More handpicked essays just for you.
Arthur miller on writing crucible
What are arthur millers intentions for the crucible
What are arthur millers intentions for the crucible
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Arthur Miller develops many themes in his novel The Crucible , unveiling them through conflicts that the characters created between themselves. Perhaps the most prominent theme was deceit and its connection to the conflict with Abigail and John. Lying is used in order to achieve personal gain, because of this Abigail lies to everyone in the town for her own selfish needs. Lying can also be used as a defense mechanism which is what John illustrates throughout the story. Firstly, John Proctor recently had an affair on her wife with a servant of his: Abigail Williams. Even seven months after the affair has occurred, things between him and his wife Elizabeth were still tense and awkward. At one point John is confronted when he is how Abigail is …show more content…
Consequently, John is not alone when it came to deceit, though it’s clear that Abigail had a different goal in mind when doing so. When the little girl Betty pretends to be cast under some spell and cannot wake, Tituba is accused of putting her under said spell. Abigail accuses her of witchcraft, implying that Tituba “sends her spirit on [Abigail] in church” and “makes [her] laugh at prayer” implying Tituba is capable of witchcraft, lying for no other reason then to get the people of Salem to start believing every word she says in order for her to lie her way into marrying John Proctor or getting Elizabeth killed (Miller 150). Finally when it is time to lie for good purpose and reason, John refuses to due to the fact that he is required to sign his name away. In order to avoid the rope, John must confess to witchcraft and sign his name onto a document which proves he confessed. Though his wife Elizabeth and Reverend Hale both implore him to give the court the lie that they want to
The stage directions even say “as though a secret arrow had pained his heart” this proves that he feels horrible about deceiving his wife. Hale also questions John about why his third son is not baptized and John replies, “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay a hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it.” This theme reemerges later in act two, when Cheever says “He plow on Sunday, sir.”, John says “I- I have no love for Mr. Parris. But God I surely love.” This proves that although John has not been the holiest he still believes in the gospel. John has also moved on from his act with Abigail. He develops a new maturity when he tells Abigail “...I will cut my hand off before I reach for you again.” John is
Abigail and her friends start to accuse people in the town of witchcraft; by saying a person’s spirit attacked them. The people who were accused were usually the outcast of the town or someone Abigail and her friends
Arthur Miller demonstrates the impact of lying as the girls recognise and manipulate their power in the town. Lead by Abigail, they go further, claiming countless others guilty and dooming them to exile. Miller demonstrates that there power is so great that
Abigail was able to easily deceive and manipulate the court to try and get what she had set her eyes on, being John Proctor; a much older, married man who had had an affair with Abigail once when she was a sort of servant in his household. After finding of this, his wife Elizabeth had banished Abigail from their house. Abigail sought revenge...
Abigail would tell John about his wife and say “she is blackening my name in the village; she is a cold sniveling woman”. (Miller 23-24) John tries to end the affair but Abigail will not let him go because she is in love with
Her ability to lie, her outspokenness and developing sexuality, is unlawful against the Puritan views and deemed as evil. If convicted of the acts she has committed, including her apparent interaction with the Devil, she would face severe consequences. But to avoid this, Abigail realizes that through deceiving innocence she can control and manipulate murderous acts to save herself and her reputation. This was a new opportunity for her to expand her rule over the town. Controlling the young girls around her, Abigail uses her newfound sense of power to manipulate the group in fear. Driving them to aid her accusations, she uses them in the court to prove her claims. Abigail quickly strikes fear into the girls when she begins to hit and threaten the girls screaming, “And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring you a pointy reckoning that will shudder you” (Miller 19). By threatening the girls, Abigail easily frightens them enough to do her bidding. Using fear to her advantage is evil and this act of manipulation only furthers her antagonism. Abigail now has the ability to use facades and delusion with the loyalty of the other girls, to convince the people that it is not her conjuring spirits, but others in the town attacking
My first example of dishonesty In the Salem Witch trials Abigail is lying about Mary attacking them in court. Once Abigail realized she could be accused of lying and be considered a witch, she started lying to try and counter Judge Danforth’s questioning. Abigail also lied many other times throughout the play, always in her own self interest. My second example from The Salem Witch Trials is Mary.
The motivation of John’s behavior is to be an honorable man. At the same time he knows he must confess to committing adultery, which will desecrate his name, but save the lives of the accused. In the courtroom, John confesses about his affair with abigail saying:“ She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it now.” (Act 3 Lines 380-384)
The hysteria surrounding the witchtrials causes Abigail to lie in order to save herself. She is affected by the hysteria because she does not want to exposed as a liar. She forgets about the people that are close to her in order to protect her reputation and identity. Abigail abandons Tituba, and accuses her of "sending her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer" (41). Abigail also says Tituba "comes to me every night to go and drink blood (41). Abigail reacts like this only to save her fro...
The first way Miller illustrates the theme of lies and deceit is through Abigail’s conniving
Although she was a smart girl, Abigail was only out for herself and her own reputation. Abigail Williams didn't only lie about witchcraft, but she forced others to join in. She was Reverend Parris's niece and believed she could get away with whatever she wanted. Abigail did not want to have to damage her reputation by having a different testimony as all the other girls, so she forced them to lie as well. While alone with the girls she said, "let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it..." (Miller 1044). Abigail also stuck a needle in herself because she knew Goody Proctor had a poppet at her home with a needle in it. While talking to John Proctor about Abigail, Cheever remarked, "...and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, she draw a needle out. And demandin' of her how she come to be so stabbed, she testify it were your wife's familiar spirit pushed it in," (Miller 1077). Abigail may have been the most prominent person to lay the blame on, but other people were guilty as well.
To further complicate matters, John decides not to reveal to the court that Abigail has admitted to him in private that they were just sporting in the woods. Abigail spreads additional accusations and false rumors about her neighbors. These accusations have no basis in truth and their only purpose is for Abigail’s own benefit. Furthermore, Abigail is jealous of John’s wife, Elizabeth, and she schemes to get rid of her in order to take her place. Abigail’s plot is to accuse Elizabeth of witchcraft.
The girls lied because they did not want to get in trouble for running around naked in the woods, Abigail lied and said that John Proctor’s wife was the one who made her do what she did so that she will end up with John.
...nnot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" (p. 143) By the end of the play, John has grown enough to realize that though he was wrong to have an affair, he did not lose all honor. By learning this lesson and keeping his honor right up until his death, John passes his test.
He knew such a thing would tarnish his reputation. The only reason he admits to this sin is because Elizabeth is accused and is in danger of losing her life. John realizes the only way to save his wife is to tell the court what Abigail’s true ambitions are. One other character who seems to care about their reputation and takes severe steps to protect it is Abigail Williams. From the start of the play, Abigail already has a bad reputation for committing adultery.