Throughout human history, societies have embarked on absurd, fruitless, and catastrophic endeavors. One of the most baffling occurrences, however, was the Salem Witch Trials, which represent an infamous example of the unjust persecution of innocent citizens. Events that occurred during the Witch Trials were accurately recorded and have subsequently been modified into different forms of media. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is a play that follows the people of Salem and their attempts to protect themselves. The Heretic’s Daughter, by Kathleen Kent, is a novel about a young girl and her family while they try to survive the Salem Witch Trials. While the two works are centered around different groups, they share many aspects and messages. The
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In Salem during the events of The Crucible, levels of fear and deceit skyrocketed once the suspicions of witchcraft arose. Once normal and loving citizens grew flustered when they experienced the carnage induced by the accusers. The group of teenage girls would perform certain actions in unison to create imaginary acts of witchery against them. Soon, although they weren’t experiencing anything themselves, the judges and attendees of the court would trust in the testimonies of the girls out of fear. At one point, the girls acted like an imaginary bird was attempting to attack them. The court’s members tried to confirm whether this bird was real, “He lowers his eyes from the ceiling, and now he is frightened; there is real tension in his voice,” (Miller 114). The atmosphere set by the accusing teenagers force the court to eventually believe in the outlandish claims. In a similar way, The Heretic’s Daughter heavily features hysteria through the trials in Salem and the sermons given by Reverend Barnard. Richard, Sarah’s older brother, traveled to Salem to witness the trial of his mother. Richard was able to identify the madness of the accusers’ antics and how they were successful. “‘I saw Bridget Bishop condemned, and it was like being full-blown mad to stand in that meeting house and see every eye turn savage,’” (Kent 202). The sensible people in the courtroom had grown fearful, consequently forgetting what reasonable decisions should be made with the convictions. The Salem witch trials featured in the novels carry through because of the mass terror instilled by the accusing
In Salem during the events of The Crucible, levels of fear and deceit skyrocketed once the suspicions of witchcraft arose. Once normal and loving citizens grew flustered when they experienced the carnage induced by the accusers. The group of teenage girls would perform certain actions in unison to create imaginary acts of witchery against them. Soon, although they weren’t experiencing anything themselves, the judges and attendees of the court would trust in the testimonies of the girls out of fear. At one point, the girls acted like an imaginary bird was attempting to attack them. The court’s members tried to confirm whether this bird was real, “He lowers his eyes from the ceiling, and now he is frightened; there is real tension in his voice,” (Miller 114). The atmosphere set by the accusing teenagers force the court to eventually believe in the outlandish claims. In a similar way, The Heretic’s Daughter heavily features hysteria through the trials in Salem and the sermons given by Reverend Barnard. Richard, Sarah’s older brother, traveled to Salem to witness the trial of his mother. Richard was able to identify the madness of the accusers’ antics and how they were successful. “‘I saw Bridget Bishop condemned, and it was like being full-blown mad to stand in that meeting house and see every eye turn savage,’” (Kent 202). The sensible people in the courtroom had grown fearful, consequently forgetting what reasonable decisions should be made with the convictions. The Salem witch trials featured in the novels carry through because of the mass terror instilled by the accusing