In Act 3, Abigails power in the courthouse is on display. 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. Danforth insists that John must know more about the Devil's dealings than he has revealed. In her conversation with John, Abigail claims that he helped her realize all the lies she was told by two-faced people in Salem who only publicly adhere to the conventions of respectable society (pg. These three characters can be the most to blame for the cause of the spread and start of hysteria in Salem during the Witch Trials. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. It's atoxic strategy that causes panic to spread quickly and fear for ones life to take the place of rationality. When she cant get John to abandon Elizabeth for her, she decides to take matters into her own hands and gain control through manipulating the fears of others. Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth. Human Flaws in Arthur Miller's The Crucible Many of the characters in Arthur Miller's The Crucible have specific human flaws that cause the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God. Ask questions; get answers. In Act 2, the value of reputation in Salem starts to butt heads with the power of hysteria and fear to sway peoples opinions (and vengeance to dictate their actions). (Cheever pg. He appears to have no governing system of morality. She puts on a fake front to get what she wants, ultimately creating a persona thats even worse than that of the hypocrites she criticizes. Rebecca Nurse's accusation further demonstrates the hypocrisy in the play. Furthermore, this is destructive influence because by telling Elizabeth to tell Proctor to lie, this adds upon his sins. What are their strengths and personal flaws? Take a look at this article for details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. Irony abounds throughout The Crucibleascharacters who believe they are combating the Devils handiwork actually perform it themselves. Tituba is pressured to confess and name the names of other witches to avoid execution, which leads to Abigail and Bettys accusations, now validated by a coerced confession. The ruthlessness with which the suspected witches are treated is aimed at purifying Salem, but it achieves the opposite outcome. Elizabeth's side of the story is disregarded because Abigails testimony is far more dramatic. If you hope to write an awesome essay onThe Crucible, you should have extensive knowledge of its themes. In reality, true irony only happens when a situation is the exact opposite of what you would expect. The play is about human weakness, hypocrisy, and vindictiveness. 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. 119). He is completely oblivious to the fact that the victims might be lying. Many people are under the impression that irony is just when something happens that you don't expect (or that you really hoped wouldn't happen). She has the power to utterly destroy peoples lives with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior. In the next few sections,I'll take a look at a group of broad themes inThe Crucible, including irony, hysteria, reputation, and power. Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. The book is about witchcraft or what the town thinks is witchcraft. A real example of irony would be if two married guests got into a fight about going to your wedding that ended in their divorce. She is clearly outspoken and dominant, but her initial position in society is one of very little influence and authority. Elizabeth is a victim of cruel irony in this Act when she is summoned to testify on the reasons why she dismissed Abigail from her household. He says, I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town (pg. Hale doesnt realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark. Later in the play, she is accused. Both Hale and Proctor don't want to live with the consequences of their mistakes, so they try to ignore or undo their past actions. While I speak Gods law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering (pg. Greed is a sin in the Puritan religion, so the people who supported the accusations were indeed hypocrites. In telling people they must confess to their crimes or be hanged, the officials show that they have already decided the person is guilty no matter what evidence is provided in their defense. 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. Two characters who demonstrate how mob mentality can lead to the demise of Salem are Abigail and Mary Warren. As the story progresses, Danforth and many other officials begin to realize that the entire situation in Salem progressed to far and honest people will continue to die unless they can convince people to lie in order to save themselves. What makes Danforth so unwilling to consider that the girls could be pretending? John And Elizabeth Proctor's Flaws In The Crucible | Studymode By the end of class, you should be able to: Identify basic elements of McCarthyism, including the following terms: He is completely oblivious to the fact that the victims might be lying. While I speak Gods law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering (pg. Johns concern for his reputation is strong throughout the play, and his hesitation to reveal Abigails true nature is a product of his own fears of being labeled an adulterer. Theme 3: Reputation. There is a culture of keeping up appearances already in place, which makes it natural for people to lie about witnessing their neighbors partaking in Satanic rituals when the opportunity arises (especially if it means insulating themselves from similar accusations and even achieving personal gain). I chose . The people who preside over the trials are corrupt. The life of such man is ruled by the desire to seek the truth and justice in all that surrounds him, including himself. It is a somewhat fictional play about the Salem Witch Trials. 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. Being a person, from Latin persona ("mask", per and soneo - "resound") means precisely "being a mask . This website helped me pass! She was seen as a grandmother to the village. South Plantation High School, one of the only schools to offer a program for the deaf, cast tradition aside to create a rendition of The Crucible that is truly one of a kind. 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. officials (like Danforth) unable or unwilling to listen to reason? Courage, Weakness, And Truth In Arthur Miller's The Crucible Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. 133). Now that you've read about the most important themes in The Crucible, check out ourlist of every single character in the play, including brief analyses of their relationships and motivations. Read on for an overview of what a theme is, a list of important themes in The Crucible with specific act-by-act details, and a summary of how to use this information in your essays and other assignments. Why is Cory arrested? Miller wrote it as an allegory to the Red Scare, the promotion of fear of a potential rise of communism. 71). Elizabeth doesnt realize that John is willing to sacrifice his reputation to save her life. Here are some discussion questions to consider after reading about the thematic role of the concepts of power and authority in the events of the play: Mary Warren when she comes back from Salem in Act 2. Parris initially insists that there are no unnatural causes for Bettys illness because he fears that he will lose favor with the townspeople if witchcraft is discovered under his roof. Through this statement he clearly demonstrates his belief that lying will send a person to Hell. Along with the final say in the putting to death of people during the Salem witch trials. Examples Of Hypocrisy In The Crucible. He chooses to die instead of providing a false confession because he doesnt think life will be worth living after he is so disgraced. Hypocrisy is just one of many personality traits along many spectrums. These two institutions fuse together in The Crucible to actively encourage accusers and discourage rational explanations of events. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie. John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale, Reverend Paris, and Abigail are the main characters. They say not to use superstition when dealing with the Devil, who is in fact a superstition used to cover up the sinful dealings of the people. The Crucible by Arthur Miller. She is a sensible, saintly old woman who chooses to martyr herself rather than lie and confess to witchcraft. He refers to Johns refusal to confess as a calamity, looking past his own involvement in the larger calamity of the conviction that led John to this point. This immaculate proof that has led him to sign numerous death warrants is nothing but the fabrications of teenage girls and other townspeople seeking petty revenge. " jesus christThe simple answer is of course, yes! Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Score, list of every single character in the play, details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. To illustrate this, he simultaneously shows the Puritan belief system while describing characters that do not obey that system, yet pretend to in their daily lives. He appears to have no governing system of morality. Hypocrisy is shown between the characters: Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Hale. Nowhere is there any consideration of ulterior motives. Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!" succeed. Through Abigail Williams, Miller was trying to state the injustice in Salem because she targeted the innocent people, leading to their death. Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. One of humanity's biggest flaws is that people would do anything to help themselves. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the setting is Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600s where the towns pious Puritan beliefs directly influence their government. This lie essentially condemns both of them. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. The turmoil in Salem is propelled forward by desires for revenge and power that have been simmering beneath the town's placid exterior. 42). This is ironic because, Once the accusations begin, Parris initiates an ironic thought process that persists throughout. Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation. Tituba attempts to tell the truth about Abigail when she says, You beg me to conjure! We hear a lot about hypocrisy, or when someone's actions don't match up with the professed values. 67). Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that Johns confession may not be the truth. They so fear the devilish consequences of challenging the accusers that theyre willing to take them at their word and ignore any defenses the accused have to offer. Every person has some kind of flaw; no one is completely perfect. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. is hypocrisy a natural human flaw the crucible The court refuses to challenge anyone who claims to have been afflicted. Though actions are often motivated by fear and desires for power and revenge, they are also propped up by underlying worries about how a loss of reputation will negatively affect characters' lives. I have not seen a single politician who isnt a hypocrite. Tituba is conscious that she is in danger, she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back (Miller, pg. Danforth explains his inability to free the accused people because, twelve are already hanged for the same crime. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. In The Crucible, they all fear witchcraft, because there is a rumor going around. The Crucible, a short play dedicated to these events in Salem shows us how hysteria was such a leading cause of why the Witch Trials had even occurred.