Power in The Hands of The Manipulative: The Downfall of Salem
Many individuals like Edmund Burke have stipulated that the more power an individual has, the more prone he or she is to exploit it. Exploitation of power is more pronounced in individuals with manipulative personalities. The Crucible presents a clear example of the aforementioned stipulation. The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Betty Parris, daughter of Reverend Parris, becomes sick after her father discovers her and her friends in the woods. Her sickness brings forth the notion of witches and in an effort to protect themselves, the girls begin to accuse different people of being in cohorts with the devil. Abigail Williams, a young woman, is at the forefront of the accusers and is responsible for the deaths that take place, after convincing the law officials to believe her accusations as the truth, …show more content…
This is made evident in the disregard for social structure witnessed in the accusing of respectable individuals. It is also made clear in the sheer number of individuals who are accused. Additionally, the people of Salem as a whole suffer from the mass hysteria that develops into fear. The aforementioned came about due to the decisions of Abigail Williams.Sexual desire along with hate for the social demarcations in society and the way they subject specific people to unkind treatment fuel Abigail Williams in the events that she propels. Abigail Williams motivations pose an interesting assertion. An individual rarely has no influences meaning that most actions someone takes are due to an ideal he or she develops from society. Therefore, if an individual's abuse of power results in negative consequences to a society, is the individual to blame or are they merely just acting on how they reacted to what society has imposed on
Many individuals like Edmund Burke have stipulated that the more power an individual has, the more prone he or she is to exploit it. Exploitation of power is more pronounced in individuals with manipulative personalities. The Crucible presents a clear example of the aforementioned stipulation. The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Betty Parris, daughter of Reverend Parris, becomes sick after her father discovers her and her friends in the woods. Her sickness brings forth the notion of witches and in an effort to protect themselves, the girls begin to accuse different people of being in cohorts with the devil. Abigail Williams, a young woman, is at the forefront of the accusers and is responsible for the deaths that take place, after convincing the law officials to believe her accusations as the truth, …show more content…
This is made evident in the disregard for social structure witnessed in the accusing of respectable individuals. It is also made clear in the sheer number of individuals who are accused. Additionally, the people of Salem as a whole suffer from the mass hysteria that develops into fear. The aforementioned came about due to the decisions of Abigail Williams.Sexual desire along with hate for the social demarcations in society and the way they subject specific people to unkind treatment fuel Abigail Williams in the events that she propels. Abigail Williams motivations pose an interesting assertion. An individual rarely has no influences meaning that most actions someone takes are due to an ideal he or she develops from society. Therefore, if an individual's abuse of power results in negative consequences to a society, is the individual to blame or are they merely just acting on how they reacted to what society has imposed on