Life in Puritan Times as Shown in "The Crucible"

Imagine living a life full of hypocrites, but those same people are supposedly Godly

Christians. Living in the Puritan times was not always easy. These people were Christians that

were punished for making a single mistake, only to be humiliated when a wrongdoing occurred.

In the spring of 1692, witchcraft hysteria swept the entire town of Salem, Massachusetts. This

caused twenty people to be executed and 150 others were placed into jail. An estimated one

to nine million Europeans were accused of being witches. The Salem Witch Trials only

transcended into the McCarthy Blacklist. In the 1950’s, the McCarthy Blacklist was caused by

Joseph McCarthy, who was a Senator of Wisconsin. He believed that communism was on the

rise, so he tried everything in his power to get rid of it by using his voice to communicate with

the people. Because of this, the Republican Party won but soon enough he was turned against.

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692, translated into the playwright, The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

This playwright goes more in depth behind the Salem Witch Trials; some characters

characteristics have been changed. One of the main characters in The Crucible is Abigail

Williams who believes in witchcraft. Along with a few other girls, they start hysteria by saying

that witchcraft is real. Abigail lies to the other characters in order to not be crucified for being

a witch. While she is practicing witchcraft, she is also having an affair with John Proctor. John

Proctor is a farmer who is married to Elizabeth Proctor. In the end, Abigail runs away and John

Proctor is hanged. In the play, The Crucible, Arthur Miller portrays Abigail Williams as a rebel

with a cause by blaming...

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... conversation by asking

her if she would like a whipping. The truth is, Elizabeth Proctor is not a cold, sniveling woman.

She is just heartbroken that her husband had an affair with Abigail. Elizabeth only wants what

is best for her and her husband. Abigail is only trying to make Mrs. Proctor look bad, so she will

not be seen as guilty.

John Proctor’s sin caught up with him when he was hung for committing adultery.

Although Abigail escaped her problems by running away, she still has to live with guilt. Is

Abigail really running away from her problems though? Abigail’s sins will eventually catch up

with her. Arthur Miller shows the uneven balancing of the effects of committing a sin. The way

treated people without respect is uncalled for. Arthur also shows the difference between

acceptable and not acceptable behavior.