Bibliocentrism in “The Crucible’s” 1690s Salem
Sarthak Bajpai
Arthur Miller’s award winning play, “The Crucible”, takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, a deeply theocratic and agrarian society during the plays early 1690’s setting. Leading into and after the events of its infamous witch trials, Salem’s bibliocentric nature is shown to constantly influence and drive the motives of its residents. Whereas the book was written to illustrate the effects of a “culture of fear” and “mass hysteria” on the workings of a society, the strict and non-individualistic Puritan religion followed by the characters of “The Crucible” can be seen as the status-quo that bound them into respecting all accusations of the rampant “witchery” supposedly taking place in their town. …show more content…
It is however important to note that there remain exceptions within the story itself, and it is very easy to argue against John Hale and Salem being bibliocentric when examining characters such as Thomas Putnam, who go unquestioned throughout the story even though quite literally coveting the property of their neighbour (directly defying the Ten Commandments). But, in this case, it is important to employ the word bibliocentric in the right terms. John Hale’s experiences and narratives surely did not point to a society following the tenants of compassion or love. Rather, bibliocentric in this society became an expression of both conservatively following the Bible, but also letting a theocracy and religious tradition override human concern or behaviour. Regrettably, this led to death of twenty people in Salem alone, and many more in other neighbouring areas as well. It also left John Hale, the man who had entered the play as proud and religious, to declare that where “turned the eye of [his] great faith, blood flowed
Sarthak Bajpai
Arthur Miller’s award winning play, “The Crucible”, takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, a deeply theocratic and agrarian society during the plays early 1690’s setting. Leading into and after the events of its infamous witch trials, Salem’s bibliocentric nature is shown to constantly influence and drive the motives of its residents. Whereas the book was written to illustrate the effects of a “culture of fear” and “mass hysteria” on the workings of a society, the strict and non-individualistic Puritan religion followed by the characters of “The Crucible” can be seen as the status-quo that bound them into respecting all accusations of the rampant “witchery” supposedly taking place in their town. …show more content…
It is however important to note that there remain exceptions within the story itself, and it is very easy to argue against John Hale and Salem being bibliocentric when examining characters such as Thomas Putnam, who go unquestioned throughout the story even though quite literally coveting the property of their neighbour (directly defying the Ten Commandments). But, in this case, it is important to employ the word bibliocentric in the right terms. John Hale’s experiences and narratives surely did not point to a society following the tenants of compassion or love. Rather, bibliocentric in this society became an expression of both conservatively following the Bible, but also letting a theocracy and religious tradition override human concern or behaviour. Regrettably, this led to death of twenty people in Salem alone, and many more in other neighbouring areas as well. It also left John Hale, the man who had entered the play as proud and religious, to declare that where “turned the eye of [his] great faith, blood flowed