Selfishness and Its Contribution to Tragedy in 'The Crucible'

Human Flaws in Arthur Miller's The Crucible Many of the characters in Arthur Miller's The Crucible have specific human flaws that cause the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. Many villagers, especially Abigail Williams, take advantage of the opportunity to seek vengeance on others through the trials. Greed for power and land often holds precedence when the hysteria takes over. Fear of being arrested or put to death is the key motivation in turning others in as witches.

I believe that Abigail Williams is to blame for turning the town of Salem against many people, and I think it is her fault that several people were killed. Abigail Williams sends the town into a state of hysteria by accusing men and women of practicing the satanic art of witchcraft. Abigail’s flaws - her lustful desire for John Proctor, her deceptive habit of lying in order to retain her good name in the town, and her selfishness and obsessive aspiration for power – led her to be ultimately responsible for the catastrophe of the witch hunt in Salem. The first reason Abigail is to blame for the deaths of the innocent Puritans is her lustful personal ambition to be John Proctor’s wife. John and Abigail previously had an affair, which basically began the hysteria.

At one point, Abigail becomes angered when John will no longer take her back in place of Elizabeth, and Abigail says, "She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold sniveling woman, and you bend to her" (M... ... middle of paper ... ... have vengeance by means of Salem's court. Vengeance dictated the actions of many characters in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, just as Salem's court system became utilized as a means of retaliation for those characters. During the period of the witch trials, it became an opportunistic time for residents of Salem to have revenge on those who they abhor.

​The witches play a huge part in Macbeth’s life. These three evil people open the way for Macbeth to commit such horrible crimes in order to fulfill their prophecy. When Macbeth writes the letter to his wife about his meeting with the three witches, his wife wants to fulfill the prophecy right away. Macbeth does not want to go through with Lady Macbeth’s plan, which is to kill Duncan. Lady Macbeth becomes very angry and criticizes Macbeth greatly (1.7.48-49).

Vol. 22. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1982. Riley and Barbara Harte, eds. "Kurt Vonnegut, Jr." Contemporary Literary Criticism.

Vol. 29 Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1988 Fraiberg, Sarah. Twentieth Century Literary Criticisms. Ed. Bryfonski and Hall.

Delamotte, Eugenia C. reprinted in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism Vol. 37. Ed. Paula Kepos. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1991.

Evil In Women and Its Effect on Macbeth "...My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man that function Is smother'd in surmise, and nothing is But what is not." (1.3.140-143). Throughout Shakespeare's play, we see that Macbeth is the victim of  evil seduction by women. In the above quote the evil is perpetrated by the witches. Lady Macbeth also plays a strong role in his moral corruption.

6. Timothy Findley "The Wars". Published by Penguin books and Copyright 1977. Pg113. 7.

Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism Vol. 35. Detroit: Gale, 1990. 183-189.