Sacrifices in The Crucible
In today’s society, sacrifices play a big role in our everyday lives. They range from small, such as sacrificing that piece of cake to keep you feeling healthier and a little better about yourself, to big sacrifices such as a firefighter sacrificing his life for a complete stranger. At the end of the day, they all all make a difference for better or for worse. In the play “The Crucible”, many various sacrifices were made during the process of exposing the possible witchcraft that was going on in Salem. These sacrifices were a result of fear. People were afraid that they would be accused of witchcraft and would do anything to avoid being pinned. A few of the sacrifices that were made were people 's lives, the happiness
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Most of the relationships in “The Crucible” were either broken or badly damaged. In the play, Abigail says, “‘She [Tituba] makes me drink blood’” (Miller 43). Abigail decides that sacrificing Tituba’s and her friendship is worth it at the end of the day and a necessary measure to draw the attention away from the bad things that she has done. Abigail is basically using Tituba as a distraction and doing that to a friend obviously won’t end well, especially with a topic this dramatic. Due to Abigail’s actions, their relationship will never be like it used to. This also puts Abigail at a higher risk for Tituba to rat her out about anything she ever did that could be related to witchcraft. Calling out Tituba was obviously a needed step in Abigail’s eyes. Another instance in which the search for witchcraft took it’s toll on a relationship was when proctor signed his death certificate by ripping up the paper that would have saved his life. In the play, it says, “Proctor tears the paper and crumples it, and he is weeping in fury, but erect” (Miller 144). It was such a shock to Elizabeth as John sat there destroying the only thing that could keep them together. Even though their love was eternal, their relationship could never be the same. They would never get the chance to hold each other, laugh together, or raise their three children with one another. This was all to keep John’s name pure and try to inflict …show more content…
Lives were taken, the happiness and peace was robbed from the town and the people within, and relationships saw their last day. The impacts of these sacrifices are results that we have no control over. We could all be thinking that a decision we made was vital to the situation, but it could actually just cause more hardship. In the grand scheme of things, the most crucial question is: what sacrifices are actually worth
The absolute power of aristocracies is a scourge on society that corrupts minds and imposes too much of an impact on the lives of the majority. At the time when Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible, society was subject to McCarthyism, the unquestionable authoritative force that could and did ruin the lives of those suspected of communism. Yet, of these people who suffered the brunt of punishment from authority, a numerous percentage of them displayed hypocrisy in accusing others out of survival. In The Crucible, Miller reflects this idea of hypocrisy in an environment where unquestionable authority reigns. His work displays the essentiality in rising out of such an insincere state and acting upon what
In The Crucible, John Proctor is a good man with a deadly secret. He has a wife, children, and a good name in the Puritan society. However, his lust for Abigail Williams leads to their affair, which could potentially ruin Proctor’s status in Salem if anyone were to find out. Proctor is, above all, a proud man who places great emphasis on his reputation. Proctor regrets his past actions, and dislikes Abigail for continually provoking him to love her. Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, is suspicious of his relations with Abigail, which causes tension in their marriage. His negative feelings toward Abigail grow stronger and stronger as the
In the crucible, I believe reputation and respect was interwoven in the term of the play the ‘‘crucible’’. Reputation and Respect can also be a theme or a thematic idea in the play, reputation is very essential in a town where social status is synonymously to ones competence to follow religious rules. Your standing is what enables you to live as one in a community where everyone is bound to rules and inevitable sequential instructions. Many characters for example, john proctor and reverend parris, base their action on the motive to protect their reputation which is only exclusive to them. People like reverend parris saw respect as what made them important or valuable in a town like Salem, this additionally imprinting to his character as a very conventional man.
In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the main character Abigail Williams is to blame for the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts. Abigail is a mean and vindictive person who always wants her way, no matter who she hurts. Through out the play her accusations and lies cause many people pain and suffering, but she seemed to never care for any of them except John Proctor, whom she had an affair with seven months prior to the beginning of the play. John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth used to employ Abigail, until Elizabeth found out the affair and threw Abigail out. Although John told Abigail that the affair was over and he would never touch her again, she tried desperately to rekindle their romance. "Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again." (Page 23) She claimed that she loved John and that he loved her. Before the play began, Abigail tried to kill Elizabeth with a curse. She thought that if Elizabeth were dead John would marry her. Further into the play, Abigail accused Elizabeth of witchcraft. She saw Marry Warren, the Proctor's servant, making a poppet. Mary put a needle into the doll, and Abigail used that for her accusation. She stabbed herself with a needle and claimed that Elizabeth's soul had done it. Although Abigail claimed she loved John, she may have just loved the care and attention he gave her. John cared for her like no one else had. In a way he could be described as somewhat of a father figure to her. When Abigail was just a child, she witnessed her parents' brutal murders. "I saw Indians smash my dear parent's heads on the pillow next to mine..." (page 20) After her traumatic experience, she was raised by her uncle, Reverend Parris, who is somewhat of a villain. In the play it was written, "He (Parris) was a widower with no interest in children, or talent with them." (Page 3) Parris regarded children as young adults who should be "thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak." (Page 4) Therefore, it is obvious to see that Abigail grew up without any love or nurturing.
The Crucible – Characters and Changes & nbsp; Change is good for the future. " We hear the catchy phrase everywhere. From company slogans to motivational speeches, our world seems to impose this idea that change is always a good thing. Assuming that the change is for the better, it is probably a true statement in most cases. The root of this idea seems to come from the notion that we are dissatisfied with the state that we are in, so, in order to create a more enjoyable environment, we adjust.
The Crucible – Forgiveness & nbsp; The Healing Power Of Forgiveness - The Gift of Reconciliation. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." --- Mahatma Gandhi & nbsp; Forgiveness is a process of inner healing. For most of the people in The Crucible, they did not need to necessarily forgive others but forgive themselves.
Sacrifices, they are made by a person who committed whatever they did or by an anonymous person who is tired of the situation. Why are made sacrifices made? For loved ones or for beliefs? Arthur Miller shows in the play that there are many sacrifices made.
In the Crucible, we are introduced to the main protagonist John Proctor; the way that Arthur Miller presents him by rebelling against the authority in Salem. Out of the entire town he is the only person that speaks out, realising that the authority is unfair and unjust; he is not like everyone else in the town who keeps quiet to themselves. There are many situations where we the readers can see very clear examples of him rebelling against the authority that controlled Salem. One example of Proctor rebelling against authority in Salem was when he did not go to church on a Sabbath day and instead decided to pray in his own home ‘Mr Proctor, your house is not a church; your theology must tell you that’. That is one clear example of him rebelling
Sammy puts on his mascara and is about to put on his wig when Ali and Olivia walk in
There are many marvelous things to stand for in life that have such a great influence that people would sacrifice everything they know and love to be dedicated to their topic. This great sacrifice is shown by examples of great historical figures that put everything on the line to show dedication to stand up for what they believe in. Reverend Hale in Arthur Millers “The Crucible”, set in Salem Massachusetts, demonstrates “No principle, however glorious, is worth dying for.” This is countered by the actions of many heroic figures, many throughout history have sacrificed their lives for the dedication to their passionate beliefs.
Is there any idea worth more than a human life? In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor decides that he has nothing left to live for, and therefore becomes a martyr. The question for him or one in his position would be whether or not there exist causes worth dying for and if his position is one such case. There is no principle worth more than a person’s life and therefore principles worth dying for, only principles worth living for.
Great events, whether they are beneficial or tragic ones, bring change in a person. These scenarios can give one an entirely new perspective on life, and turn around his way of thinking. Events such as the Salem Witch Trials show the people involved what they could not see before. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale, and John Proctor gain valuable insight into themselves, as well as others.
“TIMES UP! PUT YOUR WRITING UTENSILS DOWN OR TAKE THE RISK OF GETTING YOUR TEST VOIDED”
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible (1953) was written against the backdrop of the communist witch-hunts. Miller drew parallels between the 1692 Salem witch trials and Joseph McCarthy’s communist-crackdown to create a society of tension and fear. In both dystopian situations, a misguided judicial and political system skewed the social perspective. The courts condemned individuals upon evidence that was false; yet, no sense of wrongdoing was felt. The religiously intolerant society of Salem sought to enforce theocratic rule and suppress freedom of opinion. From a philosophical standpoint, a systematic analysis of the morals and ethics underpinning the Salem society will lead to a discerning understanding of the play. In addressing the Ethics Center, IQ2 and the QCAA, it will be argued today that a mandatory inclusion of the Crucible is crucially vital as it prompts reflections on larger human concerns by extend thinking beyond one’s own experience and educates students about ethics and morality in society.
In The Crucible John Proctor betray Elizabeth when he choses to commit adultery with Abigail. Elizabeth has a forgiving heart in this situation. Elizabeth says to John Proctor, “John, it come to naught that I should forgive you, if you’ll not forgive yourself” (Miller 136). This quotation shows that Elizabeth will overcome anything to save her marriage, and this relates to the importance of the text as a whole. Elizabeth has anger toward John Proctor for deceiving her and potentially destroying the marriage they have with a young girl but does not want their marriage to end. Elizabeth develops as a character throughout the book when she decides to forgive John Proctor. Elizabeth’s heart changes when she conquers her own pride to overlook John