Humans can sometimes find inspiration in the most unexpected places. The Crucible By Arthur Miller, is a dark tale about true events from human history. Miller explores the Salem witch trials of 1962 and builds deep characters that can be sometimes hard to understand because we aren’t from that society. First a group of girls is spotted in the woods dancing which leads the town to suspect the Devil is present and the whole situation turns into a downward spiral. After taking a step back from the play, an audience member might ask themselves who in The Crucible is most inspirational.
Elizabeth Proctor stands out for her rare virtue and moral. Throughout The Crucible by Arthur Miller, characters are seen lying for attention while the only time
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In the courtroom, things are intensifying, Abigail and Mary Warren are making ridiculous false accusations against John Proctor. Hale, who came to the town in order to investigate witchcraft knew that he was wrong before and that the girls have just gone mad. Before this, in act one, Hale believed that the devil was in Salem and there were witches. Interrogating Tutuba, he says, “You most certainly do [have power over Betty] , and you will free her from it now! When did you compact with the Devil?” (44; act one). Eventually throughout the play, he realizes he was wrong. Back in the courtroom, Hale is trying to tell the court that these accusations aren’t true, meanwhile Danforth won’t take it. Hale goes so far as to say, “I denounce these proceedings, I quit this court!” (120; act three). This is respectable because he knew it was wrong and spoke up about it when no one else would. Rev. Hale is someone who inspiringly changes his outlook on the situation and does his best to do the right …show more content…
At the beginning of the play, Proctor believed there were witches in salem just like most other people until he realizes that they may not be real. Eventually, Proctor became victimised by the court. At the end of the play, John had two options, either to sign a false confession, or be hanged. After signing the false confession, he knew he didn’t want to lie and so refused to give the signed paper over. After some arguing with Danforth, when asked why he won’t hand it over, he cries out, “Because it is my name! I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang!” (143; act four). He then proceeds to tear up the signed paper ensuring that he will hang. The fact that Proctor had enough courage to do that is truly inspiring. John Proctor knew he isn’t perfect, but still does the best he can making him seem to be the most inspirational character. All characters in The Crucible are complex, but few can be viewed as inspirational. A viewer may even look the the play to see exactly how a society should not be. That being said, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale, and John Proctor all stand out as inspirational characters. In the context of the play, John Proctor provides the greatest inspiration. He may have not been perfect, but he accepts that and lives the best
Courage is shown by many characters all throughout The Crucible, however; John Proctor and Abigail Williams are the most courageous of them all. Both John and Abigail show courage because they aren’t afraid to do anything. These are the two characters who stood to be the most courageous. After reading Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, courageousness is shown through different institutions(such as courts, religion and the church of God), yet; it is genuinely shown through the characters of the play.
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible focuses on the Salem Witch Trials along with the pointing of fingers that went along with it. Miller wrote this to reflect upon what was occurring during the Red Scare in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The Crucible is written in an ironic and cynical tone mocking the Red Scare.
he Crucible shows many different psyches of the characters, there is the character that is troubled by their past, John Proctor, or the character that is driven by selfish manners,Abigale Williams. Each character is morally ambiguous and can be reflected on in different lights but some characters stand out more than others. John proctor is a great example of an ambiguous character. John Proctor is troubled by his past sins of adultery, but yet is the protagonist. In this time it adultery was seen as a very unforgivable sin, John himself is guilty of this.
Arthur Miller writes about the tragic results of human failings in his play, The Crucible. He presents characters from the past and infuses them with renewed vitality and color. Miller demonstrates the horrifying results of succumbing to personal motives and flaws as he writes the painful story of the Salem witch trials. Not only do the trials stem from human failings but also from neglect of moral and religious considerations of that time. Characters begin to overlook Puritan values of thrift and hope for salvation. Focusing on the flawed characters, they begin to exhibit land lust, envy of the miserable and self-preservation.
Furthermore, Reverend Hale was pushed to change also. Hale came into Salem a stranger, but knew how to fix the problem the town endured. He never questioned that God had a plan and always thought that something was either good or bad, with no gray area in between. This thinking is challenged when Elizabeth, a pure person, is accused and then later when John confesses. He knows that these people are honest and leaves the court for a period of time. In the end, Hale is a desperate man, and even though knowing there is no witchcraft present, he urges John to admit that he is not the one that should be punished. He has to question all the rules he has lived by his whole life and pursue something he knows is incorrect. In essence, Reverend Hale is pushed to his limits and is turned into a man that will be permanently in suspicion of any standards he ever thought were true.
People’s true character is revealed through their actions. Their morals and ethics can be told from how they choose to act in a situation. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible; the character of John Proctor is an honorable man despite having committed wrongful acts. He was able to redeem himself through acts that is considered courageous, such as when he refuses to contribute to the lie of witchcraft in Salem, when he fights for the people who were convicted of witchcraft and when he regrets being a dishonest man.
The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller, is a chronological narrative including a large cast of characters with a constantly moving setting.* The Crucible is a dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and an allegory of the McCarthyism period. Throughout the play, Miller explores the destruction of freedom by the ignorant and tyrannical society in which his characters live.* By exhibiting how easily a member of the community can become an outcast, Arthur Miller displays social criticism in the Puritan society as well as in today's society in The Crucible.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is an interpretation of the Salem witch trials of 1692 in Puritan Massachusetts in which religion, self- preservation and self-dignity play a vital role. The three factors I listed played a huge role in John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, Reverend Hale, Danforth and many other lives. Many other characters such as, Abigail Williams and her friends can be characterized by being greedy, bitter, and selfish. In the play, Miller reveals how people can go against their own morals, therefore they can protect themselves. In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, he reveals to readers how fear escalated in Salem because of people's desire for personal gain.
The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is a rich and enticing play set in the late 1600’s describing the epic horrors and emotions through the events of the Salem witch trials. The Crucible, focuses primarily on the inconsistencies of the Salem witch trials and the extreme behavior that can result from dark desires and hidden agendas. The play begins with the discovery of several young girls and an African American slave, Tituba, in the woods just outside of Salem, dancing and pretending to conjure spirits. The Puritans of Salem stood for complete religious intolerance and stressed the need to follow the ways of the bible literally without exception. The actions of the women in
In Act 4 John Proctor says, “No, it is not the same! What others say and what I sign to is not the same!” (Miller 142). When he is asked to sign, he says no. He says no because he wants to keep his honor amongst Salem but still wants people to know that he is not a witch. When he does not sign this it shows that he is indeed risking his life which eventually leads to his death. John Proctor shows that risking a life can a can’t be the smart thing to do depending on the cause.
Another pivotal development in the plot of the play is the reactions of Mr. hale to the happenings in Salem. He is a man of integrity, although at times misguided and overzealous, he is willing to change his mind when confronted with the truth. Despite this admirable trait, he lacks the moral conviction to act against proceedings that will condemn innocent people to death. He comes to realize that John Proctor is
One concept is capable of more destruction than almost anything else. It can change a person’s life, or end it. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is a play that is set in Salem, Massachusetts in the early 1690’s. The play revolves around the infamous Salem Witch Hunts and their proceedings both within the court and outside of the court. Within this plotline, a theme of greed functions in the play, influencing the actions of certain characters, including Reverend Parris, Thomas Putnam, and Abigail.
Many characters display acts of courage in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. Throughout the Salem Witch Trials, the characters are able to face the truth without the fear of losing. The three characters that show more courage than the others were John Proctor because he is honorable, Giles Corey because he is selfless, and Reverend Hale because he is bold.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is an interpretation of the Salem witch trials of 1692 in Puritan Massachusetts in which religion, justice, individuality and dignity play a vital role. These factors define the characteristics of many of the most significant characters in the play. Some of them being John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, Reverend Hale, Danforth and many others. The Salem witch trials were a result of the lack of expression of individuality and the fact that no individual could expect justice from the majority culture as a result of the deterioration of human dignity in the Puritan society of Salem.
In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, justice and injustice is portrayed through the characters of John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams. It is also shown through the minor characters of Mary Warren and Mercy Lewis, followers of Abigail Williams, and through Danforth and various townspeople.