Here are a few questions related to this theme that you can use to test your grasp of irony and its significance as a theme in The Crucible: Hale wrongly assumes that his academic mindset will save him from jumping to the wrong conclusions in the witchcraft investigation. This act also sees the irony of Hale discussing the powers of the dark that are attacking Salem (pg. Abigails low status and perceived innocence under normal circumstances allow her to claim even greater power in her current situation. 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. This lie essentially condemns both of them. Hypocrisy in "The Crucible" and Todays Society Essay Example builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft proliferate throughout Salem. As the story progresses, Danforth and many other officials begin to realize that the entire situation in Salem progressed to far and honest people will continue to die unless they can convince people to lie in order to save themselves. 129). In the next few sections,I'll take a look at a group of broad themes inThe Crucible, including irony, hysteria, reputation, and power. 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. "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. In a case like this, you'd be writing directly about a specific theme in connection to one of the characters. 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). The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. Explain who you believe is the central tragic character in the play. They are extremely biased towards believing they have made the correct sentencing decisions in court thus far, so they are reluctant to accept new evidence that may prove them wrong. They use children's stories as evidence though not respecting them otherwise. In this act, she yells Dont lie! at Tituba immediately before she tells some of the most damning lies of the play accusing Tituba of witchcraft (. (Cheever pg. In The Crucible many examples of hypocrisy are shown. Though the play is fictional, the characters are named after real people who lived in Salem during that time. When she cant get John to abandon Elizabeth for her, she decides to take matters into her own hands and gain control through manipulating the fears of others. Examples Of Hypocrisy In The Crucible - Term Paper - TermPaper Warehouse For example, proctor waits till the very last minute to reveal Abigail is lying. 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? This is taken as evidence that things are really getting out of control ("if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing's left to stop the whole green world from burning." 123). Rebecca Nurse is a pure soul, who always took care of other people's children. The two characters that could have ended the mass hysteria are Abigail Williams and Deputy Governor Danforth. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a dramatic play that expresses a very important message and that is how far people would go to save themselves from the hands of death. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. This is a lesson in how fear can twist perceptions of reality even for those who consider themselves reasonable under normal circumstances. One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. Even before Abigail makes accusations, rumors of witchcraft have morphed into accepted truths in the minds of the more superstitious members of the community. The turmoil in Salem is propelled forward by desires for revenge and power that have been simmering beneath the town's placid exterior. The Crucible is a play written by American author, Arthur Miller, in 1953. John Proctor surrenders his agency at the end of Act 3 in despair at the determination of the court to pursue the accusations of witchcraft and ignore all evidence of their falsehood. Why does John decide to ruin his reputation in Act 3 by confessing to the affair? The Crucible is a tragedy play written by Arthur Miller. SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. Recall that hypocrisy is when someone's actions don't match up with the professed values. One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. Reverend Parris is in a position of power as the town's spiritual leader, but he is insecure about his authority. I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (pg. People are quick to believe something even if there is no evidence for their fear. People in power continue to believe the accusers out of fear for their own safety, taking the hysteria to a point where no one is above condemnation. By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. South Plantation High School, one of the only schools to offer a program for the deaf, cast tradition aside to create a rendition of The Crucible that is truly one of a kind. To Danforth, anything that doesnt confirm that he was right all along is a lie. 119). It is not just, (Miller 129). Abigail, in particular, has quickly risen from a nobody to one of the most influential people in Salem. 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. What is Abigail Williams' strengths, flaws, and motivations in - eNotes There are several ironies in Act 1 that center around Abigail Williams. The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. Miller depicts through characters such as these that humans cannot exist without the flaw of hypocrisy. Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw [Rebecca Nurse] with the Devil (pg. Why wont Danforth hear his evidence? John Proctor sabotages his own reputation in Act 3 after realizing it's the only way he can discredit Abigail. Why do certain characters seem to be blind to the irony of their actions (Abigail, Danforth)? Many people are under the impression that irony is just when something happens that you don't expect (or that you really hoped wouldn't happen). Sign language interpreters, though extremely helpful, do not allow deaf audience members to fully experience a show. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused. Lust and pride were John Proctors tragic flaws, lust is of course, one out of the seven sins. Hypocrisy In The Crucible - 1530 Words | Cram Proctors good reputation is almost a burden for him at this point because he knows that he doesnt deserve it. is hypocrisy a natural human flaw the crucible When this fallacy is used, the unrealistic characteristic is undesirable, causing the other person to look bad. In Act 3, Abigails power in the courthouse is on display. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, we have Rebecca Nurse. I have not seen a single politician who isnt a hypocrite. Download it for free now: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, '688715d6-bf92-47d7-8526-4c53d1f5fe7d', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, '03a85984-6dfd-4a19-93c8-5f46091f5e2b', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. The overall message is that. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. PPTX The Crucible by Arthur Miller - Dr. Coffman's English Classes 67). What is the difference between dissent and disloyalty? No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted. The Devil is precise.'' No one considers that the accusers are lying, partially because theyre seen as innocent children and partially because many witches confess to avoid the death penalty. By Act 2, there are nearly 40 people in jail accused of witchcraft. Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out." He is appalled by Elizabeths lack of emotion when he asks her to help the court get a confession out of her husband (pg. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Hypocrisy is not simply failing to practice those virtues that one preaches, or known as saying one thing but doing another. Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. The price he has to pay in reputation to save his own life is ultimately too high. 121). 91). 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. 44) but realizes that her word against Abigail will not stand. | 2 This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? Most Important Themes in The Crucible, Analyzed - PrepScholar 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. There are numerous connections between the flaws of individual characters and the overarching themes of the play that could be brought into this discussion.

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