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Cause And Effect Essay On The Crucible

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The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller in 1953, is a play with a film of the same name, about the Salem witch trials in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. A crucible is also something meant to withstand great heat; in addition, a crucible is a severe test. After girls danced in the forest and Betty did not wake, accusations of witchcraft soon began. These allegations, which were later proven to be fictitious, tore Salem apart. These trials, which led to the hanging of 19 people and the pressing to death of one person, had caused much tension and chaos because it seemed everyone in the town of Salem was getting accused of witchcraft by a 17-year-old girl. Keeping in mind how strongly these puritans believed in God, an accusation of witchcraft would either blacken one’s name in the town or quite literally kill the accused. This series of events caused much destruction both socially and emotionally to the people of Salem. After these trials began, accusations after accusations were being made against neighbors after neighbors, leading to over 200 people being accused. With these many people being accused, in a time period of one year, it is no wonder these trials were given the name the crucible. This was most definitely a severe test for the people of Salem as well as a time where great heat was in the air. …show more content…

After all of this hysteria had gone on for far too long in John Proctor’s mind, one of the main characters who was against the trials in the first place, he, in front of the whole town shouts, “God is dead.” (p. 119) At this point, John Proctor, who felt defeated, like everyone in the town had turned against him, and finally, like they had all gone mad, in his opinion, with this witchcraft nonsense, is dragged away. It is here that John himself is accused of witchcraft as

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