The Crucible Poppet Analysis

The play “The Crucible,” by Arthur Miller, takes place in Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600’s when a faction of teenage girls are caught dancing in the forest by a local minister, Reverend Parris. The small group is led by Abigail Williams, who is the niece of Reverend Parris, and rumors about witchcraft start to spread around the Puritan town. Parris begins to question Abigail about the events that happened in the forest, but she admits that nothing happened besides dancing. When crowds start to gather around Parris’s house, Parris goes down to try to calm them down while Abigail tells the girls to admit nothing, and that they only danced in the forest. Abigail knows the penalty for dancing and conjuring in the woods, so Abigail starts …show more content…
Because of one person 's words, the poppet becomes an evil object that people begin to fear. Along with witchcraft was voodoo and these dolls were believed to be used to hurt and curse the people these dolls were made after. The people in this town are superstitious, so everyone quickly assumed that Elizabeth is plotting against Abigail. When Elizabeth was arrested, Proctor demands Mary to confess that she and the girls were pretending because he is desperate to get his wife back. Mary knows that this whole situation is fake, but she is too scared to admit because Abigail and the girls will turn on her and accuse of her being a witch. She confesses to the judges that "it were all pretense" and tries to explain how that could be. As soon as the judges start listening to Mary, Abby turns on her. Abby starts pretending to be super scared, and sees a "yellow bird" that was summoned by Mary, and that it wants to come down and pluck her eyes out. All of the other girls starts to follow Abby, and pretty soon, Abby has the judges believing that Mary is sending her spirit out to attack her. Mary sees how Abby has turned the judges against her and since she fears of being accused of being a witch, she accuses John of influencing her. In order for Mary to save herself, she accuses John and calls him the devil’s …show more content…
Mary has to choose either to tell the truth or face death. If she does the right thing, she will die by those who hold who hold more powers which are the girls. If she lies then she joins the girls with power and stay alive. Miller shows how the judges are gullible because they would believe whatever the girls since there are more of them and “powerful.” Salem is a highly religious village and believes strongly of witches and the devil. John was a sinful man; everyone in the village knows the 10 commandments by heart, but John disobeyed and forgets 1 of the commandments that talks about adultery. He regrets having an affair with Abigail and does not want to repeat this mistake, but Abigail Williams continues to try to win John’s heart. This shows that Abigail is not afraid to break the any of the commandments. Abigail is a very evil and manipulative person, and she will do anything in order to save herself and get what she