Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The reoccurring theme in many of Arthur Miller’s works was
Essay on arthur miller
Arthur miller essays
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Arthur Miller, one of America's greatest playwrights, living or dead, is a master of verbal irony. An examination of three strong examples of verbal irony in Millers play, The Crucible, will prove this out. While Miller started the genre of the tragedy of the common man, and is also know for his thoughtful and decisive plot lines, much of his fame, possibly can be attributed to his brilliant use of language generally, and his use of verbal irony in particular.
Amidst the drama of the court scene in Act III, Proctor and Mary Warren are being questioned in relation to Elizabeth's possession of poppets. Parris is trying to prove the fact that maybe they were unaware of her possession of these, that she could have hidden her poppets. In a response to Proctor, Parris sites that 'We are here, Your Honor, precisely to discover what no one has ever seen.'; Parris' meaning is very simple; he is simply commenting that the court is trying to discover the poppets that supposedly Elizabeth had hidden at her house, that no one has seen. But to read Miller, one must be more perceptive, and in examining this quote by Parris, there is another meaning behind it. As most know of the Salem witch trials, they specifically know the unjust and misled court system that was used to accuse the witches. The words uttered from Parris' mouth at that instance are so contradictory of the court and ironic that from a reader's standpoint, one is mixed between the emotion of laughter and tears. For the knowledge of the witch trials would allow one to know that they were nothing but a hoax. The court is out to discover what no one has seen. Knowing that there are no witches, then Parris is precisely right when he says this. It's just the irony of Parris' ignorance that makes this quote affective.
The relationship between John and Elizabeth is brought to test throughout this play. The fact that John cheated on his wife and the fact that Elizabeth cannot forgive him for this is the basis of the conflict. In Act II, Reverend Hale comes to visit the
Hosek - 2
Proctors on his own account to alert them that Elizabeth's name was mentioned in court. Deep in the conversation, Hale asks John to recite the Commandments with the intent to prove he is a covenanted Christian man.
At the beginning of the play Abigail’s motive is to save herself and her reputation; at the end of the play she realizes that she only wants to be with John. She even accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft to get rid of her, so she could be with him. According to the text “Why-! The girl is murder! She must be ripped out of this world!” Page 76 Act Two. This quote shows that Elizabeth knows that Abigail wants to get rid of her. Elizabeth changes by how she treats John throughout the play. At the beginning she is cold towards John because of his affair with Abigail. Towards the end when he finally confesses that he committed lechery; she treats him better by loving and caring more for him. At the end she just wants John to be free with in his decision with the confession. According to the text “I am not your judge, I cannot be. Do as you will, do as you will.” Page 138 Act. This quote proves Elizabeth cannot be the judge of John in this decision, but it is his will.
Before the play takes place, Abigail Williams and John Proctor had an affair while Abigail was working as a servant in their home. Eventually, John confessed and apologized to Elizabeth, pledging his faithfulness to her. Nonetheless, at the time the play takes place, Elizabeth still hasn’t fully forgiven him, and gives him a hard time about it. Abigail confessed the pretense of her accusations to him when they were alone, and now he has no way to prove that she’s lying to the court. But because he was alone with her again, Elizabeth becomes angry with him. She still doubts her husband because she feels that if it were any other girl he had to go testify against, he would not hesitate. But, because it’s Abigail, John feels he has to think harder on making a decision. He doesn’t want his name spoiled by a counter-testimony. John feels he is now justified in becoming angry because for the seven months since his confession, he has done nothing but try to please his wife, and she still approaches him with suspicion and accusatio...
Elizabeth and John start to feel the tension when Elizabeth tries to convince John about going to court and persecuting Abigail but he refuses. When he disputes with his wife he argues, “you will judge me no more Elizabeth I have good reason to charge fraud on Abigail and I will think on it” (193). Proctor is not completely satisfied about throwing Abigail under the bus because he doesn’t want to initially hurt her and he would lose his respect in the town if he did. So he isn’t convinced about the fact that his wife is trying to get him to charge fraud at this point of the play. Soon afterward Mary the proctor’s servant comes home with news that Elizabeth has been convicted of witchcraft as well and was arrested by the sheriff in town to be brought to the trials.
Arthur Miller juxtaposes appearance and reality in his play The Crucible by presenting multiple forms of irony which are consistently manifested throughout each act. With the use of verbal, situational, and dramatic ironical statements and situations, the audiences’ interest is developed, and the underlying meanings of the texts are able to be comprehended. Moreover, the Salem Witch Trials were full of ironical expressions and situations; therefore, the juxtaposition of appearance and reality in The Crucible brings this work of literature closer to life.
Elizabeth is angry that John was having an affair with Abigail. John feels that he has endured enough. He knows what he did was not right, but he demands to Elizabeth that he needed a passion that she was not giving him. John uses emotional appeal to enforce his claim. She is offended at his suggestion that it was her fault that he was cheating on her. John says that he is only
Life as a human is dictated by an inborn hunger or purpose, and people, in general, will act on this hunger for their own personal gain in their individual ways. This hunger, be it for wealth, land, love, power, revenge, or pride, can, and will be the undoing or failing of all mankind as Miller so clearly points out in his play 'The Crucible';. This essay will explore the motives of characters within the play and even the motives of Arthur Miller himself and therefore show how conflict stems from certain recognisable human failings including those mentioned above, fear, and hysteria.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. Kate Kinsella, et. Al, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2002. 1233-1334. Print.
In The Crucible, John Proctor’s well respected name throughout Salem is destroyed when his downfall is initiated by two human flaws, pride, lust and a bad temperament , which to a great extent qualifies him to be the tragic hero. Arthur Miller uses John Proctor’s character to convey a universal depiction of tragedy through Proctor’s faults and the faults in the society in which he lives.
The Crucible is one of the most bizarre accounts of a historical event to date. The naïveté of the townspeople leads them down a road of madness and confusion, led by a shameless Puritan girl. Abigail Williams was a ruthless girl who showed no mercy upon accusing her victims of witchcraft. Knowing the entire town of Salem would believe her and the other girls, she would not hesitate at charging anyone she wished with the crime of the Devil’s work. However, a challenge arose to Abigail when she decided to accuse Elizabeth Proctor, and eventually her husband John, of witchcraft. The Proctor marriage was not just any simple marriage; it had its times of cold shoulders, heartfelt truth, and undying love.
Good vs Evil, Reputation and Injustice, as well as fear and hysteria are all key themes in Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible. Significant events throughout the course of the play were used to highlight and illustrate the importance of these themes within the duration of the play.
But it does not follow that everyone accused is part of it,” (Miller 103). Hale is starting to believe that the girls are being hypocrites and is faking the witch-hunt. So far, several women and men went to jail because of the accusations that were being made. Hale now believes John Proctor after he states that he has committed adultery because John Proctor wants to save his name and wouldn’t tell anyone. “Hale: I believe him!...
Hale responds to Proctor with, “And yet, Mister, a Christian on Sabbath Day must be in church…” (Miller 37. Act 1. Scene 2). Proctor is not a bad man; he identifies as a Christian and had most of his children Baptised, however, his pride and stubborn nature keep him from visiting Parris' church. While Proctor has good intentions when he isolates himself from Parris' influence, this casts suspicion on him and his family and eventually putting him and his wife in grave danger. Despite having this opportunity early on to throw this shadow of suspicion off of him, he is held back by his inability to swallow his pride. Later, after both Elizabeth and John Proctor have been jailed and face execution, they discuss what has happened for the past few months after they have been jailed. When asked why he has not confessed in exchange for his life, John replies, “Spite. Spite only keeps me silent. It is hard to give a lie to dogs!” (75.2.3). This is the most direct example of Proctor's pride harming him. This is his last
In the story “The Cask of Amontillado”, the author uses lots of verbal irony to emphasize the evil intentions of Montresor.One of the examples of verbal irony in the story that he uses is “The cough’s a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough.” and “true--true, I replied.” The effect of this irony is it that Montresor already knows how Fortunato will die.Another example of verbal irony used in the story was when they did a toast to each other. “I drink”, he said, to the buried that repose around us.”
“Proctor: I – I have no witness and cannot prove it, except my word be taken. But I know the children’s sickness had naught to do with witchcraft. Mr. Parris discovered them sportin’ in the woods. They were startled and took sick. Hale: Who told you this? Proctor: Abigail Williams.”(Page 68-69)
When we are first introduced to John Proctor, we learn of his affair with Abigail Williams, Abigail's involvement in the accusations of witchcraft, and of John's desire to do what is honorable. Because of John's desire to do what is honorable, he ends the affair with Abigail and begins to attempt to repair his broken marriage. Abigail's jealously of Elizabeth and desire to be John's wife leads to Elizabeth's name being mentioned in court. Abigail's mention of Elizabeth's name in court reveals her attempt to get rid of Elizabeth for she knows Elizabeth will claim innocence and be hung if she does. When word reaches the Proctors, about Abigail's mentioning of Elizabeth's name in court, John concludes that Abigail's motive is to kill Elizabeth. Knowing this information, John is faced with his first difficult decision, save his reputation, keep his affair a secret, and let the accusations continue, or ruin his reputation, tell of his affair, and end the girls' accusations. Not wanting to ruin his good name, John decides to hold his tongue and because of this the trials continue and more accusations are made, some of which lead to his wife's and his friends arrest for witchcraft and bewitchment.