Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible clearly demonstrates the society of Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600s while simultaneously bringing up Miller’s own ideas and opinions pertaining to this time period. The Crucible is centers around an eighteen year old girl named Abigail, who previously has an affair with a man named John Proctor. Desperate to win back the love of John, Abigail and her friends go dancing in the woods in an attempt to set a charm to get rid of Elizabeth, John’s wife. After being caught in the act, there is suspicion of witchcraft surrounding the girls, for the woods are associated with evil and the Devil. To save themselves, Abigail and the girls start to accuse many in the community of witchcraft, and the town starts
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After Elizabeth is accused, John decides to take a stand to save his wife, and prove Abigail and the girls to be liars. The drama specifically exhibits what was thought of women, their roles in the community, and what Miller himself believed about them. Through his writing, Miller conveys his messages through several of his characters, including Mary Warren, Elizabeth, and Abigail. The trials ultimately empower individuals who were previously powerless.
Women in The Crucible have the role of power, while others remain powerless. Miller treats women in the play much differently than men. Unquestionably, women possess a much lower social status in the community than men. For instance, men have high authority and influence in the town with their jobs being judges and ministers, as shown by Judge Hathorne, Judge Danforth, and Reverend Parris, whereas women like Tituba, Rebecca, and Elizabeth have less influential and important jobs like slaves, servants, caregivers, and stay at home wives. These women are essentially powerless and are all accused of witchcraft throughout the play. On the other hand, women …show more content…
He manifests this point of view through the characters Mary Warren and Abigail. Mary Warren is an official of the court and formerly “fainted” during it after “seeing spirits” due to peer pressure. Mary admits during court it was all pretend, that Abigail and the girls are lying, after John Proctor begs her to take the stand in an attempt to save Elizabeth, who has been accused of witchcraft. However, once Abigail and her group start to make it look like Mary is “sending her spirit” and is using witchcraft, Mary snaps, going back on her word and referring to John as she exclaims “My name, he want my name. ‘I’ll murder you,’ he says, ‘if my wife hangs! We must go and overthrow the court,’ he says!” (Miller 124). Mary lies again for the sake of saving herself, even though it is at the cost throwing John under the bus for something he never said. Likewise, this instance gives Mary Warren the archetype the innocent. The innocent archetype describes one character who is shown the harshness of the world. Here, Mary is subjected to the craziness of being accused of witchcraft herself. This pressures her to conform to the level of Abigail and accuses others to let herself off the hook. She takes the wrong way out in her moral dilemma, for it is easier and safer for her to join the hysteria rather than be accused. Although Mary is not truly innocent because of her poor decision, she has without a doubt been revealed to
After Elizabeth is accused, John decides to take a stand to save his wife, and prove Abigail and the girls to be liars. The drama specifically exhibits what was thought of women, their roles in the community, and what Miller himself believed about them. Through his writing, Miller conveys his messages through several of his characters, including Mary Warren, Elizabeth, and Abigail. The trials ultimately empower individuals who were previously powerless.
Women in The Crucible have the role of power, while others remain powerless. Miller treats women in the play much differently than men. Unquestionably, women possess a much lower social status in the community than men. For instance, men have high authority and influence in the town with their jobs being judges and ministers, as shown by Judge Hathorne, Judge Danforth, and Reverend Parris, whereas women like Tituba, Rebecca, and Elizabeth have less influential and important jobs like slaves, servants, caregivers, and stay at home wives. These women are essentially powerless and are all accused of witchcraft throughout the play. On the other hand, women …show more content…
He manifests this point of view through the characters Mary Warren and Abigail. Mary Warren is an official of the court and formerly “fainted” during it after “seeing spirits” due to peer pressure. Mary admits during court it was all pretend, that Abigail and the girls are lying, after John Proctor begs her to take the stand in an attempt to save Elizabeth, who has been accused of witchcraft. However, once Abigail and her group start to make it look like Mary is “sending her spirit” and is using witchcraft, Mary snaps, going back on her word and referring to John as she exclaims “My name, he want my name. ‘I’ll murder you,’ he says, ‘if my wife hangs! We must go and overthrow the court,’ he says!” (Miller 124). Mary lies again for the sake of saving herself, even though it is at the cost throwing John under the bus for something he never said. Likewise, this instance gives Mary Warren the archetype the innocent. The innocent archetype describes one character who is shown the harshness of the world. Here, Mary is subjected to the craziness of being accused of witchcraft herself. This pressures her to conform to the level of Abigail and accuses others to let herself off the hook. She takes the wrong way out in her moral dilemma, for it is easier and safer for her to join the hysteria rather than be accused. Although Mary is not truly innocent because of her poor decision, she has without a doubt been revealed to