Salem Witch Trials People will stop at nothing to get what they want. The Salem Witch Trials were no exception. Jealously and greed of a neighbor’s land, and even intolerance of one’s different beliefs motivated these trials. In Juliet Blackwell’s essay, “A Witchcraft Mystery Series: Salem Witch Trials”, she goes as far to say, “It just may be that land, deeds and inheritance motivated the witch hunting more than a desire to expel the devil.” The trials began in 1692 when Betty Parris, the daughter of Samuel Parris- “a minister who was neither well-liked nor desired (Hill)” – and Abigail Williams began to have extremely strange behavior: fits, convulsions, and blasphemies. The town doctor pronounce the girls bewitched after examination, which sent the town into frenzy.
Being a slave and of lower social status, Tituba was accused by Abigail in order to avoid any punishment or responsibility. With all attention drawn on her, Tituba was frightened into making false accusations. The fear Abigail and the girls had that they would be punished for their mischief forced them to act rashly in order to be saved. Soon after, they realized naming people who supposedly “came with the Devil” would save them from punishment so they shouted “I saw Goody Hawkins….Goody Bibber….Goody Good with the Devil!” Thus proving that in the heat
She develops a twisted plot to secure John for herself. She tries to accomplish this by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft, that ultimately leads to Elizabeth's arrest. Many other good-willed people in Salem also get accused of witchcraft. Proctor realizes that he must end this hysteria in Salem, and to do so, he has to confess to his adultery. Such an admittance would ruin his good name and Proctor is a proud man who, above all, places great emphasis on his reputation.
The Salem Witch Trials were a result of mass hysteria fueled by the accusations of Abigail Williams and her friends. During the Salem Witch Trials those suspected of witchcraft were jailed and given a trial. During the trial the accused was dogged for a confession and even names of other wishes. The incentive was if they confessed, God would forgive them and they could live, but of course no one was really a witch so most plead innocent and were hung anyways, simply because of a suspicion. The whole event of the Salem Witch Trials is viewed as unjust because after the accusations spread, many townspeople simply accused their neighbors of being a witch to gain revenge, money, land, or something similar.
The very idea of witchcraft is reprobated, as Reverend Parris reiterates, "Thomas, Thomas, I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know thatyou least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house." (14) When the court becomes involved, the judges, reproving the practice of witchcraft in any form, are more prone to believing the girls' accounts of the torture each condemned person had inflicted upon them by the
Danforth believes Abigail and the girls because he is relying on them as victims of witchcraft to name the witches. He can't expect the witches to admit to the crime so he has no choice but to believe the girls as victims. Danforth is alarmed/surprised by Mary Warren's confession that her and the other girls were pretending to see spirits. If this is proven to be true then the court would look stupid because they have condemned 72 people to death with the evidence that Abigail and the girls were pretending to see spirits. He realises that if the confession is true then innocent people would've died for no reason which would cause an uproar I'm the court.
Mary Warren displays this anxiety when she allows Abigail to frighten her into abandoning John Proctor and accusing him of witchcraft. This leaves him unable to prove the girls' perjury and at the mercy of the judges who are quick to impose guilt. Reverend Parris also displayed an influence by fear when he urged the judges to condemn the accused and encouraged the accused to confess. He believed that this would help him continue to appear moral in the town during immoral and unjust proceedings. Should he lose his facade of morality, he would lose his position of power as reverend.
Gov. Danforth is one of the most dangerous hypocrite’s because he has the power of the law on his side. As demonstrated in this quote he is very stubborn and unwilling to see different perspectives and patterns “I will not rest…this whole province is once again God’s.” Danforth pg 230. He is the voice of justice but no longer for he has been tricked by some very talented girls and the Puritan beliefs only make matters worse. Even at the end of the play Danforth still thinks he has it right even though many have come to doubt that the accused who are high on the social ladder are really guilty of witchcraft.
English III AP 9/30/13 The Monster in Salem In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, a town where people saw the devil lurking behind every corner and the reason behind all misfortunes being the result of some sin, when the cry of witchcraft rung through the town via the lips of Abigail Williams people were more than willing to believe that the devil was alive in Salem. Although there were so many individuals in the play who contributed to the Witchcraft hysteria, Abigail Williams is the main cause of this insanity. Her selfishness, her greediness, and the willingness to do anything to stay out of trouble, causes her to become top 10 female villains in literature in history. The following essay will discuss how the evil,
The Crucible The theme jealousy can destroy lives is shown through the actions of Abigail Williams affects Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor and herself. “This can’t work anymore, I love someone else.” Hearing these words can affect many people’s lives, causing them to hurt others around them.” “The Crucible” was written in 1953 by Arthur Miller. The play is about the witch trials that took place in Salem Massachusetts; where many innocent people were accused of witchcraft. Abigail’s actions sent Elizabeth to jail, but also cause John his freedom and life. At the end of act four Proctor refuses to give his name to the court, he clearly stated that he had already gave himself in and told them that he was a man of the devil and that they couldn’t take his name, because that’s the only thing he had left.