The Crucible tells the story of witch trials that distress the small Puritan town of Salem in Massachusetts. Hysteria arises, girls take over power, and many hangings shock the little town. Before the trials begin, the public scarcely notices the girls of Salem. One girl in particular, Mary Warren, is especially subservient, timid, and overlooked. After the trials begin, however, a spotlight seems to shine on the girls, only enhancing their craving for power and control over the lives in the town. This power, however, leads to the death of many innocent lives, and Mary realizes the tragedy of this reality. Mary Warren, unlike most of the girls, displays her courage, not cowardice, during the Salem Witch trials when she urges the girls to confess,
…show more content…
Some critics may argue that at the beginning of the play when Mary urges the girls to confess, because they would “only be whipped for dancin’, and the other things,” that she was doing this out of fear and thus could not be considered a courageous act if done out of terror and panic. This argument is faulty, however. While she is most definitely under a great deal of stress and anxiety, she thinks through all the scenarios and finally comes to the conclusion that confessing is the best route to go. Also, the text provides no evidence that another girl confronts Abigail to suggest confessing instead of lying to get safely out of the situation. The text also shows that Mary has “never done none of it [witchcraft]” and that she “only looked,” while the others girls danced and preformed witchery. This proves that Mary has little skin in the game because she was only at the site, not participating, like the other girls. This shows that Mary does not have to worry about whether or not to turn herself in, but it does show that she thought about the other girls’ lives and the punishments they may endure depending on whether they confess or lie. So Mary is courageous in confronting Abigail and also thoughtful in thinking about the other girls’ futures, not just her
Some critics may argue that at the beginning of the play when Mary urges the girls to confess, because they would “only be whipped for dancin’, and the other things,” that she was doing this out of fear and thus could not be considered a courageous act if done out of terror and panic. This argument is faulty, however. While she is most definitely under a great deal of stress and anxiety, she thinks through all the scenarios and finally comes to the conclusion that confessing is the best route to go. Also, the text provides no evidence that another girl confronts Abigail to suggest confessing instead of lying to get safely out of the situation. The text also shows that Mary has “never done none of it [witchcraft]” and that she “only looked,” while the others girls danced and preformed witchery. This proves that Mary has little skin in the game because she was only at the site, not participating, like the other girls. This shows that Mary does not have to worry about whether or not to turn herself in, but it does show that she thought about the other girls’ lives and the punishments they may endure depending on whether they confess or lie. So Mary is courageous in confronting Abigail and also thoughtful in thinking about the other girls’ futures, not just her