The book is about witchcraft or what the town thinks is witchcraft. No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. In a way. Hypocrisy, actually, didn't have a bad meaning until hypocrisy met politics in the 4th century B.C. The most substantial female character is Abigail, who is portrayed as a devious and highly sexualized young woman. In this act, we learn more details about the accused that paint a clearer picture of the influence of reputation and social standing on the patterns of accusations. Abigails power skyrockets as the hysteria grows more severe. Miller writes: ''As for Rebecca herself, the general opinion of her character was so high that to explain how anyone dared cry her out for a witchwe must look to the fields and boundaries of that time.'' The Crucible remains a staple of high school English because it is rich in themes that are consistently relevant to human beings regardless of time period. Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused. She is enraged when Parris questions her suspicious dismissal from the Proctor household. The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt. Abigail also shows concern for her reputation. As this hysteria begins to rise, other people such as Thomas Putnam, a rich landowner, start to also allege Salem villagers. Just like generosity, honesty and kindness are natural in people with those tendencies. As he says,How may I live without my name? The other two main female characters, Elizabeth and Mary Warren, are somewhat bland. How does Reverend Hale make Tituba feel important? Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (pg. The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. In today's society no one want to hear about something they fear, they would rather it be left alone than try to understand it. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. Being a hypocrite is one of the worst things you can be called youre someone who criticizes others and yet does the same sin yourself. Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of the daughter of a prince (pg. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. 91). Before I get into the nitty-gritty of howThe Cruciblethemes are expressed, let's do a quick overview of what themes are and why they matter. She is a sensible, saintly old woman who chooses to martyr herself rather than lie and confess to witchcraft. These people are the only ones who refuse to throw out false accusations or lie about involvement in witchcraft, so they find themselves condemned (this is the fate of Rebecca Nurse). Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. Thomas Putnam claims to be a holy, church-going man, yet his priority in life is to acquire land. In fact, we've all seen hypocrisy in our daily lives. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. The Bible that the Puritans swore to live by is not being honored when they used the trials to condemn their neighbors to death. Though Rebecca Nurse's involvement has already been corroborated by other confessors, Danforth demands to hear it from John to confirm that John is fully committed to renouncing his supposed ties to Satan. There are numerous connections between the flaws of individual characters and the overarching themes of the play that could be brought into this discussion. Rebecca Nurse's accusation further demonstrates the hypocrisy in the play. As Reverend Hale says to Danforth, Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellions spoke? (Act 4, pg. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Abigails many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods. His only goal is to get on the good side of the community as a whole, even in the midst of this bout of collective hysteria. Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? He is weak and vulnerable after Abigail's theft of his life's savings, and hes even facing death threats from the townspeople as a result of John and Rebecca's imminent executions. Rebecca Nurse, a woman whose character was previously thought to be unimpeachable, is accused and arrested. It caused many people, in Salem during this event to think fast, rash and jump to conclusions. Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that Johns confession may not be the truth. He questions Abigail aggressively because hes worried his enemies will learn the full story of what happened in the woods first and use it to discredit him. These types of statements made by Hale earlier in the play become even more ironic in Act 4 when he realizes he made a horrible mistake by trusting the evidence that was presented to him. His only goal is to get on the good side of the community as a whole, even in the midst of this bout of collective hysteria. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. I chose . Here are some discussion questions to consider after reading about the thematic role of the concepts of power and authority in the events of the play: Mary Warren when she comes back from Salem in Act 2. 50). He believes that Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. Human flaws such as lust for power, greed and jealousy explain the errors many tragic figures from books make, from Mr Kurtz to Lord Voldemort. 118). He appears to have no governing system of morality. Abigail, the one character who breaks from this mold slightly, is portrayed extremely unsympathetically despite the fact that the power dynamic between her and John makes him far more culpable in their illicit relationship. People who were accused of witchcraft are wrongfully indicted, and those transgressions must be justified. How does this philosophy perpetuate hysteria? The whole purpose of a trial is to hear both sides of the story before a verdict is reached. Elizabeth doesnt realize that John is willing to sacrifice his reputation to save her life. Miller fills us in on much of the history in breaks in the play where he offers commentary in his own voice. Based on the background knowledge of the time, slaves were not considered part of the class system, so she was not valued as a community member. Mary is a hypocrite, because she's supposed to be helping the church rid of conjurers of the devil but instead she is deceitful. In Salem the reason why so many women were killed was because of Mass Hysteria. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. Reverend Parris is in a position of power as the town's spiritual leader, but he is insecure about his authority. This includes not only accusatory lies about the involvement of others in witchcraft but also the lies that people consistently tell about their own virtuousness and purity in such a repressive society. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. Innocent and guilty people have been put to death underneath his Judgement, to him this demonstrates his superiority and power. Hereferences the many sentencing decisions he has already made in the trials of the accused. When the petition testifying to the good character of the accused women is presented, the reaction from Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris is to arrest the people who signed it rather than considering that this might indicate that the women are innocent. 12) The first act of The Crucibleclearly establishes the fact that a bad reputation can damage a persons position in this society severely and irreparably. Elizabeth is a victim of cruel irony in this Act when she is summoned to testify on the reasons why she dismissed Abigail from her household. This mob mentality leads to unthoughtful acts and false accusations. Hale pg. This is especially true with the reputation and hysteria themes. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. Irony abounds throughout The Crucibleascharacters who believe they are combating the Devils handiwork actually perform it themselves. Is there any character besides John Proctor that represents the voice of common sense amidst the madness? Salem is under attack from the hysteria that is encouraged by the same people who seek to keep imaginary supernatural demons at bay. Lust and pride were John Proctors tragic flaws, lust is of course, one out of the seven sins. As Reverend Hale says to Danforth, Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellions spoke? (Act 4, pg. There are several ironies in Act 1 that center around Abigail Williams. Well, it's not. Miller's portrayal of women in The Crucible is a much-discussed topic. Hypocrisy is "the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform". In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft. In Act 1 he jumped on board with the hysteria to preserve his power, but he ended up losing what little authority he had in the first place (and, according to Miller's afterward, was voted out of office soon after the end of the play). Parris is extremely dismayed by this revelation because of the damage it will do to his reputation. The life of such man is ruled by the desire to seek the truth and justice in all that surrounds him, including himself. Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. This hysteria-based evidence of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it. This confess or die mindset is one of the central ironies of the play. Arthur Miller pokes fun at this in his commentary in the play and explains his intentions to the audience. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is set in Salem in a Puritan community. These attributes are seen in both character, John Proctor from Arthur Millers play, The Crucible, set in Salem in the early seventeenth century and in Atticus Finch from Harper Lees novel, To Kill a Mockingbird set in New York in 1950. Elizabeth is a victim of cruel irony in this Act when she is summoned to testify on the reasons why she dismissed Abigail from her household. The each profess to want truth and to desire to punish actual wrongdoers. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? The people who preside over the trials are corrupt. The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. Is reputation more important than truth? Danforth also becomes frustrated with Proctor when he wont name names in his confession: Mr. Shes not a traditionally accepted target like the others (except in her susceptibility as a woman to the misogyny that runs rampant in the play). Danforth insists that John must know more about the Devil's dealings than he has revealed. Ask questions; get answers. To Danforth, anything that doesnt confirm that he was right all along is a lie. In one of the most well-known quotes in the play, John Proctor angrily insists that the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom (pg. A 17-year-old girl named Abigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor, a wealthy, married man. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie. Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation. Even with prompts that ask you to discuss a specific character or plot point, you can find ways to connect your answer to major themes. These. Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. This immaculate proof that has led him to sign numerous death warrants is nothing but the fabrications of teenage girls and other townspeople seeking petty revenge. When he starts to realize he continues to avoid people from getting mad at him for putting innocent people in jail and killing them. (pg. Abigail, in particular, has quickly risen from a nobody to one of the most influential people in Salem. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about the Salem witch trials. What the people of Salem have seen as demonic possessions of the girls is nothing more than an act of deception. The meaning of HYPOCRISY is a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not : behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion. So, she decides to manipulate the situation by saying that the Devil has come to her and she has resisted his commands to kill Mr. Parris. John Proctor surrenders his agency at the end of Act 3 in despair at the determination of the court to pursue the accusations of witchcraft and ignore all evidence of their falsehood. builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft proliferate throughout Salem. It's here that we see the hypocrisy of the situation. Danforth explains that witchcraft is an invisible crime and that only the victims are reliable. Reverend Parris' concerns about his reputation are immediately evident in Act 1. In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft. Parris is extremely dismayed by this revelation because of the damage it will do to his reputation. She is clearly outspoken and dominant, but her initial position in society is one of very little influence and authority. He appears to have no governing system of morality. The ruthlessness with which the suspected witches are treated is aimed at purifying Salem, but it achieves the opposite outcome. It is used to draw away from a person's counterargument through addressing something unrelated. Upon arriving in the court Mary Warren says, I cannot lie no more. Elizabeth's side of the story is disregarded because Abigails testimony is far more dramatic. Anns extreme conclusions are gradually accepted because rational people are too afraid to challenge the consensus and risk bringing accusations upon themselves. The Judge forcing people to lie to save their lives he cant see the wrong hes doing. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Its easy for more respectable citizens to accept that shes in league with the Devil because she is an "other" in Salem, just like Tituba.

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