In today's society no one want to hear about something they fear, they would rather it be left alone than try to understand it. Ask below and we'll reply! The hypocrisy in this statement is almost funny. This hysteria-based evidence of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it. Elizabeth is defined by her relationship to John, and Mary is pushed around by other characters (mostly men) throughout the play. Can a work of art bring about change in the world? MPP friends writing about life, love, and everything else in between together. Historical Context. Fear plays an immense role in the way people make their decisions, such as when the characters of Danforth and Mary Warren resort to hypocrisy when no other options remain. 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. Being a hypocrite is one of the worst things you can be called youre someone who criticizes others and yet does the same sin yourself. She has the power to utterly destroy peoples lives with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior. Why does Mary Warren behave differently when she becomes involved in the trials? Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. If you hope to write an awesome essay onThe Crucible, you should have extensive knowledge of its themes. 133). Hypocrisy is "the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform". In reality, he is constantly judging himself, and this leads to outbursts of anger against others who remind him of what he did (he already feels guilty enough!). What makes Danforth so unwilling to consider that the girls could be pretending? Two characters who demonstrate how mob mentality can lead to the demise of Salem are Abigail and Mary Warren. How to use hypocrisy in a sentence. Why doesnt John immediately tell the court that he knows Abigail is faking? There are numerous connections between the flaws of individual characters and the overarching themes of the play that could be brought into this discussion. Giles Cory was expelled from court because he would not list people who signed the document about Putnam wanting to take land. Mary Warrens sense of self-importance has increased as a result of the perceived value of her participation in court. 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. 61). He chooses to die instead of providing a false confession because he doesnt think life will be worth living after he is so disgraced. The thematic significance of hysteria builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft proliferate throughout Salem. The idea that a witch's familiar spirit is capable of stabbing people is too scary for the superstitious and now hysterical people of Salem to give Elizabeth the benefit of the doubt. 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. How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? Abigails power skyrockets as the hysteria grows more severe. Reverend Parris, the paranoid widower and heaven-ordained minister of the town of Salem, was, simply put, a hypocrite. He is completely oblivious to the fact that the victims might be lying. It's one thing to understand the major themes in The Crucible, and it's another thing completely to write about them yourself. Abigail insists that she did nothing to deserve it and tries to put all the blame on Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail Williams was the main accuser of withes in Salem, and in her accusations she gained power in the town. The play is about human weakness, hypocrisy, and vindictiveness. Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.Parris must rush to be the first accuser so he can place himself beyond reproach. This is ironic because, Once the accusations begin, Parris initiates an ironic thought process that persists throughout. Hale doesnt realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark. The court's attempts to preserve Puritan morality by arresting and executing accused witches ironically lead to the removal of the most virtuous people from society. She is a sensible, saintly old woman who chooses to martyr herself rather than lie and confess to witchcraft. Hypocrisy, actually, didn't have a bad meaning until hypocrisy met politics in the 4th century B.C. 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 madness begins in earnest with Abigails claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods. She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. Because, the people of Salem will find out about the affair, this would weaken his reputation. I have not seen a single politician who isnt a hypocrite. A 17-year-old girl named Abigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor, a wealthy, married man. Abigail also shows concern for her reputation. 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 evidence used in the Salem Witch Trials further demonstrates the hypocrisy in the Puritan times. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. First off, what is irony? Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Read this character flaw list (with examples) for inspiration and develop interesting character weaknesses: 1. What are their strengths and personal flaws? Hypocrisy: A Human Flaw
The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt. The ruthlessness with which the suspected witches are treated is aimed at purifying Salem, but it achieves the opposite outcome. One of humanity's biggest flaws is that people would do anything to help themselves. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. Some will be very direct. Both Hale and Proctor don't want to live with the consequences of their mistakes, so they try to ignore or undo their past actions. Danforth explains his inability to free the accused people because, twelve are already hanged for the same crime. However, this runs up against Danforths desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge. 118). In this environment, whoever yells the loudest seems to get the most credibility. Abigail also shows concern for her reputation. He questions Abigail aggressively because hes worried his enemies will learn the full story of what happened in the woods first and use it to discredit him. Later in the play, she is accused. In The Crucible, there are many characters that feed into or contribute to the rapid spread of witch hysteria in the small village of Salem. The price he has to pay in reputation to save his own life is ultimately too high. Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused. Parris is hypocritical because he is not a . Lust and pride were John Proctors tragic flaws, lust is of course, one out of the seven sins. Reverend Hale, Abigail Williams and Judge Danforth. In Act 2, John Proctors guilt over his affair with Abigail is demonstrated through an ironic exchange with Reverend Hale. Elizabeth is a victim of cruel irony in this Act when she is summoned to testify on the reasons why she dismissed Abigail from her household. Abigails presence is always rife with irony in The Crucible, as she constantly chastises others for sins she herself has committed. These are themes that could be considered subsets of the topics detailed in the previous sections, but there's also room to discuss them as topics in their own right. Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of the daughter of a prince (pg. The seeds are planted in Act 1, when Abigail is questioned about her activities in the woods and ends up accusing Tituba of witchcraft to avoid punishment. He. Deception is a major driving force inThe Crucible. Each new false confession is thrown onto the pile of evidence of a grand Satanic plot, and as the pile grows larger, the hysteria surrounding it is fed generously. An ad hominem means that it shifts the argument away from the issue to a personal attack on the person involved. She says, "My name is good in the village! He is known for making the right decisions and never going against them. Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in. Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack. In telling people they must confess to their crimes or be hanged, the officials show that they have already decided the person is guilty no matter what evidence is provided in their defense. Is there any character besides John Proctor that represents the voice of common sense amidst the madness? By the end of class, you should be able to: Identify basic elements of McCarthyism, including the following terms: It is a somewhat fictional play about the Salem Witch Trials. The evolution of his character is due to vairous . The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play about the Salem witch trials. There is a culture of keeping up appearances already in place, which makes it natural for people to lie about witnessing their neighbors partaking in Satanic rituals when the opportunity arises (especially if it means insulating themselves from similar accusations and even achieving personal gain). In saying this he admits that a person can only avoid a hanging by confessing to witchcraft even if their statement contains no truth. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented. I feel like its a lifeline. These two institutions fuse together in The Crucible to actively encourage accusers and discourage rational explanations of events. Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. 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. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. It is not just, (Miller 129). Where before she was just an orphaned teenager, now, in the midst of the trials, she becomes the main witness to the inner workings of a Satanic plot. As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. He says, I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town (pg. Why is hypocrisy so common in repressive communities like Salem? There are many characters in the Crucible who are guilty of taking innocent lives, but there are three major characters who, without a doubt, are the most at blame. An error occurred trying to load this video. Proctor changes from a normal citizen and sinner to a tragic hero with a high sense of morality. The faces that people present to the public are designed to garner respect in the community, but the witch trials have thrown this system into disarray. Being a person, from Latin persona ("mask", per and soneo - "resound") means precisely "being a mask . Themes can be expressed in many different ways. This act also sees the irony of Hale discussing the powers of the dark that are attacking Salem (pg. Essay questions that ask about themes in this straightforward way can be tricky because there's a temptation to speak in vague terms about the theme's significance.