Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, characterizes the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as a time driven by mass hysteria lead by a group of young girls who accused common townspeople of attacking them with witchcraft. While there was no solid evidence of said
‘attacks’, the extremely religious town of Salem knew no bounds with the persecution and execution of more than a dozen innocent people on the word of these girls. Because lying is easier than telling the truth, the girls continue to lie about being ‘witched’ to save their own skin and finally have power of their own.
The play begins with the daughter of Reverend Parris, Betty, who seems to be in a trance.
They try to wake her but she doesn’t budge. Parris, who had witnessed them dance …show more content…
But Parris tells of “movement” he’d seen in the kettle and Abigail, afraid they would be exposed for their sins, accuses Tituba of forcing them into witchcraft even long before the night in the forest (Miller 160). They begin to question
Tituba, and in a fit of self-preservation she admits that the she had “no desire to work for [the
Devil]” and that he had “numerous witches” working for him (Miller 161). She “open[s herself] to God” upon Hale’s instruction and it is then when Abigail says she “want[s] the light of God as well”; she begins naming various village patrons, mostly of low status, one’s who have been moderately secluded from society in Salem and Betty joins in. It is like they’re moving the blame from themselves, trying to put up a façade of innocence in a situation where they are obviously guilty in a successful attempt to protect themselves.
Thus the Trials begin. Mary Warren, one of the so called afflicted girls, tells the Proctors
(who she works for) that now “thirty-nine” women of Salem arrested for witchcraft and that one of them, Goody Osburn would hang (Miller 168). Another of the accused, Sarah Good, who …show more content…
Although there was no real evidence of an attack on them, the ‘afflicted’ were believed to have really been attacked. The girls were beginning to climb the social ladder of Salem. It is said
Fustos 3 by Mary Warren that Elizabeth had been accused by someone she could not say. It is presumed by them to be Abigail, as she would finally get what she wanted. And that was to get rid of
Elizabeth Proctor and have John to herself. This shows blatantly that the girls are taking advantage of their power and influence to get rid of people they didn’t exactly like. This game the girls are playing has moved past the point of self-preservation and has evolved into something far more dangerous. And they are not willing to give up this power.
This becomes evident when Mary Warren, who was now willing to face her lies in open court, steps forward to say that the girls have been lying the whole time. This brings about the question of whether or not the indictments were valid. Mary Warren, at first, sticks to her statement, trying at one point to “pretend to faint” upon instruction of Judge Hathorne, but fails as she does not “have sense of it now” which only brings more questions (Miller 192). It is
‘attacks’, the extremely religious town of Salem knew no bounds with the persecution and execution of more than a dozen innocent people on the word of these girls. Because lying is easier than telling the truth, the girls continue to lie about being ‘witched’ to save their own skin and finally have power of their own.
The play begins with the daughter of Reverend Parris, Betty, who seems to be in a trance.
They try to wake her but she doesn’t budge. Parris, who had witnessed them dance …show more content…
But Parris tells of “movement” he’d seen in the kettle and Abigail, afraid they would be exposed for their sins, accuses Tituba of forcing them into witchcraft even long before the night in the forest (Miller 160). They begin to question
Tituba, and in a fit of self-preservation she admits that the she had “no desire to work for [the
Devil]” and that he had “numerous witches” working for him (Miller 161). She “open[s herself] to God” upon Hale’s instruction and it is then when Abigail says she “want[s] the light of God as well”; she begins naming various village patrons, mostly of low status, one’s who have been moderately secluded from society in Salem and Betty joins in. It is like they’re moving the blame from themselves, trying to put up a façade of innocence in a situation where they are obviously guilty in a successful attempt to protect themselves.
Thus the Trials begin. Mary Warren, one of the so called afflicted girls, tells the Proctors
(who she works for) that now “thirty-nine” women of Salem arrested for witchcraft and that one of them, Goody Osburn would hang (Miller 168). Another of the accused, Sarah Good, who …show more content…
Although there was no real evidence of an attack on them, the ‘afflicted’ were believed to have really been attacked. The girls were beginning to climb the social ladder of Salem. It is said
Fustos 3 by Mary Warren that Elizabeth had been accused by someone she could not say. It is presumed by them to be Abigail, as she would finally get what she wanted. And that was to get rid of
Elizabeth Proctor and have John to herself. This shows blatantly that the girls are taking advantage of their power and influence to get rid of people they didn’t exactly like. This game the girls are playing has moved past the point of self-preservation and has evolved into something far more dangerous. And they are not willing to give up this power.
This becomes evident when Mary Warren, who was now willing to face her lies in open court, steps forward to say that the girls have been lying the whole time. This brings about the question of whether or not the indictments were valid. Mary Warren, at first, sticks to her statement, trying at one point to “pretend to faint” upon instruction of Judge Hathorne, but fails as she does not “have sense of it now” which only brings more questions (Miller 192). It is