Why did Tituba confess to dancing with the Devil? This lie essentially condemns both of them. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. "In an ordinary crime, how does one defend the accused? We've got 50 quotes and 4 themes that will help you spark some great ideas. The Crucible Judge Danforth Character Analysis | ipl.org 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. To Danforth, anything that doesnt confirm that he was right all along is a lie. When the petition testifying to the good character of the accused women is presented, the reaction from Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris is to arrest the people who signed it rather than considering that this might indicate that the women are innocent. 118). Wed love your help. In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft. Read our overview of the characters in The Crucible here. The village is certainly under attack, but not necessarily in the way Hale thinks it is. And the wind, God's icy wind, will blow!" to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. How do the actions of authority figures encourage the girls to continue their accusations and even genuinely believe the lies theyre telling? Mary Warren Quotes. Hales involvement is taken to mean that there must be a supernatural element to Bettys illness. As she begs him to come back to her, her anger You surely know that" (Proctor, Act 3, p. 102), "Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. While I speak God's law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering. Danforth insists that John must know more about the Devil's dealings than he has revealed. Hale tries to combat his guilt by persuading the prisoners to confess, refusing to accept that the damage has already been done. Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of the daughter of a prince (pg. This act also sees the irony of Hale discussing the powers of the dark that are attacking Salem (pg. They are all in the meeting room at court. To Hale: She comes to me while I sleep; she's always making me dream corruptions!" I may falter somewhat, Mister; I am no fool." It is not just." Essential Passage 1: Act 1. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Hale tells Danforth not to be hasty, let Proctor come back with a lawyer later. The Crucible: Reverend Parris Quotes - Study.com Themes tell us what the purpose of the work is. In The Crucible, the reputation of the church, the government, and the individual is called into question. Arthur Miller. How does this philosophy perpetuate hysteria? John P to Rev P and Putnam Act 1, Greed, Abuse of Power, Jealousy, paranoia, reputation, "I like not the smell of this 'authority'" John P to Rebecca and others Act 1, Themes & issues: The Crucible & The Dressmake, trespass to the person: false imprisonment, The Crucible quotes (theme: freedom of speech), Higher Don Paterson poem quotes: The Ferryman, Higher Don Paterson poem quotes: Waking with, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Literature and Composition: Reading, Writing,Thinking, Carol Jago, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses. 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. In Act 2, the value of reputation in Salem starts to butt heads with the power of hysteria and fear to sway peoples opinions (and vengeance to dictate their actions). The definition of power-hungry is basically the gist of Reverend Parris's character. 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 (She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.Parris must rush to be the first accuser so he can place himself beyond reproach. By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials. She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. Curious about more recent (20th-century) occult activity in the U.S.? The authorities ignore any inconvenient logical objections to the proceedings because they, too, are swept up in the madness. The Crucible Quotes: Justice | SparkNotes 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. 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!, What victory would the Devil have to win a soul already bad? 10+ Important Abigail Williams Quotes And Meanings From The Crucible As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem. They say he give them but two words. If you hope to write an awesome essay onThe Crucible, you should have extensive knowledge of its themes. This includes not only accusatory lies about the involvement of others in witchcraft but also the lies that people consistently tell about their own virtuousness and purity in such a repressive society. Consider the. The hysterical atmosphere and the dramatic performances of some of the accusers cause people to believe they have seen genuine proof of witchcraft.