Crucible Essay Research Paper In 1962 Massachusetts

Crucible Essay, Research Paper

In 1962, Massachusetts was plagued by a witchery fad that would ensue in the hanging of at least 20 people and the jailing of at least 150 others. This event is considered one of the most tragic incidents in our American history. The witchery craze originated in the little small town of Salem, where most of the people were hapless, uneducated, but more significantly, superstitious. The town was speedy to fault witchery when several of the misss in the small town became indisposed by a eccentric complaint affecting oversights and ictuss into an unconscious instance. These stricken misss were questioned for some clip and submitted the names of the adult females who were responsible for this atrocious enchantment. Finally, other ailing misss began to give names of those who were presumptively oppressing them, go forthing tonss of peopled jailed. Equally shortly as this witchery craze began to acquire out of manus, the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony designated several of the settlement & # 8217 ; s taking citizens to piece a particular tribunal responsible for seeking all those suspected of witchery. It was at this point that the Salem enchantress tests began and would subsequently be the secret plan of a major nineteenth century drama. It was 1953 when Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible, which translates to & # 8220 ; the trial & # 8221 ; , a drama based on the existent events of the enchantress tests in Salem during 1692. Although Miller & # 8217 ; s drama is a strong narrative about what took topographic point in Salem Village, it was inspired by Miller & # 8217 ; s belief that the lunacy environing the witchery tests is parallel to the modern-day political clime of McCarthyism. In Arthur Miller & # 8217 ; s version of the Salem witchery tests, he strongly shows the many trials that were laid upon the characters and goes out of his manner to sum up the manner they were handled. Almost every character in The Crucible was tested such as John Proctor, Reverend Parris, and Reverend John Hale. John Proctor, purportedly blameworthy of taking portion in witchery, is a great illustration of a character being put to the trial. The tribunal held responsible for seeking those presumed guilty of witchery, made it clear that if the suspected did non squeal to their evil actions they would confront decease. If they did confess, they would populate on in shame. This was John Proctor & # 8217 ; s chief job. He could squeal to his wickednesss and unrecorded, but his written confession would be posted on the church doors for the full small town to see. John wanted to remain alive but without life in shame for the remainder of his life. He had a good repute in Salem and he wanted to maintain it that manner. We can understand this position when he cries from is soul at the terminal of Act four, & # 8220 ; Because it is my name! Because I can non hold another name in my life! How may I live without my name! & # 8221 ; John besides feels that his ain confession to the tribunal and to God would be good plenty. Why must the whole town be invariably cognizant of his immoral wickednesss if non needed. John Proctor explains this to the tribunal when he says, & # 8220 ; Damn the small town!

God does non necessitate my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name ; God knows how black my wickednesss are! It is adequate! ” At the terminal of the narrative, John eventually decides non to squeal decently and face being hanged. By making this he shows strong ethical motives for what he believes is right, and kind of goes against the way that everyone thought he would take. In the concluding scene Elizabeth says, “He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him! ”

Reverend Parris, the curate of the small town, is besides tested throughout the narrative and attempts to manage the witchery that rumbles through the town every bit best as he could. Parris has really weak ethical motives and is merely concerned with his ain repute as the curate. He is strung on his ain authorization and believes he is the chosen one and no 1 could over regulation him. In Act one, we see a great illustration of his selfishness. Reverend Parris hardly cares for the wellness of his ain girl, Betty, and is worried what people will believe of him when they find out he has witchcraft in his household. Reverend Paris is non certain how he stands, but I think he feels bad for John Proctor and wants him to populate. We see an illustration of this in Act four when Parris shouts & # 8220 ; Praise be to the Lord & # 8221 ; , after Mr. Proctor marks the confession signifier. I think at the terminal of The Crucible, Reverend Parris feels that what was of import to him earlier is no longer. I besides feel that he has been beaten since John did non make what he wanted him to. Reverend John Hale, who was besides tested through The Crucible, has really strong positions about the enchantress universe. He goes straight by the book, and was out to rectify anyone who went against what he believed about witchery. During Act one John Hale takes his clip in investigation, because he does non desire to assume any witchery without stable grounds. All of this alterations as the narrative progresses. Later, Reverend Hale has some problem finding his feelings from the beliefs of the church. In Act two John Hale portions his feelings about the Satan and God when he says, & # 8220 ; Man, retrieve, until an hr before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in Heaven. & # 8221 ; He has faith in John Proctor and wants to believe every word he speaks, but he lets the church interfere with his ain being. A great illustration of this is when John Proctor references Abigail & # 8217 ; s name in tribunal and attempts to convert the tribunal she is non guiltless. At this clip, Reverend Hale wants to believe John but thinks to himself, & # 8220 ; How could the niece of the curate be involved in witchery? Impossible! & # 8221 ; At the terminal of the narrative, Reverend Hale tries his hardest to convert John Proctor to squeal. At first, he disagrees with John Proctor & # 8217 ; s determination but subsequently he is proud of John for standing up for what he thought was right. In decision, many trials were put upon the people in the Salem enchantress tests and Arthur Miller represents them with great expertness. It is non just to state if any of the characters passed the trial because they all fought hard for what they believed.