The Witch Trails of Salem in The Crucible be Arthur Miller

When one confronts the unknown, calamity may outbreak in order to achieve knowledge of what it is. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller shows that the unknown may cause calamity through the corruption of the Witch Trials of Salem. Throughout the novel, Miller shows that the unknown will destroy a civilization if the higher-class allow it through the accusation of Rebecca Nurse, the actions of Abigail Williams to rid of Elizabeth Proctor, and the structure of the village

The unknown blinds one’s common sense, thus leading to chaos. Rebecca Nurse, wife of Francis Nurse, is highly respected in Salem, Massachusetts, but is accused for witchcraft, which is preposterous to almost everybody in the village. This is shown when Reverend Hale tells everybody in John Proctor’s house what has happened in courthouse: “Elizabeth: ‘Rebecca’s charged!’… Proctor: ‘Surely you cannot think so.’ Hale: ‘This is a strange time, Mister. No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark’” (Miller 64). The quote shows the shock that Elizabeth Proctor undergoes when she hears the news. The shock is imperative because it supports the idea that Mrs. Nurse is highly respected. The phrase “No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark” (Miller 64). shows the deterioration of the village’s unity and peace-of-mind because it says that the proof that witchcraft is happening in Salem is incontrovertible, in opposed to before, whereas before they could explain paranormal activities with logic. The impending doom of witchcraft for the village of Salem is becoming closer and it is blinding the eyes of people to the extent that someone so deeply respected, such as Rebecca Nurse, is being accused for doing the actions of the Devil. The unknown and vast darkness of witchcraft bl...

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...w the teachings of the upper-class blindly and if a civilization is confronted by the unknown and the upper-class change nothing, civilization will be destroyed and Arthur Miller shows this through the accusation of Rebecca Nurse, the actions of Abigail Williams to rid of Elizabeth Proctor, and the structure of the village. Modern-day society looks back at a time in which turmoil was abroad such as the time frame in which The Crucible happened and is in awe of what destruction happened, but in their eyes, the villagers thought they were doing nothing wrong in punishing the accused witches. How can we, as a society, truly know if our actions are justified? In reality, we cannot, for even religion did not save the villagers of Salem, Massachusetts. We may never know if there is true liberation of our actions of punishment, for the answer is found only in the unknown.