Crucible Themes The Crucible was written by Arthur Miller in 1953 about the Salem witch trials of 1692 and is still read today. While the play has many different themes, this essay will focus on three: women, religion and scapegoating. Even though it was set in an old time period, the themes of the play were germane when it was published and maintain their relevance today.
Women: Women are often undervalued and viewed as weak or lesser in society. They are expected to fit into certain strict standards, even as those standards change throughout time. Yet even as they are pushed into these roles, they strive and achieve power in different ways.
The women in The Crucible are the main characters being persecuted. They stay at home, expected …show more content…
Social standing in Salem is intensely determined by religious practice. Being a good citizen depends on being a good Christian. Now, theocracy as an institution is not inherently bad, but when religion and law are interchangeable, problems rise up. This is where the conflict in the play arises. The Christians in Salem are frightened of the devil, highly superstitious, and constantly think that anything that is abnormal is the work of the devil. Since the church aligns with the government, people can be prosecuted because of this. Reverend Parris abuses his position in the church to gain material goods as well as power. As told by John Proctor, when Parris was first established, he complained until he got golden candlesticks, and in the beginning of the play he protests that he is not being payed enough. Miller illustrates that power gained through religion, like in the case of Abigail and the Putnams, can lead to corruptness. And also that it can lead to innocent people being …show more content…
Even in the democracy that is America today, discrimination and abuse still occur in the name of religious freedom. Conflicts about major issues such as LGBT rights, abortion, contraception, same-sex marriages, etc. still hinge on the definition of what it means to “exercise” one’s religion. (I would not single out Christians, as you did below… I think what you want to say is something like the above to support your thesis that religion can lead to power which can lead to corruptness and abuse… But it is you
Women: Women are often undervalued and viewed as weak or lesser in society. They are expected to fit into certain strict standards, even as those standards change throughout time. Yet even as they are pushed into these roles, they strive and achieve power in different ways.
The women in The Crucible are the main characters being persecuted. They stay at home, expected …show more content…
Social standing in Salem is intensely determined by religious practice. Being a good citizen depends on being a good Christian. Now, theocracy as an institution is not inherently bad, but when religion and law are interchangeable, problems rise up. This is where the conflict in the play arises. The Christians in Salem are frightened of the devil, highly superstitious, and constantly think that anything that is abnormal is the work of the devil. Since the church aligns with the government, people can be prosecuted because of this. Reverend Parris abuses his position in the church to gain material goods as well as power. As told by John Proctor, when Parris was first established, he complained until he got golden candlesticks, and in the beginning of the play he protests that he is not being payed enough. Miller illustrates that power gained through religion, like in the case of Abigail and the Putnams, can lead to corruptness. And also that it can lead to innocent people being …show more content…
Even in the democracy that is America today, discrimination and abuse still occur in the name of religious freedom. Conflicts about major issues such as LGBT rights, abortion, contraception, same-sex marriages, etc. still hinge on the definition of what it means to “exercise” one’s religion. (I would not single out Christians, as you did below… I think what you want to say is something like the above to support your thesis that religion can lead to power which can lead to corruptness and abuse… But it is you