Comparing Faith In The Crucible And The Book Of Tobias

In the year 1692, a theocracy existed in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, combining state and religious power to keep the community together. However, the infamous witchcraft hysteria that overcame the city allowed people to vent personal vengeance under the mask of the “victim of witchcraft”. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, a play centering around the city of Salem during this time, focuses heavily on how hysteria transformed a peaceful town into one filled with panic. Within The Crucible, religion plays a major part in driving the plot. Specifically, The Book of Tobias alluded within the play, and is comparable to The Crucible. Both stories focus on how one can overcome hardships by seeking the truth through the worship of God. However, the truth leads to very different fates within both stories. The Crucible and The Book of Tobias emphasize the role of faith …show more content…
While The Book of Tobias emphasizes genuine faith in God, The Crucible highlights the ways in which some individuals hide their true motives under the guise of devoutness. Within The Book of Tobias, humility, honesty, and the glory of God are continually referenced. Specifically, Tobit expresses his genuine faith in God after losing his eyesight, stating, “We are the children of the saints, and look for that life which God will give those that never change their faith from him” (Tobias, 2:18). Tobit, truly motivated by his belief in God, adheres to his faith even through adversity. His continual devoutness displays his true love of God. However, certain characters in The Crucible, such as Abigail, use religion to mask their sins. Abigail, motivated only by the desire to get revenge on Elizabeth Proctor, makes many false accusations of witchery within the play. Amidst the beginning of the witchcraft