(Cheever pg. Instead of living a simple life and managing his duties in the town, he is always complaining that he either does not have enough material items or someone is attacking him, all thoughts that a priest should not be concerning himself with. This means that much of the population that remains is comprised of the power-hungry, the selfish, and the cowardly. Innocent and guilty people have been put to death underneath his Judgement, to him this demonstrates his superiority and power. Hypocrisy is shown between the characters: Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Hale. An example of hypocrisy is when Mary defends Elizabeth in court, but then gives her a poppet which lands Elizabeth in jail for owning a tool of witchcraft. The Bible that the Puritans swore to live by is not being honored when they used the trials to condemn their neighbors to death. Her jealousy of Elizabeth Proctors position as Johns wife has led her to attempted murder, first by the charm in the woods and now by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. Parris initially insists that there are no unnatural causes for Bettys illness because he fears that he will lose favor with the townspeople if witchcraft is discovered under his roof. 119). Being in contact with someone else means mediating between ourselves and the other. Through Abigail Williams, Miller was trying to state the injustice in Salem because she targeted the innocent people, leading to their death. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. How is Millers underlying message revealed in one of these themes and through the character?". What is the difference between dissent and disloyalty? In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar. Rebecca Nurse's accusation further demonstrates the hypocrisy in the play. He refers to Johns refusal to confess as a calamity, looking past his own involvement in the larger calamity of the conviction that led John to this point. Hypocrisy is "the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform". Fear that spread among a group of people in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials, that event in history is a prime example of Mass Hysteria. Many of us in today's society do not believe in this; however, the Puritans really did believe that people could be vessels for the Devil. Danforth wont listen to him for this reason. In Act 1 he jumped on board with the hysteria to preserve his power, but he ended up losing what little authority he had in the first place (and, according to Miller's afterward, was voted out of office soon after the end of the play). What Are The Human Flaws In The Crucible 1560 Words | 7 Pages. This includes not only accusatory lies about the involvement of others in witchcraft but also the lies that people consistently tell about their own virtuousness and purity in such a repressive society. While touting his holy credentials, he claims that he dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of my conscience may doubt it (pg. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. No one will listen to Tituba until she agrees to confirm the version of events that the people in traditional positions of authority have already decided is true, a pattern which continues throughout the play. Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack. These types of statements made by Hale earlier in the play become even more ironic in Act 4 when he realizes he made a horrible mistake by trusting the evidence that was presented to him. How does Parris pride prevent him from doing anything to stop the progression of events in the play? He believes that Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. Though Rebecca Nurse's involvement has already been corroborated by other confessors, Danforth demands to hear it from John to confirm that John is fully committed to renouncing his supposed ties to Satan. Danforth, who has the most authority, is also the most sold on her act, and it only takes a few screams to persuade him that hes in the presence of witchcraft. The whole purpose of a trial is to hear both sides of the story before a verdict is reached. The Devil is precise.'' By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. Choose a single character and discuss how this person embodies one of the themes. Posted at 02:28h in motion to dismiss child support arrears by how does shakespeare present lady macbeth as ambitious. What the people of Salem have seen as demonic possessions of the girls is nothing more than an act of deception. Though hysteria overpowered the reputations of the accused in the past two acts, in act 4 the sticking power of their original reputations becomes apparent. She is enraged when Parris questions her suspicious dismissal from the Proctor household. Even with prompts that ask you to discuss a specific character or plot point, you can find ways to connect your answer to major themes. She believed she had seen spirits earlier because she was caught up in the delusions of those around her. By the end of class, you should be able to: Identify basic elements of McCarthyism, including the following terms: Other essay questions may not ask you directly about the themes listed in this article, but that doesn't mean that the themes are irrelevant to your writing. Danforth insists that John must know more about the Devil's dealings than he has revealed. The second major theme in The Crucible (and one that teachers often ask about) is fear and hysteria. Abigail also shows concern for her reputation. This act also sees the irony of Hale discussing the powers of the dark that are attacking Salem (pg. John feels incredibly ashamed of his affair with Abigail, so he tries to bury it and pretend it never happened. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. All rights reserved. The madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. Diehard fan of The Wire. Support me by becoming a Medium member: https://bit.ly/39Cybb8. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the setting is Salem, Massachusetts during the late 1600s where the towns pious Puritan beliefs directly influence their government. The depths of the hysteria that has gripped Salem are revealed in Act 3 when John finally confronts the court. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Though a character can have significant moral flaws, they can be wise enough to recognize their flaws and change their ways. Hypocrisy is not simply failing to practice those virtues that one preaches, or known as saying one thing but doing another. The court refuses to challenge anyone who claims to have been afflicted. It is used to draw away from a person's counterargument through addressing something unrelated. An error occurred trying to load this video. An example would be something like: "How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? One flaw that can always be found in society and the Crucible is hypocrisy. Because, the people of Salem will find out about the affair, this would weaken his reputation. Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, the events that occurred during the Salem witch trials are dramatized, and the truth of judgement and vengeance is examined in a web of lies amongst the townspeople. If you can show that you understand the themes of a work of literature, you've clearly mastered the material on a deeper level. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. The play is about human weakness, hypocrisy, and vindictiveness. Abigail distracts the judges from any rational investigation in this act by playing into this hysteria. Proctor is infuriated. She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Arthur Miller portrays the protagonist, Proctor, as the tragic hero of his play The Crucible. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. She is clearly outspoken and dominant, but her initial position in society is one of very little influence and authority. The Devil has returned putting children under his control is what many people believed in Salem village in 1962. Why wont Danforth hear his evidence? Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. 118). The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. Hypocrisy In Salem And The Crucible Proctor knows that unlike most of the other people who have gotten hanged, his is not completely innocent. In one of the most well-known quotes in the play, John Proctor angrily insists that the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom (pg. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Rebecca Nurse, a woman whose character was previously thought to be unimpeachable, is accused and arrested. Why does John decide to ruin his reputation in Act 3 by confessing to the affair? The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. Hales involvement is taken to mean that there must be a supernatural element to Bettys illness. Johns concern for his reputation is strong throughout the play, and his hesitation to reveal Abigails true nature is a product of his own fears of being labeled an adulterer. I highly recommend you use this site! Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! (Cheever pg. He has sentenced people to death based on lies about their dealings in black magic, and he has accepted other false confessions from those who would rather lie than be executed. He shows the hypocrisy of the Puritans by showing their belief system and how they have not acted in accordance with those beliefs. Greed is a sin in the Puritan religion, so the people who supported the accusations were indeed hypocrites. A real example of irony would be if two married guests got into a fight about going to your wedding that ended in their divorce. Shes not a traditionally accepted target like the others (except in her susceptibility as a woman to the misogyny that runs rampant in the play). In reality, true irony only happens when a situation is the exact opposite of what you would expect. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. Flaws in Human Reasoning Create a Tragic Figure One tragedy is a result of numerous conflicts and wrongdoings. In Act 2, John Proctors guilt over his affair with Abigail is demonstrated through an ironic exchange with Reverend Hale. As he says,How may I live without my name? Hypocrisy: A Human Flaw These two institutions fuse together in The Crucible to actively encourage accusers and discourage rational explanations of events. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. People could not take another's land unless it was left to them in a will; however, if someone were to be executed for a crime, that land belonged to the state and could be re-distributed. Demosthenes made fun of Aeschines, a famous Greek politician who was also an actor, basically . I'll give a short summary of how each plays a role in the events of The Crucible. As much as I loved Bernie Sanders, he made millions of dollars while preaching for democratic. Why is Cory arrested? Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Danforth explains his inability to free the accused people because, twelve are already hanged for the same crime. Is reputation more important than truth? Reverend Parris, the paranoid widower and heaven-ordained minister of the town of Salem, was, simply put, a hypocrite. In steadfastly refusing to confess, Rebecca Nurse holds onto a great deal of power. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. He says, I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town (pg. A constant theme through out the play is your personal reputation, maintaining a good name. The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. Many villagers, especially Abigail . No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted. Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. Arthur Miller pokes fun at this in his commentary in the play and explains his intentions to the audience. Danforths image is extremely valuable to him, and he refuses to allow Parris concerns to disrupt his belief in the validity of his decisions. The each profess to want truth and to desire to punish actual wrongdoers. He. Thus demonstrating how mob mentality can impact an individual and ultimately drive the action of the play. In Act 3, Abigails power in the courthouse is on display. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. It is another trait we inherited from them, and it has helped to discipline us as well as to breed hypocrisy among us.'' We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. The Crucible, a short play dedicated to these events in Salem shows us how hysteria was such a leading cause of why the Witch Trials had even occurred. Giles Cory was expelled from court because he would not list people who signed the document about Putnam wanting to take land. 121). Parris is extremely dismayed by this revelation because of the damage it will do to his reputation. Here are a few questions about hysteria to consider now that you've read a summary of how this theme was expressed throughout the plot of the play: Even though there is significant reason to believe Abigail is lying about Elizabeth's familiar spirit stabbing her, the frenzied investigators ignore testimony that challenges their chosen witchy narrative.