The Crucible Timed Write The Salem Witch Trials were an abnormal series of events that scars the history of the United States. Arthur Miller, in his play, The Crucible, portrays these infamous events. Throughout the play, many innocent lives are taken by execution as a result of various wily allegations made by a group of girls led by Abigail Williams. However, the girls in that group were not the only figures responsible for the deaths of the alleged “witches”. Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Deputy Danforth all share the most liability for those deaths. In the Crucible, Abigail Williams and her group of girls are the main “witnesses” of all the witch trials. As the leader of their group, Abigail Williams was the initiator of the trials. After being caught in the woods trying to conjure a spell to get rid of Elizabeth Proctor, …show more content…
The man who ran the show in the courtroom was Judge Danforth. As the judge of the court of a theocratic government, Danforth was religious. The idea of witchcraft being practiced in his own town was terrifying to him. Due to this, Danforth wanted any witch in Salem to be dealt with. Judge Danforth would believe Abigail or any other girl of the group that they had seen the devil in the defendant. Each time one of the girls “saw” the devil inside one of the alleged witches, Danforth took this as conclusive enough evidence to declare them witches. As a judge, Danforth should have waited for more conclusive evidence before sentencing any of the eventual victims. Eventually, Danforth began to suspect Abigail and the girls of lying. However, if he quit accepting their testimonies, that would mean that the others executions were performed without legitimate evidence. Danforth’s new motive was to protect his credibility as a judge. Because of this, Judge Danforth was one of the most responsible for the death of the 19 innocent
(Miller 129). Danforth was more concerned about how the village would view him, then saving the lives of the accused people. He would rather have people die then admit he was wrong. He took away a chance for the people accused to get a fair trial and a fair-minded judge. If he
Abigail Williams, Deputy Governor Danforth , and Thomas Putnam are responsible for the people, who were wrongly convicted and hanged. These three characters were either looking for vengeance, looking for land, or too dimwitted to realize they were being conned. Hatred was walking in salem and people took their chances accusing their witnesses of being witches to get what they wanted. Abigail Williams was a teenage girl, who reeked vengeance on Elizabeth Proctor.
Between February 1692 until May 1693, there was a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. The result of the trials included over two hundred people accused and twenty deaths. Of all the accusers, Abigail Williams was the most responsible for the Salem Witch Trials. Abigail Williams had been involved in an affair between John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor. Williams was removed from the Proctor house as soon as Elizabeth Proctor found out about the affair.
Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible in 1953. Arthur Miller wrote the play because he was inspired by McCarthyism. McCarthyism was the hunt for communists that was taken too far. In The Crucible he presented a universal message. He was comparing how communists did exist and witches did not, but yet they were both taken as serious.
He is the blame for Mr. Giles’s death. Mr. Gale told Danforth about someone telling him about Putnam. Then Mr. Giles is convicted of the contempt of the court. Giles said, “This is a hearing; you cannot clap me for contempt of a hearing,” (93). After, Mr. Giles is place on the ground with weights on him until he tells the court the name.
When a trial is going on the court needs to have solid evidence before accusing anyone of being guilty or not guilty. The Salem Witch trials was a historical event that took place in Salem, Massachusetts, where a group of girls were accused of witchcraft, and later they all testified to the activity of witchcraft, and for this they were not punished for their wrong doings; however, everyone else that was accused and did not testify were punished for telling the truth about not being involved in witchcraft. The ultimate responsibility for the deaths of the innocent Puritans is borne by Danforth because he makes decisions without having solid proof, he believes the other girls over Mary Warren , and he has all the power to decide who gets to die or survive. One reason why Danforth is responsible for the death of the innocent Salemites is because he makes decisions without having solid proof. During the whole trials Danforth does not believe anyone who does not testify to witchcraft because he believes the girls that accused the innocent puritans.
He believes strongly in his ability to judge the character of the informants. This comes into play when others question his judgement of Abigail and the girls from the woods. Danforth has a great deal of authority over the verdict of the accused, he has the power to judge them as not guilty. Danforth being the primary judge means he could have admitted to his foolishness and told the community that the accused people were not witches, and it would have made the townspeople believe that there was no witch problem in Salem at all. Danforth is too concerned with his reputation to admit that his judgement, at first, was clouded.
Brook Mills Mrs. Brown English 10 11/03/15 Many individuals of Salem have to deal with everyday hysteria with many people accused of being a witch and being executed. Other than Abigail, three characters who are to blame for the hysteria in The Crucible are Judge Danforth, John Proctor, and Mary Warren. A character that contributed to the hysteria in The Crucible was Judge Danforth. He contributed to the hysteria because he sent men and women to be executed for no reason.
In conclusion, Abigal Williams, Judge Danforth, and Reverand Hale are
Throughout the story, Danforth allowed the character Abigail Williams and the other girls in the story to have the power to have anyone in the village killed. Abigail was searching for revenge to several people throughout the story. This alone resulted in several deaths because people got killed if Abigail blamed a character that she didn’t like of witchcraft. Abigail and the other girls in this story have caused the death of more than 20 people because of Danforth’s ignorance. In The Crucible, Danforth stated, “I have until this moment not the slightest reason to suspect that the children may be deceiving me.”
Adolescent minds are the most intelligent kind of mind. A young brain is filled with creativity, imagination and innocence. Though the thought process of a teen is assumed to be selfish there are other factors involved. A combination of these characteristics seems almost dangerous. One would undermine a juvenile to use these qualities to manipulate the court for their own selfish wishes or pleasures.
The Salem Witch Trials were fueled by fear because no one wanted to be punished or killed. In Document B, Act 1 of The Crucible, Reverend Hale arrives to see who is behind all of the witchcraft. When he asks the girls to give him, the names of the people they saw with the Devil. “Abigail: I want to open myself. I want the light of God; I want the sweet love of Jesus!”
The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a dramatic play that expresses a very important message and that is how far people would go to save themselves from the hands of death. There are many characters in the Crucible who are guilty of taking innocent lives, but there are three major characters who, without a doubt, are the most at blame. The play takes place in the city of Salem, a city filled with people that would do anything to keep their reputation clean. Throughout the play, Miller is introducing multiple characters that experience changes in their decisions and negatively influence more people eventually leading up to the witch trials. The main point that the story revolves around is that people would rather lie and blame someone else instead of confessing and accepting the punishment.
If The Witch Don’t Fit, You Must Acquit In “The Crucible” 1953 written by Arthur Miller, wrote that hysteria in any place can ruin lives. The year is 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. In Salem at the time it was a modest town brimming with Puritans. In the town of Salem, little secrets, jealousy and massive hysteria spread around the town.
Danforth: Judge, Jury, and Executioner Judge Danforth’s position in the crucible is the Judge assigned to the proceedings of the Salem witch trials. Instead of treating this immense responsibility with the respect and restraint that is needed, Danforth abused his power by betraying the people of Salem and the Law. He did not listen to the people of Salem defending themselves before inevitably being sent to death; and he cared more about his reputation and the law than he did about peoples’ lives. Danforth was a ruthless power over the people of Salem he demanded respect for himself and the court; and nothing was more important than that.