In 1692, the roles of women were much different than they are today. In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, Abigail, Mary Warren, and Elizabeth experience treatment that is unique to that time period. Over the course of the play, several women are accused of being witches. The hysteria that ensued built off of original accusations made by a group of young girls, leading to a total of 14 women, 5 men, and 2 dogs being executed for suspected to being witches. The role of women in the late 17th century is obeyed to different extents by Abigail, Mary, and Elizabeth.
The play, The Crucible, takes place in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. At this time, witchcraft was a controversial topic. One day, Reverend Parris caught a group of young girls dancing defiantly in the forest. According to society in this time, the forest is associated with the devil, and for women to be dancing in the forest is like a red flag, signaling the work of the devil. The people of Salem pointed towards witchcraft as an answer for this unusual event. This group of girls includes Abigail, and Mary Warren. They threw around names of various people who “bewitched” them, including old women, a few men, and a slave. According to the girls, a slave from Barbados, Tituba, bewitched them and made them dance around …show more content…
Mary is shy for the most part, as said by the narrator, “She is seventeen, a subservient, naïve, lonely girl.” (pg. 25). However, she is able to find confidence in the courts. "I am amazed you do not see what weighty work we do." & "it's God's work we do… I am an official of the court…"(pg. 56). This quotation clearly demonstrates the fact that the witch trials give Mary Warren status and sense of purpose in society. Whereas she is used to being near the bottom of Salem's social hierarchy as a 17 year old servant girl, Miller gives Mary new powers that she is able to use in
The play, The Crucible, takes place in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. At this time, witchcraft was a controversial topic. One day, Reverend Parris caught a group of young girls dancing defiantly in the forest. According to society in this time, the forest is associated with the devil, and for women to be dancing in the forest is like a red flag, signaling the work of the devil. The people of Salem pointed towards witchcraft as an answer for this unusual event. This group of girls includes Abigail, and Mary Warren. They threw around names of various people who “bewitched” them, including old women, a few men, and a slave. According to the girls, a slave from Barbados, Tituba, bewitched them and made them dance around …show more content…
Mary is shy for the most part, as said by the narrator, “She is seventeen, a subservient, naïve, lonely girl.” (pg. 25). However, she is able to find confidence in the courts. "I am amazed you do not see what weighty work we do." & "it's God's work we do… I am an official of the court…"(pg. 56). This quotation clearly demonstrates the fact that the witch trials give Mary Warren status and sense of purpose in society. Whereas she is used to being near the bottom of Salem's social hierarchy as a 17 year old servant girl, Miller gives Mary new powers that she is able to use in