The Crucible in an allegory that ultimately addresses human behaviour. Death is a common denominator when societies are left to their own demise, as seen with the useless killings of the “witches” of Salem, Massachusetts to include our protagonist, John Proctor. Through the hysterics of the Salem villagers we see people struck with the fear of being accused of witchcraft; despite witchcraft being somewhat of a grey phenomenon, it was solidly used to indict and kill villagers to the benefit of others. When you look at two specific characters within the Crucible i.e. John Proctor and Reverend Hale you notice opposite reactions in response to their respective regret thus analyzing their actions, you notice threads of human action that continues…
Kieran Press-Reynolds AP English Language August 20, 2015 Novel Analysis Assignment The Crucible by Arthur Miller Plot and Conflict The Crucible is a story about the power of theocracy and how hysteria corrupts it. It takes place during the seventeenth century in the small town of Salem, Massachusetts.…
The Crucible by Arthur Miller provides a historical fiction account of the Salem witch trials. The play, written in the 1950’s, has many similarities to the McCarthyism that swept across the United States at the time. Arthur Miller uses many different literary elements to tell the story of the trials including Irony, Allusions and Archetypes. One element used in The Crucible is Irony. “Irony is a literary technique that involves a difference between appearance and reality, expectations and actions, and meaning and intention.…
Almost every life event seems to have a hero and a villain who contrast each other. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller recreates a perfect example of this concept using two very important main characters. The Crucible itself is about the Salem witch trials which occurred in 1692. In short, it all started when a group of young girls, including Abigail Williams, were caught attempting witchcraft in the woods. When they were caught, they made up lies and flipped the accusations on other villagers that they did not like.…
Fear is like a disease. It works differently on every body it manifests, but generally, the outcome is similar. When the first hysterical cries of witchery were heard in 1692 Salem, the results were lethal. The whole catastrophe began with a lie. A lie to protect the only thing that mattered in puritan Salem, reputation.…
In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, many of the characters were adapted or changed in order to better entertain the audience. For some the changes involved their name, age, story, or quite possibly their outcome. As for Rebecca Nurse, most of her fictional story remained true to her actual life. Rebecca was considered one of the most holy and wise women in Salem, but unfortunately she was eventually accused of witchcraft. The story of Rebecca Nurse is a very interesting, devastating series of events that eventually led to her shocking and unacceptable death.…
A Battle of Pride and Righteousness The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, demonstrates an exceptional example of a tragic hero with the character John Proctor. A tragic hero is one who must undergo the transformation of a good and happy life, to a tragic downfall that concludes to one’s own peace and understanding that their fate was due to none other than their own flaws and decisions made in their lifetime. Understanding that nobody is without flaw and that actions must have consequences, the audience of a tragic hero makes a special connection with the character and becomes deeply saddened with their final outcome. John Proctor begins as a happy farmer living an average man’s life, with a dark secret.…
Works cited: Miller, Arthur. " The Crucible." The Language of Literature: American Literature, edited by Arthur N. Applebee et al, McDougal…
John Locke, a famous French philosopher, believed that people were naturally good, but English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, believed that humans were evil by nature. Both perspectives have credibility and validity to a certain extent. However, one common trend that can be traced through Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and modern American life is the prevalence of destructives forces such as hysteria, greed, and fear. Human nature can be good or evil based on which side of himself a person decides to work for. Because humans have continued to exhibit their good as well as evil nature one cannot exist without the other.…
Can disastrous consequences happen when people put their own needs before others in society? That theme is in "The Crucibles", a story where the Salem witch trials are taking place in this historical play created by Arthur Miller. In addition, there are many different characters that Miller shows that theme from. Overall, Miller shows that theme through the characters Proctor, Abigail and Danforth. One character Miller uses to display that theme is Proctor.…
In The Crucible, events change individuals’ views of the world when Arthur Miller shows characters different perspectives and forces them to think differently. One incident in The Crucible that has an extensive effect on the characters’…
Ruble of the Truth Dumbledore once said, "The truth, it is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution” (J.K. Rowling). People will find throughout their lives what is true is what decides their fate. The truth keeps people wondering, scared, awake, confused, and even alive (or not). In the past what people said is what built the future, but what is not true will eventually show in the repercussions of choices they make. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, truth is a factor that people cannot control; therefore, it seems to decides the fate of the prosecuted and the people around them.…
As the third act begins, the setting takes place in a room, which was turned into a courtroom, inside the Salem church. The scene starts off with Judge Hathorne’s voice, questioning Martha Corey who is one of the woman that was accused of being a witch. Martha’s husband, Giles tells the court that he has proof, but the court does not want to hear about it and carries him to the courtroom, which the judge enters. In the play, they describe Judge Hathorne as a big remorseless man. As the judge is confronting Giles, Reverend Parris, Cheever, and Deputy Govenor Danforth enter the room.…
Literature is a wonderful thing; it explores the relationships between humans and their nature, historical events, and can be used to express one’s creativity. It can also be used to give moral guidance; this was Arthur Miller’s reasoning behind writing The Crucible. In this dramatic retelling of the Salem trials, Miller ensnares his reader with stories of adultery, betrayal, and material greed. His intention, however, is not to entertain with operatic drama. This play is a cautionary tale about finger pointing and its potentially fatal consequences.…
Introduction and Thesis Statement – Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a novel set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Its primary focus is the description of the chaos, struggles and difficulties which arise as a result of the witch trials taking place during this time. The Crucible has been referred to as a “Morality” play. A morality play is a drama in which the characters personify qualities or concepts such a having virtues or vices and generally involves a conflict between right and wrong or good and evil from which a moral lesson may be drawn. There are numerous characters and circumstances in The Crucible that support the assertion that it does indeed represent a morality play.…