The Crucible Hypocrisy Analysis

Imagine you are Abigail Williams, a seventeen year old puritan girl in Salem. Abigail covets John Proctor and being desired in return. Standing in her way, however, is Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife. Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft. Through lack of realization that her childish actions will soon lead to Proctor’s death, dramatic irony is utilized. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, there are a myriad of models of irony to accentuate hypocrisy of the witch hunt: the moral contradiction of Puritanism, Abigail’s role in a patriarchal society, and the line of questioning towards Salem authority.
The moral contravening of puritanism in The Crucible lead to irony having to do with the fundamental puritan philosophy which highlight hypocrisy …show more content…
Abigail Williams covets John Proctor and shall do anything she must to make her desires, her reality. “It is her dearest hope, John, I know it. there be a thousand names; why does she call mine? There be a certain danger in calling such a name-I am no Goody Good that sleeps in ditches, nor Osburn, drunk and half-witted. She’d dare not call out such a farmer’s wife but there be monstrous profit in it. She thinks to take me place John”(58). Abigail, a young child, who ironically had enough power to accuse a well-respected women such as goody Proctor. Abigail has done everything she physically can to persuade the Salem courts into believing her accusations of witchcraft, and will have no one cease her role, including Judge Danforth. “I have been hurt, Mr.Danforth….I have been near murdered every day because I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people- and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned…..Let you beware, Mr. Danforth”(100). The court questions Abigail’s actions of accusing innocents, insulating mistrust, leading her to threaten Judge Danforth. She believes she is doing God’s work by “pointing out the Devil’s people”(100) , but ironically, she is doing the Devil’s work by accusing innocent women. Abigail Williams is a young, selfish child who convinced the Salem courts that innocent women were witches, …show more content…
During the questioning of accused, Danforth and Parris presupposed that those who were innocent had nothing to fear and should answer all questions without pretence. “All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in salem”(87). Contrary to the belief of Parris, People of Salem fear the courts because they are convicting fellow, innocent Salemites of witchcraft. The last thing Salemites wanted was for their names mentioned in the courtroom. If it was, soon enough the girls would accuse them of witchcraft as well. The Salem courtroom had believed if one were to tell the truth, they would have nothing to fear. This was not true in most cases. "Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee"(88). was an ironic statement in itself. If those accused of witchcraft had told ‘the truth’ to the court, they would be hanged for denying their actions against the victimized girls. The only evidence used was hearsay; the victim, the young girls of Salem, claimed that a force of the accused had caused them harm. In a futile attempt to show the courts of their injustice of the proceedings of the witch trials by believing the girls’ pretence, John Proctor confessed to associating himself with the devil. “Lucifer, I see is filthy face! And is my face, and yours, Danforth! For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have