The Crucible

Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do and have been put on trial for it? Well, in the play â€Å"The Crucible† by Arthur Miller, many people were put on trial, and 20 were killed. The Crucible was based on a true story about the belief of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. And it all started with a lie from a group of girls. There were 3 big themes in the play: Religion, False accusations, and Witchcraft. The first theme is Religion. In the story, the accusers based their accusations solely on religion.For instance, if you did not know the 10 Commandments then you would be accused of witchcraft. They often asked innocent people to recite the Commandments, just to make sure. When asked to recite the commandments you must recite them without hesitation and mistakes or you would be looked at as a suspect of witchcraft. â€Å"Theology sir, is a fortress, no crack in the fortress may be accounted small† (Hale-947). Here John Proctor missed one of the commandments and now he is looked at more carefully. They also asked those who were already accused of witchcraft to recite them. Do you know your commandments Elizabeth? † (Hale-946) He asked Elizabeth because she was already accused of witchcraft. They thought that what they were doing was ok because they said the bible said so. â€Å"I have no knowledge of it; the bible speaks of witches and I will not deny them† (Proctor-949). Proctor was getting questioned by Rev. Hale and he asked Proctor if he believed in witches, if he had said no, he would be suspicious of witchcraft, just as Elizabeth was. The second theme was false accusations.The story was all about false accusations and lies. In Act I, Parris asked Abigail if she was conjuring spirits and she said â€Å"Not I sir, Tituba and Ruth† (Abigail-918). She falsely accused them when her intentions were to kill Goody Proctor by drinking the blood. Abigail was always finding new things to blame on Elizabeth. à ¢â‚¬Å"Goody Proctor always kept poppet’s† (Abigail-968). Abby said this because she claimed she was stabbed in the stomach with a needle, and accusing Elizabeth of doing this with her poppet’s that she does not have.In court they would often do outlandish things to make the person look as if they were performing witchcraft. â€Å"Oh, Mary, this is black magic art to change your shape. No I cannot, I cannot stop my mouth, it is God’s work I do† (Abigail-975). Abby was making it seem as if Mary Warren was doing magic and sending out her spirit in the court to get her. The final and biggest theme in the story was witchcraft. In their time practicing witchcraft was a death sentence, and taken very seriously. After Mary was accused, she had to do something to take the heat off of her. To Proctor] â€Å"You are the Devils man† (Mary W-976). Mary indicated that that Proctor had a compact with the Devil, he is a witch and he made her sign Luciferâ₠¬â„¢s black book. The officials also watched what you said to let them know you are a witch. â€Å"You heard that sir! Ripped out of the world! Hennrick, you heard it! †(Cheever-952) He was referring to what Elizabeth said, so now she is officially accused of witchcraft. They often tried to get those who confessed to tell on others. â€Å"Did you ever see anyone with the Devil? †(Danforth-991).Danforth was trying to get Proctor to confess on him and others who they thought practiced witchcraft. So in conclusion, the play â€Å"The Crucible† which was based on a true story, where many people was accused of doing things they didn’t do, and they were killed for it. So imagine if someone you love were killed because of something they didn’t do, and you couldn’t do anything to save their lives but plead with the people who were killing them. Well for more than 20 people and their families in Salem, Massachusetts, this was their reality. The Crucible Belonging- Crucible essay It is instinctively assumed that belonging to the group can better protect the individual against external threats; however Arthur Miller’s The Crucible shows that such instinctive assumptions are flawed. The group can destroy itself without the voice of the individual, capable of thinking rationally, because the herd simply acts instinctively and its members conform out of fear of alienation or the very natural human desire to belong. The importance of the individual who stands against society is celebrated as they possess true moral decency and offer salvation to the group.These belonging insights are further explored in Shakespeare’s eponymous play Othello and Arthur Boyd’s power painting Persecuted Lovers 1957-1958. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible explores belonging as a protective force against externalised fears. The setting and imagery emphasise Salem’s many anxieties. The â€Å"virgin forest† is ironically, for the Salemites, â€Å"the Devil’s last preserve† where â€Å"abominations are done† and girls whose sexuality should be invisible are found â€Å"dancing† like â€Å"heathen[s]†.Into this â€Å"wilderness† come â€Å"maraud[ing] Indian tribes†, whose apparent barbarism and pagan beliefs threaten the villagers’ insular Protestant social order. Miller imitates this cultural hostility in the very weather: â€Å"a few small-windowed, dark houses snuggling against the raw Massachusetts winter†. Paradoxically, it is the Salem tragedy that theocracy was developed â€Å"for good purposes† to protect the villagers, but ironically it is the authorised institutions which inflict the most destruction. Salem is a frontier society on the â€Å"edge of wilderness† and it’s civilisation is threatened by a vast and dark â€Å"endless continent†.They believe, in contrast, that their unbending consistency,  "all their sufferings† and their denial of â€Å"vain enjoyment† is â€Å"that they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world†. They believe that their unity in spite of the sacrifices it requires of them individually rather protects them. The main protagonist of the play is a flawed man even to himself. Proctor has come â€Å"to regard himself as a kind of fraud† as he demonstrates his outward disgust at the hypocrisy around him yet his inward fear that his own sin of lechery makes him one also.However, Proctor stands against the hypocrisy as he rejects the rules for social conformity creating dramatic tension as he challenges the authority of Danforth and Hale in the final two acts. Giles Corey also defies the pressure to conform, symbolically represented by the physical weights laid on him until he expires still defiantly calling for â€Å"more weight†. Abigail, however, understands the power of belonging and the fear of is olation using it as a potent destructive weapon. Directly confronting Danforth as she threatens â€Å"Let you beware†.Her victory over Mary Warren demonstrates her acting talents but also her manipulation of the mass hysteria and paranoia that spreads rapidly among the Salemites. Ironically, the more fear that is induced in the community the less truth is extracted from its members and the greater destruction of its social fabric. Savagery and superstition in the forest invert law and social order supposedly found in the village. The extent of the mass killing, â€Å"seventy-two†¦ to hang† is further compelling evidence of the dangers of mass hysteria.Proctor exclaims â€Å"the crazy little children jangle the keys of the kingdom†, pointing out the madness that has gripped society. This commentary relates to Miller’s observation of the careers ruined and suicides of people accused during the McCarthy persecutions in the United States during the 1950s . The belligerence of Danforth as he addresses young girls, â€Å"confess yourself or you will hang† a travesty of any legal procedure is reminiscent also of the House of Un-American Activities Committee.Paradoxically, it is the morality of an individual who stands against society; who doesn’t belong, that offers salvation. Proctor is â€Å"respected and even feared in Salem†; Danforth hopes that the confession of â€Å"a weighty name† publically displayed on the church will bend more to the autocracy he is enforcing. In the final moments of the play and on stage Proctor, finding the courage to be true reflected in a dramatic act on stage, tears his confession and the falsehood it represents. Danforth has no choice but to retreat crying out in desperation, â€Å"Hang them high over the town! The tragic hero of Shakespeare’s eponymous play Othello resists the insecurities that the outsider normally suffers. Othello has overcome the significant barr ier that his colour poses to walk as an equal among white Venetian society through his strong moral stature, shown as he is referred to as the â€Å"noble Moor† and â€Å"valiant Othello†. â€Å"Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them†, he conceitedly cautions the party that challenges him.Othello is described as a man â€Å"whom passion could not shake† in the military phere but in the domestic sphere and in civil society Othello is less practiced. His marriage to Desdemona exposes him to all the unfamiliarity of that terrain. Iago, his nemesis exploits this unfamiliarity, until he can no longer quell the doubts that plague every waking moment. Othello begins to refer to Desdemona as the â€Å"fair devil†- the powerful black/white imagery in this oxymoron captures the good/bad qualities which they are associated. As his jealousy grows Othello begins to see his colour as representative of shame and disgrace, â€Å"her name†¦ s now begrim’d and black as mine own face†. In his final speech, Othello attempts to redeem himself and restore his previous moral stature by taking the savage â€Å"turbaned Turk† (the outsider) he feels he has become â€Å"by the throat† and killing him, restoring his place in Venetian society. So here the individual is sacrificed to the social mores of the group. Arthur Boyd’s Persecuted Lovers 1957-58 represents the societal racism within Australia over the 20th century. Boyd depicts the strained relationships between Indigenous Australians and white Australians.The two lovers (a black man and white woman) attempt to belong to each other through their love, ignoring the social stature of racism and ignorance which forbids inter-marriages. Similar to Proctor in The Crucible, the white woman acts against society to gain her own moral sense of belonging with her lover. Defying the group results to her death as the rifleman takes aim on the two lovers with silent murderous anticipation. Death is foreshadowed with the flower protruding from the man’s ear symbolic of a funeral posy.The warm colours and the predatory bird further enhance the overall mood of death and destruction. Boyd uses symbolism to explore the human emotions of love and hatred. The man’s blue skin and his lover’s blue hand symbolise their love and sense of belonging with each other. The rifle-man wears the conventional ‘uniform’ of a modern day (European) businessman holding an early 19th century rifle; referencing modern-day racism having its roots in the colonial era. The prosecutors dominating stance reflects the man’s control over the situation which parallels the state’s control over the Indigenous population.Her innocence instantly identifiable by her white bridal gown and further enhanced by her white skin and red hair reflects society’s destruction and flaws as it murders one of its own. It can be c oncluded that it is society’s desperate desire to protect itself inferred by the strict social rules of conformity it enforces on its members and the vast hysteria and paranoia it spreads; is in fact the cause of the destruction. The importance of the individual is celebrated as they uphold the moral decencies of a true character. The Crucible, Othello and Persecuted Lovers are texts which represent these belonging insights. The Crucible The Crucible The playwright, Arthur Miller, uses the character construction in the play to position the audience to accept the dominant reading of the play, which is the concern and dangers of religious fanaticism. The play, The Crucible, is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It is based upon the actual events which led to the ‘Salem witch trials’, a series of hearings to determine which individuals were in fact practicing witchcraft. The play also conveys parallels to the McCarthyist era, during which the playwright was questioned as he had attended Communist meetings, and modern day anti-terror laws, which prevent people of certain backgrounds and cultures to enter countries, as they are immediately sent to prisons, based on appearance and other individuals opinions, that are certainly not based upon facts. The audience is positioned to relate to the concepts in the play, as well as sympathising with characters. Miller does this as it is a way of getting his message to the audience. The dominant reading of the play is religious fanaticism; this is displayed as the town of Salem is ruled by a theocracy. However, the perfect town is hardly that, filled with corruption, betrayal and a never-ending blame game, which evidently causes masses of people to be tried in court resulting in many of them being hung. This concept of doing anything to achieve what you want draws parallels to a number of occurrences. They are, the real Salem witch trials upon which the story is based upon, the McCarthyist era and the modern day anti-terror laws although not directly addressed, the likeness is overwhelming. The anti-terror laws allow, mostly, innocent individuals to be held in prisons around the world simply because they look a certain way or are of a certain race. The comparison drawn is that one does not need evidence, merely a person’s word, true or false. Miller displays certain parallels and concepts to show that religious fanaticism is not always guaranteed a peaceful society, in fact it ensues the opposite. The hero in the play is John Proctor; he is a good man who has unfortunately made one regretful decision, consorting with his previous housemaid, Abigail Williams. Proctors’ wife, Elizabeth, questions his motives and whereabouts, sometimes leaving Proctor feeling undeserving as he has told Williams to leave him alone since the event. He is the hero of the play as he, unlike many other characters, does not feel pressure to succumb to the unreasonable accusations of witchcraft. When Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor’s wife, is about to be taken away for witchcraft Proctor is portrayed as caring and selfless, as shown in this quote by John Proctor, â€Å"We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant’s vengeance! I’ll not give my wife to vengeance! † (p72). Elizabeth replies, â€Å"I’ll go John. † (p72) John responds with a quite precise answer, â€Å"You will not go! † (p72) This quote shows that Proctor, no matter what unjust decisions he has made in the past are nothing compared to the passion he feels for his wife, and that he would do anything for her. Furthermore, it allows the audience to see that one person does know what is happening, that most citizens of Salem have succumbed to the childish antics of teenage girls. At the end of Act IV, Proctor is asked to sign a piece of paper confessing that he had consulted with the devil, and that he was practising witchcraft, this quote displays his courage, â€Å"I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough! † (p123 – p124) This shows that Proctor is willing to save his family by confessing his sins, furthermore he does not want his family to be shunned by Salem. This positions the audience to sympathise with Proctor allowing the audience to like him, and view him as Miller had intended, a hero. Proctor also helps Miller to display the dangers of religious fanaticism, and what can become of a society if theology is so profusely followed; that is, a corrupt and spiteful community, where each individual has their own wellbeing, before they begin to think of any one else. Abigail Williams is a licentious individual who will stop at nothing to secure her previous paramour, John Proctor. She believes that the previous sexual encounter between her and Proctor means he still and always will, love her. Williams is portrayed as the enemy in the play, no doubt that she is more conniving than any other character, as shown in Act I, when she threatens the other girls involved in the so called ‘witchcraft’, she states, â€Å"And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p26) This quote clearly shows what Williams is capable of, and that she wants the other girls to know that she will do what is necessary for her to achieve her goal of retaining Proctor. Williams also conveys how deceptive she truly is when talking to her uncle, Parris, about why she was fired by Elizabeth Proctor, from the Proctors’ service in this quote, â€Å"She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman, and I will not work for such a woman! (p20) This clearly shows that she does not care who she hurts or whose reputation she blackens, as long as her name is good it does not matter. Miller uses Williams to show that religious fanaticism does not always ensure a civilised humanity. Thomas Putnam is a greedy man who, like Williams, does what is in his power to retrieve, what he believes, is rightfully his. In this case it is supposed, by Giles Corey, that Putna m compelled his daughter, Ruth, to accuse many people in Salem, including George Jacobs, Giles Corey and Goody Osbourn. Goody Osbourn was the Putnam’s midwife many times, and they believe she killed their children, also George Jacob’s was an innocent man accused by Ruth Putnam of sending his spirit to her at night. Giles Corey correctly identified Thomas Putnam for wrongfully accusing persons of witchcraft in order to gain their many acres surrounding his already significant property. The following quote in Act I is stated by Putnam to Parris, â€Å"When Reverend Hale comes, you will proceed to look for signs of witchcraft here. † (p23). This quote shows that Putnam wants the witch-hunt to progress; progression of this will grant Putnam time to declare more of his rivals, in return he will receive their land. The character analysis of Putnam shows that he is also spiteful and like Williams, his own well-being and desires are all that concern him, displaying the disconcerting corruption in the ‘perfect’ society that is Salem. In conclusion, Arthur Miller does in fact use the character construction in the play to position the audience to accept the dominant reading of the play, which is, the dangers of religious fanaticism. Miller does this by depicting the characters in a certain way, such as John Proctor who is portrayed as a hero for he would rather die to keep his name, than live a lie and be shunned by society. It also conveys that the dominant reading, of dangers of religious fanaticism, does not always entail a perfect life. Thus, Arthur Miller succeeded in what he set out to do which was, create a play that is not only successful but conveyed an idea of great importance, that is to display the parallels between the 1692 Salem witch trials and the McCarthyist era, and how easily it is for corruption to surface and become everyday life. The Crucible â€Å"What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? (145)† Reverend Hale begs Elizabeth to convince John Proctor to convince in order for him not to be hanged. Hale does this because he sees the errors in his ways and knows that Proctor is innocent. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Reverend Hale’s despair, Judge Danforth’s integrity, Reverend Parris’ greed exhibit their use of authority. At the beginning of the play, Reverend Hale arrives in Salem eager to try and rid the Devil from the town. But in Act 2, his confidence starts to diminish when he goes to the Proctor’s house to investigate without the court knowing. â€Å"I am a stranger here, as you know. And in my ignorance I find it hard to draw a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court. (63)† This quote shows that Reverend Hale can only make an accurate judgment by getting to know the people accused of the crime and not just by an accusation made in court. It also shows that although he was once positive, Hale begins to show signs of doubting the presence of witchcraft in Salem. Reverend Hale’s despair finally emerges in Act 3 when John Proctor gets convicted because of Abigail William’s absurd accusations. Hale becomes enraged with anger and frustration, and quits the court. Later in Act 4, Hale returns in order to convince the convicted to confess to witchcraft so they will not be hanged. This exemplifies his total loss in faith of the law. When John Proctor is finally hanged, it completes Reverend Hale’s transformation from the beginning where he is optimistic and hopeful of finding witchcraft, to cynical and disgusted. Not only does Reverend Hale show the authority of power, but so does Judge Danforth. In order to try and keep peace in the town of Salem, Judge Danforth looks at the accusations of witchcraft in a very logical and holy way. He thinks he is being guided by God, so nobody can be truly convicted of witchcraft unless they are being controlled by the Devil. Although this seems like a fair way to act in the courtroom, it fails to recognize the lies told by Abigail Williams. â€Å"But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between. This is a sharp time, now, a precise time- we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world. (94)† This quote clearly shows that Judge Danforth looks at everybody as being with or against God. Since the court takes the side of God, anyone such as John Proctor, must be conspiring with the Devil. Even though Danforth acts as the defining source of reason, he refuses to see he was wrong at the end of the play. Unlike Judge Danforth, Reverend Parris abuses his authority. Unlike Reverend Hale, Reverend Parris exhibits greed and an overall disregard for humanity. In Act 1, his actions are very misleading because he appears to be scared of revealing that there has been witchcraft in Salem. But he is not concerned due to the presence of witchcraft, but because he does not want to shame his name and lose his job. â€Å"Where is my wood? My contract provides I be supplied with all my firewood. I am waiting since November for a stick, and even in November I had to show my frostbitten hands like some London beggar! (29)† Parris complains of how he has no firewood even though he is supposed to get some. He later goes on to demand the deed for his house and insist on golden candlesticks for the church. These are all example of his greed and how he does not care what other people must do in order for him to get his way. Parris fails to redeem himself which is evident in Act 3 when he commits perjury by telling the court that he never saw the girls in the forest dancing naked, even though he told Abigail that he saw them. But in Act 4, Reverend Parris appears to have a change of heart because he convinces Danforth to postpone the hangings. But this is just another red herring to try and save himself. Parris found a dagger stabbed into his door, and if clearly innocent people are killed, the people of Salem might form an uprising against him. All of Parris’ wrongdoings make him suffer when Abigail steals all of his money and runs away with it to Boston. In The Crucible, Reverend Hale becomes an example of despair, Judge Danforth stands by his integrity, and Reverend Parris is thwarted by his own greed. By the end of the play, all of these characters exhibit their use of authority in positive and negative ways. But one fact that connects all of them is they were swindled by a group of selfish teenage girls. The Crucible The Crucible The playwright, Arthur Miller, uses the character construction in the play to position the audience to accept the dominant reading of the play, which is the concern and dangers of religious fanaticism. The play, The Crucible, is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It is based upon the actual events which led to the ‘Salem witch trials’, a series of hearings to determine which individuals were in fact practicing witchcraft. The play also conveys parallels to the McCarthyist era, during which the playwright was questioned as he had attended Communist meetings, and modern day anti-terror laws, which prevent people of certain backgrounds and cultures to enter countries, as they are immediately sent to prisons, based on appearance and other individuals opinions, that are certainly not based upon facts. The audience is positioned to relate to the concepts in the play, as well as sympathising with characters. Miller does this as it is a way of getting his message to the audience. The dominant reading of the play is religious fanaticism; this is displayed as the town of Salem is ruled by a theocracy. However, the perfect town is hardly that, filled with corruption, betrayal and a never-ending blame game, which evidently causes masses of people to be tried in court resulting in many of them being hung. This concept of doing anything to achieve what you want draws parallels to a number of occurrences. They are, the real Salem witch trials upon which the story is based upon, the McCarthyist era and the modern day anti-terror laws although not directly addressed, the likeness is overwhelming. The anti-terror laws allow, mostly, innocent individuals to be held in prisons around the world simply because they look a certain way or are of a certain race. The comparison drawn is that one does not need evidence, merely a person’s word, true or false. Miller displays certain parallels and concepts to show that religious fanaticism is not always guaranteed a peaceful society, in fact it ensues the opposite. The hero in the play is John Proctor; he is a good man who has unfortunately made one regretful decision, consorting with his previous housemaid, Abigail Williams. Proctors’ wife, Elizabeth, questions his motives and whereabouts, sometimes leaving Proctor feeling undeserving as he has told Williams to leave him alone since the event. He is the hero of the play as he, unlike many other characters, does not feel pressure to succumb to the unreasonable accusations of witchcraft. When Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor’s wife, is about to be taken away for witchcraft Proctor is portrayed as caring and selfless, as shown in this quote by John Proctor, â€Å"We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant’s vengeance! I’ll not give my wife to vengeance! † (p72). Elizabeth replies, â€Å"I’ll go John. † (p72) John responds with a quite precise answer, â€Å"You will not go! † (p72) This quote shows that Proctor, no matter what unjust decisions he has made in the past are nothing compared to the passion he feels for his wife, and that he would do anything for her. Furthermore, it allows the audience to see that one person does know what is happening, that most citizens of Salem have succumbed to the childish antics of teenage girls. At the end of Act IV, Proctor is asked to sign a piece of paper confessing that he had consulted with the devil, and that he was practising witchcraft, this quote displays his courage, â€Å"I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough! † (p123 – p124) This shows that Proctor is willing to save his family by confessing his sins, furthermore he does not want his family to be shunned by Salem. This positions the audience to sympathise with Proctor allowing the audience to like him, and view him as Miller had intended, a hero. Proctor also helps Miller to display the dangers of religious fanaticism, and what can become of a society if theology is so profusely followed; that is, a corrupt and spiteful community, where each individual has their own wellbeing, before they begin to think of any one else. Abigail Williams is a licentious individual who will stop at nothing to secure her previous paramour, John Proctor. She believes that the previous sexual encounter between her and Proctor means he still and always will, love her. Williams is portrayed as the enemy in the play, no doubt that she is more conniving than any other character, as shown in Act I, when she threatens the other girls involved in the so called ‘witchcraft’, she states, â€Å"And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p26) This quote clearly shows what Williams is capable of, and that she wants the other girls to know that she will do what is necessary for her to achieve her goal of retaining Proctor. Williams also conveys how deceptive she truly is when talking to her uncle, Parris, about why she was fired by Elizabeth Proctor, from the Proctors’ service in this quote, â€Å"She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman, and I will not work for such a woman! (p20) This clearly shows that she does not care who she hurts or whose reputation she blackens, as long as her name is good it does not matter. Miller uses Williams to show that religious fanaticism does not always ensure a civilised humanity. Thomas Putnam is a greedy man who, like Williams, does what is in his power to retrieve, what he believes, is rightfully his. In this case it is supposed, by Giles Corey, that Putna m compelled his daughter, Ruth, to accuse many people in Salem, including George Jacobs, Giles Corey and Goody Osbourn. Goody Osbourn was the Putnam’s midwife many times, and they believe she killed their children, also George Jacob’s was an innocent man accused by Ruth Putnam of sending his spirit to her at night. Giles Corey correctly identified Thomas Putnam for wrongfully accusing persons of witchcraft in order to gain their many acres surrounding his already significant property. The following quote in Act I is stated by Putnam to Parris, â€Å"When Reverend Hale comes, you will proceed to look for signs of witchcraft here. † (p23). This quote shows that Putnam wants the witch-hunt to progress; progression of this will grant Putnam time to declare more of his rivals, in return he will receive their land. The character analysis of Putnam shows that he is also spiteful and like Williams, his own well-being and desires are all that concern him, displaying the disconcerting corruption in the ‘perfect’ society that is Salem. In conclusion, Arthur Miller does in fact use the character construction in the play to position the audience to accept the dominant reading of the play, which is, the dangers of religious fanaticism. Miller does this by depicting the characters in a certain way, such as John Proctor who is portrayed as a hero for he would rather die to keep his name, than live a lie and be shunned by society. It also conveys that the dominant reading, of dangers of religious fanaticism, does not always entail a perfect life. Thus, Arthur Miller succeeded in what he set out to do which was, create a play that is not only successful but conveyed an idea of great importance, that is to display the parallels between the 1692 Salem witch trials and the McCarthyist era, and how easily it is for corruption to surface and become everyday life. The Crucible The Crucible The playwright, Arthur Miller, uses the character construction in the play to position the audience to accept the dominant reading of the play, which is the concern and dangers of religious fanaticism. The play, The Crucible, is set in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It is based upon the actual events which led to the ‘Salem witch trials’, a series of hearings to determine which individuals were in fact practicing witchcraft. The play also conveys parallels to the McCarthyist era, during which the playwright was questioned as he had attended Communist meetings, and modern day anti-terror laws, which prevent people of certain backgrounds and cultures to enter countries, as they are immediately sent to prisons, based on appearance and other individuals opinions, that are certainly not based upon facts. The audience is positioned to relate to the concepts in the play, as well as sympathising with characters. Miller does this as it is a way of getting his message to the audience. The dominant reading of the play is religious fanaticism; this is displayed as the town of Salem is ruled by a theocracy. However, the perfect town is hardly that, filled with corruption, betrayal and a never-ending blame game, which evidently causes masses of people to be tried in court resulting in many of them being hung. This concept of doing anything to achieve what you want draws parallels to a number of occurrences. They are, the real Salem witch trials upon which the story is based upon, the McCarthyist era and the modern day anti-terror laws although not directly addressed, the likeness is overwhelming. The anti-terror laws allow, mostly, innocent individuals to be held in prisons around the world simply because they look a certain way or are of a certain race. The comparison drawn is that one does not need evidence, merely a person’s word, true or false. Miller displays certain parallels and concepts to show that religious fanaticism is not always guaranteed a peaceful society, in fact it ensues the opposite. The hero in the play is John Proctor; he is a good man who has unfortunately made one regretful decision, consorting with his previous housemaid, Abigail Williams. Proctors’ wife, Elizabeth, questions his motives and whereabouts, sometimes leaving Proctor feeling undeserving as he has told Williams to leave him alone since the event. He is the hero of the play as he, unlike many other characters, does not feel pressure to succumb to the unreasonable accusations of witchcraft. When Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor’s wife, is about to be taken away for witchcraft Proctor is portrayed as caring and selfless, as shown in this quote by John Proctor, â€Å"We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant’s vengeance! I’ll not give my wife to vengeance! † (p72). Elizabeth replies, â€Å"I’ll go John. † (p72) John responds with a quite precise answer, â€Å"You will not go! † (p72) This quote shows that Proctor, no matter what unjust decisions he has made in the past are nothing compared to the passion he feels for his wife, and that he would do anything for her. Furthermore, it allows the audience to see that one person does know what is happening, that most citizens of Salem have succumbed to the childish antics of teenage girls. At the end of Act IV, Proctor is asked to sign a piece of paper confessing that he had consulted with the devil, and that he was practising witchcraft, this quote displays his courage, â€Å"I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough! † (p123 – p124) This shows that Proctor is willing to save his family by confessing his sins, furthermore he does not want his family to be shunned by Salem. This positions the audience to sympathise with Proctor allowing the audience to like him, and view him as Miller had intended, a hero. Proctor also helps Miller to display the dangers of religious fanaticism, and what can become of a society if theology is so profusely followed; that is, a corrupt and spiteful community, where each individual has their own wellbeing, before they begin to think of any one else. Abigail Williams is a licentious individual who will stop at nothing to secure her previous paramour, John Proctor. She believes that the previous sexual encounter between her and Proctor means he still and always will, love her. Williams is portrayed as the enemy in the play, no doubt that she is more conniving than any other character, as shown in Act I, when she threatens the other girls involved in the so called ‘witchcraft’, she states, â€Å"And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p26) This quote clearly shows what Williams is capable of, and that she wants the other girls to know that she will do what is necessary for her to achieve her goal of retaining Proctor. Williams also conveys how deceptive she truly is when talking to her uncle, Parris, about why she was fired by Elizabeth Proctor, from the Proctors’ service in this quote, â€Å"She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman, and I will not work for such a woman! (p20) This clearly shows that she does not care who she hurts or whose reputation she blackens, as long as her name is good it does not matter. Miller uses Williams to show that religious fanaticism does not always ensure a civilised humanity. Thomas Putnam is a greedy man who, like Williams, does what is in his power to retrieve, what he believes, is rightfully his. In this case it is supposed, by Giles Corey, that Putna m compelled his daughter, Ruth, to accuse many people in Salem, including George Jacobs, Giles Corey and Goody Osbourn. Goody Osbourn was the Putnam’s midwife many times, and they believe she killed their children, also George Jacob’s was an innocent man accused by Ruth Putnam of sending his spirit to her at night. Giles Corey correctly identified Thomas Putnam for wrongfully accusing persons of witchcraft in order to gain their many acres surrounding his already significant property. The following quote in Act I is stated by Putnam to Parris, â€Å"When Reverend Hale comes, you will proceed to look for signs of witchcraft here. † (p23). This quote shows that Putnam wants the witch-hunt to progress; progression of this will grant Putnam time to declare more of his rivals, in return he will receive their land. The character analysis of Putnam shows that he is also spiteful and like Williams, his own well-being and desires are all that concern him, displaying the disconcerting corruption in the ‘perfect’ society that is Salem. In conclusion, Arthur Miller does in fact use the character construction in the play to position the audience to accept the dominant reading of the play, which is, the dangers of religious fanaticism. Miller does this by depicting the characters in a certain way, such as John Proctor who is portrayed as a hero for he would rather die to keep his name, than live a lie and be shunned by society. It also conveys that the dominant reading, of dangers of religious fanaticism, does not always entail a perfect life. Thus, Arthur Miller succeeded in what he set out to do which was, create a play that is not only successful but conveyed an idea of great importance, that is to display the parallels between the 1692 Salem witch trials and the McCarthyist era, and how easily it is for corruption to surface and become everyday life. The Crucible â€Å"What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? (145)† Reverend Hale begs Elizabeth to convince John Proctor to convince in order for him not to be hanged. Hale does this because he sees the errors in his ways and knows that Proctor is innocent. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Reverend Hale’s despair, Judge Danforth’s integrity, Reverend Parris’ greed exhibit their use of authority. At the beginning of the play, Reverend Hale arrives in Salem eager to try and rid the Devil from the town. But in Act 2, his confidence starts to diminish when he goes to the Proctor’s house to investigate without the court knowing. â€Å"I am a stranger here, as you know. And in my ignorance I find it hard to draw a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court. (63)† This quote shows that Reverend Hale can only make an accurate judgment by getting to know the people accused of the crime and not just by an accusation made in court. It also shows that although he was once positive, Hale begins to show signs of doubting the presence of witchcraft in Salem. Reverend Hale’s despair finally emerges in Act 3 when John Proctor gets convicted because of Abigail William’s absurd accusations. Hale becomes enraged with anger and frustration, and quits the court. Later in Act 4, Hale returns in order to convince the convicted to confess to witchcraft so they will not be hanged. This exemplifies his total loss in faith of the law. When John Proctor is finally hanged, it completes Reverend Hale’s transformation from the beginning where he is optimistic and hopeful of finding witchcraft, to cynical and disgusted. Not only does Reverend Hale show the authority of power, but so does Judge Danforth. In order to try and keep peace in the town of Salem, Judge Danforth looks at the accusations of witchcraft in a very logical and holy way. He thinks he is being guided by God, so nobody can be truly convicted of witchcraft unless they are being controlled by the Devil. Although this seems like a fair way to act in the courtroom, it fails to recognize the lies told by Abigail Williams. â€Å"But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between. This is a sharp time, now, a precise time- we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world. (94)† This quote clearly shows that Judge Danforth looks at everybody as being with or against God. Since the court takes the side of God, anyone such as John Proctor, must be conspiring with the Devil. Even though Danforth acts as the defining source of reason, he refuses to see he was wrong at the end of the play. Unlike Judge Danforth, Reverend Parris abuses his authority. Unlike Reverend Hale, Reverend Parris exhibits greed and an overall disregard for humanity. In Act 1, his actions are very misleading because he appears to be scared of revealing that there has been witchcraft in Salem. But he is not concerned due to the presence of witchcraft, but because he does not want to shame his name and lose his job. â€Å"Where is my wood? My contract provides I be supplied with all my firewood. I am waiting since November for a stick, and even in November I had to show my frostbitten hands like some London beggar! (29)† Parris complains of how he has no firewood even though he is supposed to get some. He later goes on to demand the deed for his house and insist on golden candlesticks for the church. These are all example of his greed and how he does not care what other people must do in order for him to get his way. Parris fails to redeem himself which is evident in Act 3 when he commits perjury by telling the court that he never saw the girls in the forest dancing naked, even though he told Abigail that he saw them. But in Act 4, Reverend Parris appears to have a change of heart because he convinces Danforth to postpone the hangings. But this is just another red herring to try and save himself. Parris found a dagger stabbed into his door, and if clearly innocent people are killed, the people of Salem might form an uprising against him. All of Parris’ wrongdoings make him suffer when Abigail steals all of his money and runs away with it to Boston. In The Crucible, Reverend Hale becomes an example of despair, Judge Danforth stands by his integrity, and Reverend Parris is thwarted by his own greed. By the end of the play, all of these characters exhibit their use of authority in positive and negative ways. But one fact that connects all of them is they were swindled by a group of selfish teenage girls.