Jonathan Tang's essay

744 Words2 Pages

Power should be evenly distributed but that is not the case in many societies. People use dominance to feel superior to others and as an excuse to do what is normally not allowed. In Puritan societies, men were given an excessive amount of power, which led to corruption and vanity. This was especially evident during the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, the setting Arthur Miller uses in his play, The Crucible, to depict his characters’ belief in invincibility and the inability to do wrong. Throughout the play, the narrow-minded Salem men, who represent Puritanism's concentrated powers, prioritize authority and reputation over justice, fueling the belief that prestigious, influential men are above the law.
Proctor’s reluctance to atone for mistakes reflects his belief that influential men are above the law. Proctor causes the Witch Trials by breaking the law regarding adultery; it is the same rule he forgets when Hale asks him to recite the Commandments. Instead of owning his mistake, he passes it off to “be a small fault” (67). This represents Proctor’s attempt to not only downplay the problem with Hale but also serves as a metaphor of his attitude regarding the trials. Proctor subconsciously regards adultery as a miniscule sin to relieve himself of any responsibility for his actions. Not only does Proctor ignore his contribution to the situation but he also forces himself to believe the trials are not a huge concern: a justification for his rationale to save his reputation instead of confessing to the affair. He disregards the fact he causes the trials because society’s expectations for him to be the most respected man gives him the feeling of infallibility. Proctor does not think he is able to sin which is why even though he “know[s] [h...

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...ondemnation as a Christian trial against witchcraft but as a case to save his prestige. In order to stop the hangings, Danforth will have to admit his mistakes and as a result, hurt his authority and the court’s validity. Danforth gains so much power from enforcing the law that he believes it justifies his corruption and the infallibility of his actions.
Miller exposes events of the Witch Trial where flawed authorities disregard justice for power, reflecting their desperation to uphold their reputation and control. They overlook their faults because of the great amount of authority the “common” man has granted them. Superiority causes tunnel vision that stops people from noticing the harsh reality of the consequences their actions cause. Unless people stop using power to justify unrighteous actions, there will be an endless continuation of corruption and vanity.

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