This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme. Hypocrisy relates to The Crucible in that both Reverend Parris and Mr. Putnam are incredibly hypocritical characters. In today's world hypocrisy is demonstrated by everyday citizens and even political leaders. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses. There are many characters in the Crucible who are guilty of taking innocent lives, but there are three major characters who, without a doubt, are the most at blame. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Compare and contrast three authority figures in this drama: Hale, Danforth, and Parris. These. Hale pg. In Act 1 he jumped on board with the hysteria to preserve his power, but he ended up losing what little authority he had in the first place (and, according to Miller's afterward, was voted out of office soon after the end of the play). She says, "My name is good in the village! Abigails presence is always rife with irony in The Crucible, as she constantly chastises others for sins she herself has committed. I feel like its a lifeline. In this environment, whoever yells the loudest seems to get the most credibility. Most Important Themes in The Crucible, Analyzed. The classic example of an incorrect use of irony is in Alanis Morisette's song "Ironic" when she says that "rain on your wedding day" is an example of irony. Upon arriving in the court Mary Warren says, I cannot lie no more. Arthur Miller pokes fun at this in his commentary in the play and explains his intentions to the audience. The main point that the story revolves around is that people would rather lie and blame someone else instead of confessing and accepting the punishment. 44) but realizes that her word against Abigail will not stand. 118). The town, already primed with rumors of black magic, is quickly willing to accept that the first few women who are accused are involved in black magic because theyre beggars and slaves. Some will be very direct. Choose a single character and discuss how this person embodies one of the themes. Not living up to our beliefs, opinions,virtues, feelings, qualities, or standards is not a hypocrisy.Hypocrisy is pretending (and lying to others) to have them when we don't. 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 everyone so quick to believe Abigails story? Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. The Crucible is a play written by American author, Arthur Miller, in 1953. The first is that she is looking to escape . Arthur Miller's 1953 play, ''The Crucible,'' features hypocrisy as a recurrent theme. Hypocrisy In Salem And The Crucible Proctor knows that unlike most of the other people who have gotten hanged, his is not completely innocent. In one of the most well-known quotes in the play, John Proctor angrily insists that the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom (pg. So, she decides to manipulate the situation by saying that the Devil has come to her and she has resisted his commands to kill Mr. Parris. The Crucible is not only a dramatization of . John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. It is used to draw away from a person's counterargument through addressing something unrelated. This quotation shows the overall theme that hypocrisy is bred from the fear and condemnation of a society. 73), meaning the girls are testing out the extent of the chaos they can create with their newfound power. Elizabeth doesnt realize that John is willing to sacrifice his reputation to save her life. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. This is a lesson in how fear can twist perceptions of reality even for those who consider themselves reasonable under normal circumstances. Giles got arrested for contempt. Danforths image is extremely valuable to him, and he refuses to allow Parris concerns to disrupt his belief in the validity of his decisions. Lust and pride were John Proctors tragic flaws, lust is of course, one out of the seven sins. 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. To illustrate, here are some examples of . Tituba, the slave of Reverend Parris, is the first to admit to dancing with the devil. She attended church regularly and was the embodiment of how a Puritan woman should behave. Danforth makes a shocking argument defending the way the trials have been conducted, insisting that only the victims testimony can serve as reliable evidence in this type of trial. He questions Abigail aggressively because hes worried his enemies will learn the full story of what happened in the woods first and use it to discredit him. Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. Proctors good reputation is almost a burden for him at this point because he knows that he doesnt deserve it. 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. Abigail William is hypocritical because she does not follow the rules of the Salem trials. The play takes place in the city of Salem, a city filled with people that would do anything to keep their reputation clean. 119). In this act, she yells Dont lie! at Tituba immediately before she tells some of the most damning lies of the play accusing Tituba of witchcraft (She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt. Though the play is fictional, the characters are named after real people who lived in Salem during that time. His only goal is to get on the good side of the community as a whole, even in the midst of this bout of collective hysteria. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. The Crucible by Arthur Miller, is a play based upon events that occurred in Salem circa 1690s. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. Being a person, from Latin persona ("mask", per and soneo - "resound") means precisely "being a mask . is hypocrisy a natural human flaw the crucible. Abigail also shows concern for her reputation. In this environment, whoever yells the loudest seems to get the most credibility. Where before she was just an orphaned teenager, now, in the midst of the trials, she becomes the main witness to the inner workings of a Satanic plot. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented. As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. What are some of the factors that feed the panic and suspicion in Salem, and why are. When she is brought in for questioning and claims to see Marys familiar spirit, she says Envy is a deadly sin, Mary.Abigail herself has acted out of envy for the entire play. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted. Hales involvement is taken to mean that there must be a supernatural element to Bettys illness. As Abigail begins to be accused she is pressured to deter from the truth. Hale tries to combat his guilt by persuading the prisoners to confess, refusing to accept that the damage has already been done. As said in the documents I read, the theme is "the fundamental and often universal idea of a literary artwork". The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? There are numerous connections between the flaws of individual characters and the overarching themes of the play that could be brought into this discussion. He chooses to die instead of providing a false confession because he doesnt think life will be worth living after he is so disgraced. I am with God, I, Danforth expresses his opinions on lying when Mary Warren enter his court to confess herself and he begins the conversation by saying, How were you instructed in your life? 91). The accused people of Salem are all innocent and have nothing to do with neither witchcraft nor convening with the devil. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. By examining the characters of the play, I believe that the three major characters who should be blamed the most for the witch trials are Abigail Williams. The Crucible remains a staple of high school English because it is rich in themes that are consistently relevant to human beings regardless of time period. What is the writer attempting to convey to the viewer? Anns extreme conclusions are gradually accepted because rational people are too afraid to challenge the consensus and risk bringing accusations upon themselves. Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of the daughter of a prince (pg. 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. Rebecca Nurse's accusation further demonstrates the hypocrisy in the play. Abigail's strength in Act I is the strength that is within her ability to influence others. He is known for making the right decisions and never going against them. Parris is hypocritical because he is not a . The play is about human weakness, hypocrisy, and vindictiveness. Throughout "The Crucible", Abigail Williams commits the largest act of hypocrisy. The petition he presents to Danforth is used as a weapon against the signers rather than a proof of the innocence of Elizabeth, Martha, and Rebecca. He. 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. 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. Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth. The Crucible provides an example of how convenient lies can build on one another to create a universally accepted truth even in the absence of any real evidence. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. A man of conscience is one who is aware of his moral and ethical beliefs and judgments and one who will prefer right over wrong. 42). The court refuses to challenge anyone who claims to have been afflicted. In this act, she yells Dont lie! at Tituba immediately before she tells some of the most damning lies of the play accusing Tituba of witchcraft (. 68 lessons In the play there was a character by the name of John Proctor; Proctor was a family man that made a huge mistake. Hale pg. These attributes are seen in both character, John Proctor from Arthur Millers play, The Crucible, set in Salem in the early seventeenth century and in Atticus Finch from Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird set in New York in 1950. "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. In saying this he admits that a person can only avoid a hanging by confessing to witchcraft even if their statement contains no truth. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. Proctor's wife, Elizabeth, is accused of being a witch and Proctor has to make a moral decision . As he says,How may I live without my name? Greed is a sin in the Puritan religion, so the people who supported the accusations were indeed hypocrites. Interestingly, she was the first woman put to death in the trials. The idea that a witch's familiar spirit is capable of stabbing people is too scary for the superstitious and now hysterical people of Salem to give Elizabeth the benefit of the doubt. The overall message is that when a person's actions are driven by desires to preserve favorable public opinion rather than do the morally right thing, there can be extremely dire consequences. What makes Danforth so unwilling to consider that the girls could be pretending? Of course, we know that Danforth has been trading peoples lives for lies this whole time. These are themes that could be considered subsets of the topics detailed in the previous sections, but there's also room to discuss them as topics in their own right. Is there any character besides John Proctor that represents the voice of common sense amidst the madness? These two institutions fuse together in The Crucible to actively encourage accusers and discourage rational explanations of events. There's a message here about the choices we have in dealing with guilt. Combining this notion with the one he declared earlier displays the hypocritical nature of Danforth when put in this hysterical. Sure, you don't expect or want rain, but it's not the polar opposite of getting married. He believes there is a group of people in town determined to remove him from this position, and. By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you The people in charge are so eager to hold onto their power that if anyone disagrees with them in the way the trials are conducted, it is taken as a personal affront and challenge to their authority. AbracaDENIAL! John feels incredibly ashamed of his affair with Abigail, so he tries to bury it and pretend it never happened. Abigails low status and perceived innocence under normal circumstances allow her to claim even greater power in her current situation. While touting his holy credentials, he claims that he dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of my conscience may doubt it (pg. The madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. Two characters who demonstrate how mob mentality can lead to the demise of Salem are Abigail and Mary Warren. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses. 123). Abigail distracts the judges from any rational investigation in this act by playing into this hysteria. Once the accusations begin, Parris initiates an ironic thought process that persists throughout The Crucible: You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba! (pg. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. She has the power to utterly destroy peoples lives with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior. An error occurred trying to load this video. He is appalled by Elizabeths lack of emotion when he asks her to help the court get a confession out of her husband (pg. Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack. This hysteria-based evidence of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it. In reality, true irony only happens when a situation is the exact opposite of what you would expect. All rights reserved. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. Reverend Parris has fallen from his position of authority as a result of the outcomes of the trials. In a case like this, you'd be writing directly about a specific theme in connection to one of the characters. 50). Mary Warrens sense of self-importance has increased as a result of the perceived value of her participation in court. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. 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. Though their Bible would forbid murder, they condemn people to death with an excuse of witchcraft just to get land. Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused. 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. This mob mentality leads to unthoughtful acts and false accusations. Here are a few questions related to this theme that you can use to test your grasp of irony and its significance as a theme in The Crucible: Hale wrongly assumes that his academic mindset will save him from jumping to the wrong conclusions in the witchcraft investigation. 91). Proctors good reputation is almost a burden for him at this point because he knows that he doesnt deserve it. Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. When this fallacy is used, the unrealistic characteristic is undesirable, causing the other person to look bad. Is hypocrisy a natural human flaw? Okay, let's take a moment to review. First off, what is irony? Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack. The turmoil in Salem is propelled forward by desires for revenge and power that have been simmering beneath the town's placid exterior. What is the difference between dissent and disloyalty? 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. "(3-84), since Danforth is in power for being the judge he thinks that everyone else is ignorant and not being equal as him. He has sentenced people to death based on lies about their dealings in black magic, and he has accepted other false confessions from those who would rather lie than be executed. An ad hominem means that it shifts the argument away from the issue to a personal attack on the person involved. As we discussed in this lesson, we see hypocrisy everywhere, and its depiction in art is no exception. Thomas Putnam claims to be a holy, church-going man, yet his priority in life is to acquire land. 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. 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 new power is exciting and very dangerous because it encourages the girls to make additional accusations in order to preserve their value in the eyes of the court. Ironically, he is the first to demand a confession from Tituba based on Abigail's dramatic but false testimony. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. 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. builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft proliferate throughout Salem. Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation. Essay prompts will ask about these themes in a variety of different ways. In this act, we learn more details about the accused that paint a clearer picture of the influence of reputation and social standing on the patterns of accusations. Other essay questions may not ask you directly about the themes listed in this article, but that doesn't mean that the themes are irrelevant to your writing. Shes not a traditionally accepted target like the others (except in her susceptibility as a woman to the misogyny that runs rampant in the play).
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