Salem Witch Trials and True Essence - 1123 Words

Crucible Essay Throughout the novel The Crucible, Arthur Miller describes how being put thought the Salem witch trials of 1692 brought out the true essence of various characters. Arthur Miller shows that the various victims who were put through trials would confess to save themselves and also the difficulties they had to face during their trial period. Characters like John Proctor, Giles Corey, and Reverend Hale were put through different kinds of trials each different from the others. Each of these trials brings out the true essence of the characters and how the characters have changed since the beginning of the play. Through the plays actions and dialogue, Miller suggests that sacrifices may be necessary to restore the social†¦show more content†¦I mentioned my wifes name once and Ill burn in hell long enough for that. I stand mute.† Giles is then trialed for not giving the name and contempt of court. Giles has a choice whether to give the name and save himself or keep it to himself and not get anyone’s name. Giles keeps it to himself but the court doesn’t find this fair so they put heavy stones on him until he answers. Giles only words are â€Å"more weight† which shows how he goes from talkative to a very quiet person. Giles goes from comical to a serious person trying to save others from the injustice of the court. Giles was another example of character whose true essence is revealed through the trials. Another fine example the Arthur Miller gives us of a character who changes when put into a trail is Reverend Hale. Hale comes to Salem strongly believing their will be witches in Salem and that they will eradicate the ones who are witches. Hale believes that his books on the supernatural are quite accurate so all his answers that he forms lead him to believe in the supernatural. After Hale hears Proctor’s and Mary Warren’s story Hale begins to figure out that the trials are just a hoax. Afterwards Hale tri es to tell Danforth that the victims are only confessing because they want to live. Danforth doesn’t believe Hale and Hale is frustrated and leaves, but returns in Act IV. In Act IV Hale spends most of his time in the prison trying to convince the victims to confess so that they mightShow MoreRelatedThe Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism666 Words   |  3 Pagesthe Salem witch trials and red scare, are often overlooked. These events symbolize times of despair, weakness, and slander, to which the essence of the events is nearly identical. The Salem witch trials can be closely compared to McCarthyism and the red scare, based on the similarities of suspicion, accusation, and prosecution. Despite the difference of roughly two hundred and sixty years, the outcome of such uprisings has remained unchanged. The morals discovered during the Salem witch trials failedRead MoreEssay The Importance of Principles in The Crucible1243 Words   |  5 Pageswill not lie and confess to someth ing he did not do. Thus, he is hanged for his principles. Proctor has two main principles he felt were more important to respect and uphold than his own life. The most obvious one was his reputation. In theocratic Salem, where private and public ethics are regarded equally, one’s reputation plays an important role. In such an environment where reputation is regarded so highly many are afraid of guilt by association. Various characters base their actions on the desireRead MoreThe Witch Trials Of 16921310 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The witch hunting craze that swept through northern Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries was the result†¦ of genuine superstition and religious fervor combined with political motivations and paranoia. Peasants and nobles alike looked to supernatural causes for storms and diseases, but they also saw the trials as ways to gain office or wealth by eliminating their rivals.† This paranoia spread across the world and one of the most notoriou s cases landed right here in our country, the Salem Witch TrialsRead MoreEssay on Cotton Mather and the Salem Witch Trials of 16922284 Words   |  10 Pagesthe Salem Witch Trials The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 took place in the Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts. Cotton Mather, a clergyman in Salem, emerged throughout the course of the trials as a pillar of support and, ultimately, as a witch-hunter. However, his motives at the beginning of the trials were driven by his Puritanical reasoning which holds a strong belief in Biblical Law. Cotton Mather used his Puritanical faith to find reasoning in God that allowed the Salem Witch Trials toRead More Comparing the Salem Witch Trials and Modern Satanic Trials Essay2439 Words   |  10 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials and Modern Satanic Trials      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cotton Mather, in his The Wonders of the Invisible World, preserved for posterity a very dark period in Puritanical American society through his account of the Salem witch trials in 1692. His description is immediately recognizable as being of the same viewpoint as those who were swept up in the hysteria of the moment. Mather viewed Salem as a battleground between the devil and the Puritans. The New Englanders are a people of God settledRead MoreFreud s Theory Of The Human Personality1180 Words   |  5 Pageshysteria of the witch trials, and they’ve lost their way of life, and their identity despite the witches. Society then regains its regular rhythm, regaining its Ego. But, unless you have a society that’s failing to have a grip on the reality surrounding them, like Scientologists, a societal Ego is really the collective, and general Ego of its parts, which could be governments, or people, and interacts with reality just fine. Its only when you have group delusion, like in the Witch trials, does the societalRead MoreThe Crucible : An Extreme Test Of Tolerance And Conviction, Or A Trial2137 Words   |  9 PagesCrucible One meaning of crucible is an extreme test of tolerance and conviction, or a trial. This definition relates to Arthur Miller s four-demonstration play, The Crucible. The definition is suiting, in light of the fact that it is during this tale that the volition of guiltless ladies and men are put under a magnifying glass when they are blamed for things they didn t do. It was a definitive trial of determination and resolve to withstand such a pitiful difficulty. John Procter, AbigailRead MoreAnalysis Of Thomas Middleton s The Crucible 1246 Words   |  5 Pagesrights. Although both stories are completely different from each other, they share a common trait of bold, powerful women. In The Crucible, Abigail’s jealousy and desire to have revenge on Elizabeth Proctor has her manipulate everyone in the town of Salem causing hysteria. Livia, the widow in Women Beware Women strategically manipulates every person to turn their backs on each other which creates a tragedy. Abigail and Livia are the villains in their community but how they acquire their power is veryRead MoreHysteria In The Crucible1452 Words   |  6 PagesWithin Arthur Miller’s award-winning play, The Crucible, there is a constant trend that flows through time. As the tale persists, Salem, Massachusetts gets wound up in the witch hunt of 1692, creating an infectious hysteria on all the villagers. City-wide fear overtakes individual thought and reasoning as well as it can today in America’s â€Å"trivial† matters. The Crucible has many components where the characters experience moments of hysteria. The play introduces the concept of witchcraft where inRead MoreThe Crucible1928 Words   |  8 PagesWhat role does sex, and sexual repression play in The Crucible? The Crucible is a play constructed on conflict, lies and deception, written by Arthur Miller in 1952. The key theme of this theatrical four-act drama is ‘Wheels within wheels’. Set in Salem, in the heart of puritan Massachusetts, in 1692, the plot follows a community of villagers plagued by accusations of witchcraft. Amidst the executions of their friends, the remaining villagers turn to religion, rumours and secrets to alleviate the