Situational Irony In The Crucible

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In the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, Hale pleads to Mr. Nurse about Rebecca Nurse’s arrest and states how important it is to believe the “Puritan” people who are blaming and pointing fingers at others with association to witchcraft. Hale believes the devil is in Salem due to what he has seen in court, which causes him to wonder why God has striken this Puritan town with such a punishment when speaking to Proctor. Arthur Miller’s purpose is to satirize the Puritan society by showing how gullible and quick-to-blame these people are in order to gain revenge and ultimately rid of people they don’t favor in the town showing how corrupt, hateful, and impure this society truly is going against Puritan fundamental beliefs and law. Arthur Miller uses the …show more content…
Miller’s purpose is to satirize the Puritan society for being so gullible and believing the girls no matter what the evidence or proof is which goes against their beliefs as they lie to get back at others due to impure emotions. Hale also says, “I shall pray God open up our eyes” (Miller 68). This is also another example of situational irony in this passage as the character truly prays God can open up their eyes to find the devil and the people associated with him in the town, but the readers know this is ironic because God needs to open up their eyes to see that the girls are deceiving them and this is all a big hoax caused by hatred, vengeance and jealousy. Miller’s purpose of this is also to satirize the Puritan society for being so duped by the girls and not opening their minds that they are being deceived but try and open their eyes to find these associators of the devil. Hale also states, “I have seen too many frightful proofs in court - the Devil I alive in Salem (Miller 68). This is also another piece of situational irony Miller portrays through Hale as he states he has seen too many proofs in court, but all these “pieces of evidence” are

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