What is life without risk? The two books The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible, are both set during Puritan time establishments. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Arthur Miller do a remarkable job of illustrating what the typical Puritan society is like. In the two pieces, risk is a common theme in order to illustrate how Puritan society dealt with matters in contradiction to the religion.
In the Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays Hester Prynne very early in the novel as “. . . perfect elegance on a large scale,”(51) “. . . ladylike . . . characterized by a certain state and dignity . . . delicate, evanescent, and indescribable grace . . . .”(51) This could suggest that Hester is a person of worth. Later in the novel Hawthorne reveals that the …show more content…
The play begins with a child named Betty, daughter of Reverend Parris; laying in bed unable to wake. Abigail, the niece of Parris is being accused of meeting with spirits in the forest, causing Betty's eternal slumber. “ . . . if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now.” (170) “ Then why can she not move herself since midnight?” Abigail is aware of the danger of being accused of witchcraft; she is also aware of the consequences when her name is spoken fouly around the village. “The rumor of witchcraft is all about, I think you'd best go down and deny it yourself.” (170) “. . . My name is good in the village! I will not have my name soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (172) “ . . . You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife!” It is here Arthur Miller reveals why the child had pretended to be in a coma state and Abigail's character and intentions. Later on, it is unveiled that John Proctor had an affair with Abigail. “Abby I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again.” (177)In this Arthur shows Abigail's motive for her desire of John Proctor’s wife's death. “ . . . Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now?. ... vengeance is walking Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys to the kingdom . . . I'll not give my wife to vengeance!”(204) Here John Proctor’s wife is being
In the Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays Hester Prynne very early in the novel as “. . . perfect elegance on a large scale,”(51) “. . . ladylike . . . characterized by a certain state and dignity . . . delicate, evanescent, and indescribable grace . . . .”(51) This could suggest that Hester is a person of worth. Later in the novel Hawthorne reveals that the …show more content…
The play begins with a child named Betty, daughter of Reverend Parris; laying in bed unable to wake. Abigail, the niece of Parris is being accused of meeting with spirits in the forest, causing Betty's eternal slumber. “ . . . if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now.” (170) “ Then why can she not move herself since midnight?” Abigail is aware of the danger of being accused of witchcraft; she is also aware of the consequences when her name is spoken fouly around the village. “The rumor of witchcraft is all about, I think you'd best go down and deny it yourself.” (170) “. . . My name is good in the village! I will not have my name soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (172) “ . . . You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife!” It is here Arthur Miller reveals why the child had pretended to be in a coma state and Abigail's character and intentions. Later on, it is unveiled that John Proctor had an affair with Abigail. “Abby I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again.” (177)In this Arthur shows Abigail's motive for her desire of John Proctor’s wife's death. “ . . . Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now?. ... vengeance is walking Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys to the kingdom . . . I'll not give my wife to vengeance!”(204) Here John Proctor’s wife is being