A crucible can be a severe test, related to patience or belief; a trial. By the same token, the word “crucible” can also be laboratory equipment used to heat chemical compounds to very high temperatures of the melt metal. As a matter of fact, the previous definition can be used as a metaphor for the inordinate hysteria in Salem during the witch trials; with all the residents of Salem cooped up in such a small village, there were bound to be some hot headed people. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, everything and everyone is either of God or of the Devil; dissent is not merely unlawful- it is Satanic. Giles Corey’s, a resident of Salem, development from a bold foolish man to a courageous one after his wife’s trial shows his true persona.
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When he finally comes to his senses, about what he has done, he is filled with remorse and guilt. Giles morals and loyalty for those he loves and cares for are tested. In court, Giles testifies that Thomas Putnam instructed his daughter to cry witchcraft on George Jacobs so Putnam could have his land. However, Giles refuses to give his source because he knows they will surely go to jail; this is revealed when Giles reasons, "He’ll lay in jail if I give his name!" When Giles takes a stand against the court, he is acting as a voice of reason; while everyone is caught up in the madness, Giles realizes what will happen if he gives his friend's name away. In fact, Giles feels remorse and complete self-hatred for accidentally turning in his wife. This feeling of self-reproach is expressed when Giles explains, "I will not give you no name. I mentioned my wife's name once and I'll burn in hell long enough for that. I stand mute”. Similarly, Giles is later regarded as a hero when he chooses to die before answering to his indictment. Elizabeth retells the story of how, in another instance of challenging the court's authority, Giles explained, "…if he denied the charge they'd hang him surely, and auction out his property. So he stand mute, and died Christian under the law. And so his sons will have his farm." Giles knew that he would be in trouble if he opened his mouth. Ironically, Giles remained mute throughout the trial, seeing he knew that if he did not testify, he would not be sentenced to death or have his property forfeited. Sadly, the court then decided to lay hefty stones on his chest until he pleaded aye or nay. As Elizabeth recalls, "He give them but two
Giles Corey was an 83 year old man who always seemed as though he was in court.This character sued 33 people in his lifetime. Giles Corey was married three times and his last wife he accidentally got her accused of witchcraft and got her killed.
Giles Corey ‘More weight” This quote was said by Giles Corey from the crucible, while he was being pressed to death for not saying if he was a witch. Giles Corey was an 83 year old farmer who was accused of witchcraft. He didn't say if he was a witch or not so, his family would keep their land. Also for not saying who accused Ezekiel Cheever, he was pressed to death.
Most people know Giles Corey as the guy who was pressed during the Salem Witch Trials. The Crucible by Arthur Miller, shows the comparison of the Salem Witch Trials to McCarthyism. McCarthyism was a very dark and strange time in the U.S, just like the Trials in Salem. The play write, Arthur Miller uses The Crucible to show how ridiculous the witch trials were as well as McCarthyism. This play also shows the personality of Giles Corey, the man pressed to death in the Salem witch Trials. Throughout the play Giles shows loyally, frustration, and toughness. Along with those traits, he was wacky, outgoing, and stood up for what he believed
Giles Corey tried to speak out and stop the trials, but was evidently “pressed” to death after not giving up names of other people wanting it to stop (1226). Giles was primarily focused on the stopping of witchcraft in the beginning of the play, he even hinted at the fact his wife may be using witchcraft. “It discomfits me! Last night - mark this - I tried and tried and could not
According to the Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of survivor is someone who remains alive. However, this definition is not always accurate.Hearing the word survival reminds me of the soldiers who fight daily for our safety. Some of these men and women do not survive, unfortunately. A survivor is someone or something that remains strong and courageous through an arduous situation, even if they do not survive physically. In many works of literature, there is often a survivor. The Crucible has many characters who do not survive in the physical form; however, many survived with their moral character still intact. In the Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, Mrs. Rowlandson tells her story of survival while facing unimaginable conditions.
Corey's incredible strength of character is shown in the end when he neither confesses nor denies, the charges of witchcraft. By doing that, he ensures that his sons can legally have his property. Giles Corey courageously asserted that Thomas Putnam was accusing people just to get their land when they were convicted of witchcraft. And, even more courageously, he refused to give up the name of the person that heard Putnam say it. So, to protect a witness that came forward with Putnam's terrible plans, Corey is arrested.
Fear is the characteristic that drove people in the days of McCarthy and Abigail Williams to turn in people who they may have cared for. The orchestrator of both events used fear to their advantage to herd people like lambs in the direction they wanted them to be. The Crucible by Arthur Miller, in many ways, fits the definition of crucible: a severe test or trial literally, as well as a vessel heated to a high degree, metaphorically. The heat at which people were questioned, the breaking and forming of relationships and the high fatality rate expresses that The Crucible is an accurate title for the play, revealed by the definitions, “a severe test or trial” and “a vessel of a very refractory material used for heating or calcining a substance that requires a high degree of heat.”
A ‘crucible’ is an object in which substances are combined and then subjected to high temperatures. Arthur Miller uses this theme to guide “The Crucible” from the exposition, when Puritan girls danced in the woods, to Proctor’s death by the hangman’s noose. Hale and Danforth are closely intertwined in their beliefs and views at the beginning of the play, but, as tensions and temperatures rise, they begin to separate; ultimately ending with contrary beliefs. In the opening scenes, Hale and Danforth are present in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 to cast out demons and witches. When the final curtain falls at the end of Act Four, Hale recognizes that the Salem Witch Trials were a result of repressed emotions and conflicts, and the desire to express them under the pretext of witchcraft. Danforth cannot and will not recognize this fact. Thus, Miller develops the characters of Hale and Danforth into foils for each other by the end of the novel; the growing tension is made evident through dialogue, character development, and through the theme of pride.
Is it possible for somebody to go to court thirty three times and win all those times? For Giles Corey in The Crucible. Giles Corey has been to court that amount of times and has won all those times. Giles Corey is married to Martha and lives in Salem. Sadly, in The Crucible Giles gets arrested for contempt of court and is pressed to death for not giving a yes or no answer to being convicted of witchcraft.
“More weight!” This quote was said by Giles Corey a character in The Crucible while being pressed to death. Giles Corey is an 83 year old man who lived and worked on a farm, and his wife was accused of witchcraft. Giles Corey and I have similar personality traits, we are both, loyal, sarcastic, and stubborn.
The year is 1692. Throughout the small, Puritan, seaside community of Salem, rumors and accusations fly like gusts of ocean wind. Neighbors turn on neighbors, and even the most holy church-goers are accused of being the devil’s servants. The Crucible details this real-life tragedy of the Salem witch trials, in which nineteen members of the Salem community were hanged for alleged witchcraft. Abigail Williams, a seemingly innocent girl, accuses dozens of Salem’s citizens of witchcraft through the support of her mob of girls and the complicity of the court officials. The title of this play gives significant insight into the experiences of several of these Salem citizens. Although a crucible is often used in chemistry for heating up substances, the title of the play carries a much greater weight. In his famous play The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses the title of “crucible” to signify the severe and unrelenting tests of faith and character that many of the community members endure throughout the Salem witch trials, which he achieves through the use of figurative language and fallacies of relevance and insufficiency.
“A situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new.” The definition of a crucible perfectly describes the shocking events that occur in the small town of Salem due to suspicion, vengeance, and unspoken judgments. Throughout Arthur Miller’ play The Crucible, characters experience severe internal tests and transform because of their positive and negative choices. Mary Warren, one of the many townspeople affected by the witchcraft trials, cracks under the pressure of trying to defend her unpopular views. Reverend Hale becomes humble and dedicates his time to saving the civilians who are in jail after he realizes his grave mistakes. Each character’s decisions during their time of testing
I mentioned my wife's name once and I'll 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 “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.
The word crucible describes an event that involves a test or trial of someone or something. In the story The Crucible by Arthur Miller, various characters endure a severe test of honestly, bravery, and goodness. Throughout the story, a series of events lead to tragedies, which involve these characters to make important decisions. If chosen incorrectly, it may lead to the death of another innocent person, or possibly even themselves. These events however, will bring out the true colors of everyone in Salem, whether they truly good or evil.
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play written in response to the “communist scares” in America in the 1950’s. Miller chose “The Crucible” as the title because the definitions of the words match the play perfectly. A crucible is a container that can withstand high temperatures, often used to melt, and change the shape of metals. The town of Salem can be compared to the container that melts metals. The witchcraft trials can be compared to the severe tests or trials. Also, the severe tests or trials can be compared to how people are fighting themselves, and making moral decisions. (Dictionary).