the crucible quotes about power

Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! She is able to use threats of physical violence to cow other girls into doing her bidding, but that's about as far as her influence extends. The Crucible is a 1953 historical fiction play by Arthur Miller, based on the real-life events of the Salem witch trials. Essay On Power In The Crucible. The ruthlessness with which the suspected witches are treated is aimed at purifying Salem, but it achieves the opposite outcome. Abigail distracts the judges from any rational investigation in this act by playing into this hysteria. Mary Warrens sense of self-importance has increased as a result of the perceived value of her participation in court. Arthur Miller, The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts 59 likes Like "Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. These two institutions fuse together in The Crucible to actively encourage accusers and discourage rational explanations of events. Abigail, on the other hand, has no such sense of closure, as this There are numerous connections between the flaws of individual characters and the overarching themes of the play that could be brought into this discussion. On Balance/Used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. 50). Here are few more quotes that show the concern of Salem residents with reputation and the pride they have in their names. With John Proctor, on the other hand, we find that his true inner self is strong enough stand up for truth. Parris is very quick to position himself on the side of the accusers as soon as Abigail throws the first punch, and he immediately threatens violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. Ironically, though she is normally honest to a fault, in this situation Elizabeth decides to lie to preserve Johns reputation, not knowing he has already confessed. Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. Please wait while we process your payment. He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Bettys affliction. (Proctor, Act 4, p. 133). . In this environment, whoever yells the loudest seems to get the most credibility. Before I get into the nitty-gritty of howThe Cruciblethemes are expressed, let's do a quick overview of what themes are and why they matter. Elizabeth's side of the story is disregarded because Abigails testimony is far more dramatic. "Think you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits? The Crucible | Quotes Share 1. The girls are essentially given permission by authority figures to continue their act because they are made to feel special and important for their participation. Essay prompts will ask about these themes in a variety of different ways. The Crucible remains a staple of high school English because it is rich in themes that are consistently relevant to human beings regardless of time period. She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. Take a look at this article for details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection. Read on for an overview of what a theme is, a list of important themes in The Crucible with specific act-by-act details, and a summary of how to use this information in your essays and other assignments. As an exercise to deepen your understanding of the book, try to explain how each one demonstrates concern about name, reputation, or pride. If that was the case, though, this quote shows how even those not taken in by the hysterical claims or fear can still be affected by it. Why does John decide to ruin his reputation in Act 3 by confessing to the affair? Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused. 20% Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. AGAIN, Danforth takes this as an act against his authority. Rational explanations are ground up by the drama of the rumor mill, and people see only what they want to see (whatever keeps them in the good graces of society andmakes them feel the best about themselves) in situations that don't appear to have easy explanations. One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love. Since 1692 a great but superficial change has wiped out God's beard and the Devil's horns, but the world is still gripped between two diametrically opposed absolutes. The Crucible Danforth's Innocence Quotes. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. Abigail also shows concern for her reputation. Quotes Deputy Governor Danforth We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment. There's also a bit of foreshadowing with "as though I come into a court", since in Act 3 Proctor will do that very thing. Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that Johns confession may not be the truth. "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her." 121). He insists,I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie (pg. Its easy for more respectable citizens to accept that shes in league with the Devil because she is an "other" in Salem, just like Tituba. He believes that Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated. Will you confess yourself with him? (pg. I have given you my soul; leave me my name!, I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. John Proctor surrenders his agency at the end of Act 3 in despair at the determination of the court to pursue the accusations of witchcraft and ignore all evidence of their falsehood. She believed she had seen spirits earlier because she was caught up in the delusions of those around her. Free trial is available to new customers only. Because I cannot have another in my life! While touting his holy credentials, he claims that he dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of my conscience may doubt it (pg. I'll not have such looks! By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials. Parris begs Danforth to postpone their hangings because he fears for his life if the executions proceed as planned. By Act 2, there are nearly 40 people in jail accused of witchcraft. "No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack up on this village. And well she might, for I thought of her softly. "There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit" Rev. 520 Words3 Pages. It is a providence, and no great change; we are only what we always were, but naked now. (Cheever pg. What is the writer attempting to convey to the viewer? A good example of just how multi-layered events in The Crucible are can be found by breaking down why John Proctor is hanged for witchcraft. She is a sensible, saintly old woman who chooses to martyr herself rather than lie and confess to witchcraft. Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? He is weak and vulnerable after Abigail's theft of his life's savings, and hes even facing death threats from the townspeople as a result of John and Rebecca's imminent executions. What happens when Mary Warren tells the court the truth about the girls acting bewitched? The faces that people present to the public are designed to garner respect in the community, but the witch trials have thrown this system into disarray. The irony in Danforth's statement is that it wasn't "just" to hang any of the accused witches in the first place, and so continuing to hang people just because it's already been done before is a terrible idea. It's strange work for a Christian girl to hang old women!, [W]e conceive the Devil as a necessary part of a respectable view of cosmology. Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. This immaculate proof that has led him to sign numerous death warrants is nothing but the fabrications of teenage girls and other townspeople seeking petty revenge. Refresh and try again. Many people are under the impression that irony is just when something happens that you don't expect (or that you really hoped wouldn't happen). Hereferences the many sentencing decisions he has already made in the trials of the accused. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Mrs. Putnam intends her exclamation to refer to the fact that there are witchy plots afoot, but it holds true even outside of that context things are not what they seem in Salem, and there are complex cause-and-effect chains. Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. 130). Mr. Hale, as God have not empowered me like Joshua to stop this sun from rising, so I cannot withhold from them the perfection of their punishment. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Abigail insists that she did nothing to deserve it and tries to put all the blame on Elizabeth Proctor. This pair of quotes both demonstrate the ironic concept: as far as the audience understands it, the only person who seems to be judging Proctor is not Elizabeth, but Proctor himself. This new power is exciting and very dangerous because it encourages the girls to make additional accusations in order to preserve their value in the eyes of the court. (Proctor, Act 2, p. 73). The most substantial female character is Abigail, who is portrayed as a devious and highly sexualized young woman. Consider the. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. The definition of power-hungry is basically the gist of Reverend Parris's character. Get professional help from PrepScholar. 71). Here are a couple of other quotes that demonstrate fear/hysteria. One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctors wife. There is too much evidence now to deny it" (Hale, Act 2, p. 61). There is a culture of keeping up appearances already in place, which makes it natural for people to lie about witnessing their neighbors partaking in Satanic rituals when the opportunity arises (especially if it means insulating themselves from similar accusations and even achieving personal gain). People in power continue to believe the accusers out of fear for their own safety, taking the hysteria to a point where no one is above condemnation. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Most Important Themes in The Crucible, Analyzed. Though hysteria overpowered the reputations of the accused in the past two acts, in act 4 the sticking power of their original reputations becomes apparent. This fact could destroy his credibility, so he is biased towards continuing to trust Abigail. The way to have power is to capture it. She would never be able to say what she says in this quote to, for instance, her uncle Parris, and get away with it. Ask questions; get answers. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented. It is a providence, and no great change; we are only what we always were, but naked now.. Life, woman, life is God's most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it. Parris is extremely dismayed by this revelation because of the damage it will do to his reputation. Of course, the part he leaves out in his discussion is whether or not the victims are trustworthy just because "they do testify" doesn't mean that they're testifying truthfully but this is a blind spot for Danforth. The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt. Nurse?" Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now: hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(360031, 'f20994d3-fd87-4c1e-988d-22ad8d920c1a', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); This final section is devoted to The Crucible quotes that don't relate to one of the themes listed above, but still mark an important moment in the play. In Act 2, John Proctors guilt over his affair with Abigail is demonstrated through an ironic exchange with Reverend Hale. Hale is describing how he came in full of pride in himself and abilities, only to have that pride result in the deaths of others. I pay you, sir, this argument, let lawyers present to you." As for the witches, none will deny that we are most eager for all their confessions. Therefore, we must rely upon her victimsand they do testify, the children certainly do testify. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? in an Act I conversation with John Proctor, clueing the audience Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. Sure, you don't expect or want rain, but it's not the polar opposite of getting married. Contact us How do the actions of authority figures encourage the girls to continue their accusations and even genuinely believe the lies theyre telling? John tells the judge to summon Elizabeth to back him up because he knows she always tells the truth. His only goal is to get on the good side of the community as a whole, even in the midst of this bout of collective hysteria. I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (pg. In the Puritan theocracy of Massachusetts, a government run by religious authorities, the dominant . For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together!, Oh,Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer., PROCTOR, his mind wild, breathless: I say--I say--God is dead!, When it is recalled that until the Christian era the underworld was never regardded as a hostile area, that all gods were useful and essentially friendly to man despite occasional lapsesl when we see the steady methodical inculcation into humanity of the idea of man's worthlesseness - until redeemed - the necessity of the Devil may become evident as a weapon, a weapon designed and used time and time again in every age to whip men into a surrender to a particular church or church state., What work you do! As we'll see in a quote by Danforth later on in this article, the proof only remains beyond reproach if you believe in witchcraft more than you believe that people are fallible. He says, I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town (pg. The overall message is that when a person's actions are driven by desires to preserve favorable public opinion rather than do the morally right thing, there can be extremely dire consequences. He believes there is a group of people in town determined to remove him from this position, and. 42). overflows, and we see the roots of what becomes her targeted, destructive The real "powers of dark" affecting Salem are suspicion and fear, not anything demonic. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Many fungi grow out of the earth; consequently they are often discussed in books about plants. May 1, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 (Act 4, p. 119). Essay questions that ask about themes in this straightforward way can be tricky because there's a temptation to speak in vague terms about the theme's significance. Explain the irony of Hales position at the end of the play as compared to his actions at the beginning. When she cant get John to abandon Elizabeth for her, she decides to take matters into her own hands and gain control through manipulating the fears of others. Danforths image is extremely valuable to him, and he refuses to allow Parris concerns to disrupt his belief in the validity of his decisions. The whole purpose of a trial is to hear both sides of the story before a verdict is reached. He manages to make himself confess and signs the confession, but when the court officials try to take the confession away to show to the whole town, that is the sticking point. In this act, she yells Dont lie! at Tituba immediately before she tells some of the most damning lies of the play accusing Tituba of witchcraft (. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. For clarity, the quotes are grouped into four themes: irony, fear and hysteria, pride and reputation, and power and authority. Proctor's self-worth is entirely tied up in "his name" and how others perceive him. Ours is a divided empire in which certain ideas and emotions and actions are of God, and their opposites are of Lucifer. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses. "We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment." Get the latest articles and test prep tips! SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination BoardTM. Cite this page as follows: "Use quotes to discuss how Abigail, Danforth, and John Proctor use their power and authority in The Crucible."eNotes Editorial, 12 Oct. 2017, https://www.enotes.com . Nowhere is there any consideration of ulterior motives. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. Explain who you believe is the central tragic character in the play. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Here's another quote that shows the flip-flop of power and authority that happens during the witch trials: "ABIGAIL, stepping up to Danforth: What look do you give me? 10. In this act, we learn more details about the accused that paint a clearer picture of the influence of reputation and social standing on the patterns of accusations. Parris is worried "they will howl [him] out of Salem for such corruption in [his] house" (14). Though Rebecca Nurse's involvement has already been corroborated by other confessors, Danforth demands to hear it from John to confirm that John is fully committed to renouncing his supposed ties to Satan. The Crucible argues that those most concerned with reputation, like Parris, are dangerous to society: to protect themselves, they're willing to let others be harmed and fuel hysteria in the process. Abigails presence is always rife with irony in. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. How does this philosophy perpetuate hysteria? 41). Act 4 is Danforths turn to shine in the irony department. in to her past affair with him. Curious about more recent (20th-century) occult activity in the U.S.? references the many sentencing decisions he has already made in the trials of the accused. I'll not conceal it, my hand shakes yet as with a wound! Enter all missing letters. Why is hypocrisy so common in repressive communities like Salem? But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between. "Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Danforth explains that witchcraft is an invisible crime and that only the victims are reliable. John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigails dismissal. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. Beware of it!" Interested in getting even deeper into the themes of The Crucible? She turns and starts for the door." Though hysteria overpowered the reputations of the accused in the past two acts, in act 4 the sticking power of their original reputations becomes apparent. (Mrs. Putnam, Act 1, p. 26). Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.. He walks as though toward a great horror, facing the open sky. One example of this is when Mary Warren accuses John Proctor of being the Devil's man: when push comes to shove, she is not strong enough to tell the truth (Act 3, p. 110). The overall message is that. 217013/Used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God. He appears to have no governing system of morality. Is there any character besides John Proctor that represents the voice of common sense amidst the madness? The importance placed on reputation helps perpetuate hysteria because it leads to inaction, inflexibility, and, in many cases, active sabotage of the reputations of others for selfish purposes. Though Rebecca Nurse's involvement has already been corroborated by other confessors, Danforth demands to hear it from John to confirm that John is fully committed to renouncing his supposed ties to Satan. (Elizabeth, Act 4, p. 134). You can also read my full summary of The Crucible here for a review of exactly what happens in the plot in each act. "I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it." Why doesnt Danforth believe John Proctors confession of his infidelity with Abigail Williams? Subscribe now. How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? Parris asks Danforth to postpone Proctor and Rebecca's executions in Act IV after Abigail and Mercy run away, which casts doubt on the entire trial. Look no further! But second, and perhaps more important, we see in this quotation a fierce loathing of the entire town"I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons. Reverend Samuel Parris plays an important role in . They are extremely biased towards believing they have made the correct sentencing decisions in court thus far, so they are reluctant to accept new evidence that may prove them wrong. To Danforth, anything that doesnt confirm that he was right all along is a lie. I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! Elizabeth is a victim of cruel irony in this Act when she is summoned to testify on the reasons why she dismissed Abigail from her household. These lines are said by Abigail Williams in court, and they are directed towards Danforth. Shes not a traditionally accepted target like the others (except in her susceptibility as a woman to the misogyny that runs rampant in the play). Danforth cannot speak. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. (Act 1, p. 12). Welcome back. Goody Good, an old beggar woman, is one of the first to be named a witch. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. Though Danforth is the most powerful official figure in court, Abigail manipulates him easily with her performance as a victim of witchcraft. You are selected, Tituba, you are chosen to help us cleanse our village." Abigails presence is always rife with irony in The Crucible, as she constantly chastises others for sins she herself has committed. 22). We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!" This quote shows how even Giles Corey, one of the more level-headed characters in The Crucible, got caught up in the hysteria of the witch trials and got his wife accused of being a witch. 12) The first act of The Crucibleclearly establishes the fact that a bad reputation can damage a persons position in this society severely and irreparably. Continue to start your free trial. They are all in the meeting room at court. "ABIGAIL, in an open threat: Let you beware, Mr. Danforth. He chooses to die instead of providing a false confession because he doesnt think life will be worth living after he is so disgraced.

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