The Puritans were a religious in the late 1600’s, who strongly valued people’s self respect and their willingness to accept God. The Salem witchcraft trials stemmed from this group of people because they believed it was their duty to rid the world from the devil. The play The Crucible by Arthur Miller describes the panic induced by these trials. With this panic people had many different views on the trials and their effects on the town of Salem. The town of Salem had many important figures feeling different ways. The three authority figures in this play, Proctor, Danforth and Parris have many different responses to the trials and the order in the town.
John Proctor, a respected farmer, felt the witchcraft trials were all based on a lie and …show more content…
Danforth was brought into Salem for the trials and he believed he was superior in knowledge and basically everything compared to anyone else in the town. Any chance Danforth gets, he likes to show his power by making comments like, “This is the highest court of the supreme government of this province” (Miller 959). Since he was an important part of the court he is going to agree with them and make it seem like all their decisions were correct. Danforth has backed himself into a corner by signing all these executions he “Never saw no spirits! No, no [he] accept no depositions” (Miller 960). Danforth refuses to hear any arguments about the trials because he doesn’t want it to come out that it really wasn’t witchcraft and then ruin his reputation. When people came to testify about the trials he convinced them them that “The pure in heart need no lawyers” (Miller 962). Danforth doesn’t want people to get lawyers because they might bring some reason to the trials and question his motives. In order for Danforth to be all powerful he needs everyone to believe him and he won’t let it get out if anyone questions his
John Proctor, a respected farmer, felt the witchcraft trials were all based on a lie and …show more content…
Danforth was brought into Salem for the trials and he believed he was superior in knowledge and basically everything compared to anyone else in the town. Any chance Danforth gets, he likes to show his power by making comments like, “This is the highest court of the supreme government of this province” (Miller 959). Since he was an important part of the court he is going to agree with them and make it seem like all their decisions were correct. Danforth has backed himself into a corner by signing all these executions he “Never saw no spirits! No, no [he] accept no depositions” (Miller 960). Danforth refuses to hear any arguments about the trials because he doesn’t want it to come out that it really wasn’t witchcraft and then ruin his reputation. When people came to testify about the trials he convinced them them that “The pure in heart need no lawyers” (Miller 962). Danforth doesn’t want people to get lawyers because they might bring some reason to the trials and question his motives. In order for Danforth to be all powerful he needs everyone to believe him and he won’t let it get out if anyone questions his