himself, yet again, if he agrees to confess, he will also be free from the torment from the demon inside him and set others free too. This realization, along with Elizabeth 's forgiveness, enables Proctor to forgive himself and finally regain his good name and self-respect. As the court
The Crucible, by Arthur, Miller is a story told in the form of a play, in which the town of Salem, Massachusetts faces a series of infamous witch-hunt trials that are ultimately the demise of several innocent people. Throughout the timeline of this story, the characters undergo changes is their relationships with others. John and Elizabeth Proctor, a married couple and two of the main protagonists, were constantly arguing, but they are forced to adjust their relationship when Elizabeth is arrested for witchcraft.
The infamous play, The Crucible written by Arthur Miller takes place in the town of Salem, Massachusetts when a group of girls accuses innocent people in the puritan society of witchcraft. Abigail Williams, a young girl and her friends are caught doing a forbidden action considered to the puritan community, and try to draw the community’s attention away from their wrongdoing. As the puritan civilization starts to believe these juvenile girls about the devil being present in certain individuals, other authentic personals try to fight for their society as a whole. Throughout the book, characters show that the community is more important than the individual by sacrificing their perseverance, passion, and integrity when their morals are challenged.
“ There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” - Elie Wiesel. This quote communes the struggles of the citizens of Salem, Massachusetts who were unjustly condemned of witchcraft during 1692 . They were vulnerable while they were convicted but a few people managed to speak out against this injustice -John Proctor, Martha Corey, Giles Corey and Rebecca Nurse - eventually giving up their lives for this cause. The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller, tells of a forbidden affair between married man John Proctor and his servant Abigail Williams. Their liaison is eventually discovered by John’s wife, Elizabeth, leading John to call off the affair. In an endeavor to get vengeance, Abigail and other local girls attempt to place a curse on Elizabeth in an occult rite in the forest one night. When their ritual was discovered, allegations of witchcraft spread around town. When Elizabeth is convicted of being a witch, it ultimately leads John to cease the paranoia and hysteria plaguing Salem. Abigail Williams applied scare tactics in order to manipulate fear in the citizens of Salem.
Though Proctor 's affair was brief, Abigail’s longing had not yet wavered. Abigail, though significantly younger than Proctor, lusted after him and intended to be with Proctor no matter the circumstances. As Abigail gained significant power, she came to the realization that her yearnings could be laid to rest should Elizabeth Proctor be eliminated from the equation. Abigail revealed her deceit to Proctor in assumption he would remain silent on the matter. As continued on with her performance,she saw that Elizabeth be among the first few to be falsely accused of witchcraft despite her immaculate record among society. Due to this accusation, Proctor came to the conclusion he must surrender his pride and confess his affair to the court in hopes to expose Abigail of her fraudulent denunciations and save his wife from death. John Proctor addressed the court and stated that Abigail “thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave.” When Elizabeth Proctor was brought in to be questioned on the matter, she denied the affair resulting in more turmoil including the charge against John Proctor for contempt of court and witchcraft.
John Proctor is very hesitant to expose Abigail as a liar because he does not want to have to share the news of his adultery with the community. Later in the play John Proctor changes by deciding that he will confess. He confesses to prove that Elizabeth is innocent and Abigail is guilty of lying. In act 4, John thinks about confessing a lie because he wants to live with his family, but decides that the only way he can keep his name clean in the town is by denying witchcraft and letting himself be hung.
Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible portrays the historical events of the Salem Witch trials. Insanity and fear drive these Puritans to reveal their true colors while facing their accusers in the prejudice courts. Of all the madness in Salem, two women stand out above the rest. Although they both create suspense and tension in the play the difference between the two is also evident. Hatred and revenge live in the heart of the teenage adulteress Abigail Williams while truth and kindness resides in the soul of Elizabeth Proctor faithful wife of John Proctor.
Elizabeth is awkwardly submissive to John and his stubbornness, even though she knows about his affair and disagrees with how he is continuing to handle Abigail. His guilt broke his marriage and the trust the two had shared before. Proctor refuses to go to the court to confess what Abigail had told him while they were alone together despite Elizabeth’s request. Due to his unwillingness to tell the court about Abigail, the fingers were eventually pointed back to Proctor and his wife, who were later tried and accused for being
Think about the last time you lied for someone you loved, or someone you truly cared about and wanted to prevent them from getting into trouble. Elizabeth Proctor, a character from the dramatic tragedy “The Crucible” written by Arthur Miller, places herself in the position to lie for her husband John Proctor, the protagonist of the play, to avoid execution. Man should eliminate the thought that its better to lie for the people you love, then telling the truth.
As Act Two of the play begins, the reader meets John's wife, Elizabeth. Then everyone is introduced to their relationship and how bad it is. He believes that his affair with Abigail damaged him in God’s eyes, John Proctor was willing to lose his marriage with Elizabeth. Mary Warren told John Proctor that if he spoke out against Abigail Williams, Abigail would have him arrested for the crime of lechery (Miller 1248).
John Proctor is one of the main characters in this play, he is a noble and honest man who places great pride and emphasis on his reputation. Proctor is a good man with one secret fatal flaw, his past lust for Abigail Williams, which lead to an affair. Throughout the play John never fails to speak his mind or stand up for what he believes in, seen through his belief that his wife is innocent, is belief that his name is worth more than his life and his belief that he has done wrong in his past and Elizabeth is the one he truly loves. John so strongly believes that Elizabeth is innocent that he condemns himself to the court saying that he committed adultery with Abigail in order to prove it. He was willing to risk his own life to save the one he loves, Elizabeth. He stood for what he believed in, which was the innocence of his beloved wife. John also strongly believes that his name is worth more than his life no matter the consequences and when Hale tells him that if he falsely confesses he could live another day all he had to do was sign his name away he could not. He would not let the court have a signed document saying that he was affiliated with witchcraft; he was morally uncomfortable with it, saying, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot
In the year 1692, the quiet town of Salem, Massachusetts went into utter turmoil as accusations of witchcraft ran rampant throughout the town resulting in multiple deaths. Arthur Miller's, The Crucible, depicts the events that took place in Salem that year. A group of young girls dancing in the forest sparked the fears of many. The girls feared punishment, the ministers and priests feared the devil, and the people feared witches, so they all lied. Lying is a major theme in this play. Characters in The Crucible use lies out of fear with the hopes of gaining power over others.
John Proctor was a “farmer in his middle thirties… strong, even-tempered, and not easily led” (20). Proctor’s reputation was good and he was a well respected man around Salem. The play shows that Proctor’s past involved him having an affair with Abigail. Now in the present, Proctor is conflicted with the fear of being labeled as an adulterer for his past. Proctor’s fear weakens his morality in the court when he has to explain the situation to Judge Danforth. Proctor tells Danforth that he “has known her” (110) and that Abigail wishes to “dance with me (Proctor) on my wife's grave” (110). Although the fear of being labeled as an adulterer and being charged of lechery, Proctor believes that telling the truth is the right thing to do. Proctor realizes that the Salem witch trials have gone to far and are merely just attempts from Abigail to get Proctor all to herself. Proctor’s fear initially holds him back from telling the court the reason why Abigail is accusing everyone and acting strange. Later on the unveiling of his affair with Abigail results in the trials being questioned but it also fuels the deadly fate of
The Crucible is a play that was written by Arthur Miller and draws parallels to the Salem Witch Trials and ‘Communism witch-hunts” in the 1950s. The play is set in 19692 in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. One night, a black slave named Tituba takes a group of young girls dancing in the woods. A few nights later, Betty Pariss, one of the dancers fell into a mysterious coma-like state. The ring-leader of the girls, Abigail along with a various number of girls are accused of witchcraft and communicating with the devil. After Abigail admits to nothing beyond dancing, she urges the other girls to do the same. John Proctor, a local farmer soon speaks to Abigail alone .Not known by anyone else, Abigail and John had an affair the previous year that
Now, even though Elizabeth knows about the affair she still believes that John is no longer dealing with Abigail but he really is and will not tell her later on,Proctor realizes the realness of damage that is done in Salem by Abigail and her friends. While he is at home with his wife and Reverend Hale, the clerk of the court shows