Blanco
Leiddy Blanco
Mrs.Gerbasich
English III
26 September 2016
The Blame Game The trials in The Crucible take place in a time of an overly religious and superstitious society. Most of the characters in the play believed they were doing a good for the society, their future, and god. However, there were many underlying feuds in the town that had no correlation to God, or witchcraft. Several of the Salem residents held grudges against one another and saw the trials as an opportunity. The townspeople then used the trials as a way to get rid of people they disliked, or had problems with. Abigail, one of the main sources of the town hysteria used the trials to get Elizabeth Proctor, one of the most righteous women of the town, thrown in jail for witchcraft. …show more content…
The men of the town held all the political power and their rule was strengthened not only by law but also by the sanction of God. In this society, the lower ranks of the social pyramid were held by young, unmarried girls like Abigail, Mary Warren, and Mercy. Powerless in daily life, these girls find a sudden source of power in their alleged possession by the devil and accusations of the townsfolk. Formerly, the minister was God's earthly representative, but in the intensity of the witch trials, the girls are suddenly treated as though they have a direct connection to God. A simple accusation from one of Abigail's girls is enough to incarcerate and convict even important, influential citizens, and the girls soon become aware of their newfound authority. In Act II, for example, Mary Warren defies Proctor's authority, which comes from his role as her employer, after she becomes an official of the court, and she even questions his right to give her orders at all. Even the most despised and oppressed inhabitant of Salem, the black slave Tituba suddenly finds herself similarly
Leiddy Blanco
Mrs.Gerbasich
English III
26 September 2016
The Blame Game The trials in The Crucible take place in a time of an overly religious and superstitious society. Most of the characters in the play believed they were doing a good for the society, their future, and god. However, there were many underlying feuds in the town that had no correlation to God, or witchcraft. Several of the Salem residents held grudges against one another and saw the trials as an opportunity. The townspeople then used the trials as a way to get rid of people they disliked, or had problems with. Abigail, one of the main sources of the town hysteria used the trials to get Elizabeth Proctor, one of the most righteous women of the town, thrown in jail for witchcraft. …show more content…
The men of the town held all the political power and their rule was strengthened not only by law but also by the sanction of God. In this society, the lower ranks of the social pyramid were held by young, unmarried girls like Abigail, Mary Warren, and Mercy. Powerless in daily life, these girls find a sudden source of power in their alleged possession by the devil and accusations of the townsfolk. Formerly, the minister was God's earthly representative, but in the intensity of the witch trials, the girls are suddenly treated as though they have a direct connection to God. A simple accusation from one of Abigail's girls is enough to incarcerate and convict even important, influential citizens, and the girls soon become aware of their newfound authority. In Act II, for example, Mary Warren defies Proctor's authority, which comes from his role as her employer, after she becomes an official of the court, and she even questions his right to give her orders at all. Even the most despised and oppressed inhabitant of Salem, the black slave Tituba suddenly finds herself similarly