Preserving Reputations in The Crucible Many characters in The Crucible are concerned about their reputation. The one that stands out the most is Abigail Williams. She does whatever is necessary to ensure her name is not associated with bad things. The first time this occurs is in Act I when she is talking with John Proctor about his wife, Elizabeth. “She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling lies about me! She is a cold, sniveling woman, and you bend to her!” (Miller 1247). Abigail is concerned about what Elizabeth Proctor is saying about her around Salem. Abigail does not like Elizabeth because Elizabeth is married to John, who Abigail is in love with. Abigail is trying to make people feel sorry for her and look down on Elizabeth.
In The Crucible, there are many characters concerned about their reputation. Several want to keep a good name and others feel like the truth is more important. However, I know the truth is always more important than a good name. Telling the truth has kept me out of trouble many times even though I didn’t look so good afterwards. When I was in fourth grade, my best friend Emily
According to Biblical Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Book of Proverbs, 22:1). The pursuit of a distinguished reputation is not reprehensible in itself, however, excessive ego in oneself makes the pursuit dangerous for oneself and the community. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible the actions made to preserve one’s reputation are put into moral question. Arthur Miller uses Abigail and Dansforth to disclose the egotistical need for the preservation of reputation in these characters.
In the late 1600s, early 1700s in Salem there is a seventeen year old girl named Abigail Williams, who is accused by her uncle, Reverend Parris, that he had seen her and a few others dancing and running naked in the woods (Miller, 1131). This information is the basis of the beginning of the play, The Crucible, that is written by Arthur Miller. He illustrates, a time when people lived as Puritans and were blamed of practicing witchcraft, which was considered a serious issue and many were put in prison, punished, and or put to death because of it. Knowing that practicing witchcraft can lead to one's death many accused citizens would do anything to save themselves. This leads into people having, APD, also known as antisocial personality disorder,
According to Webster’s dictionary, the definition of crucible is “a place or occasion of severe test or trial.” In 1692, the Salem witch trials occurred in Massachusetts where several residents were accused of witchcraft. The reputation of many of these individuals and their families were tested and even ruined because of these trials. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the author fictionalizes an account of the events to convey that reputation is important in society.
In the Crucible having a good name and being accepted into society, is more important to Proctor, Parris, and Danforth then the lives of innocent people. Proctor being a model citizen and well liked does not want to tell the truth about his affair with Abigail. Next Parris is looked at as a churchly figure, he does not want to go against the bible and speak out. Lastly Danforth is viewed as making the right decisions in court, but he later sees that he has sentenced the wrong people to death, he says nothing so he can protect his name and not be questioned. Based on their character decisions in the Crucible, it 's clear that keeping your reputation is very important if you want a good name and to be accepted
Arthur Miller continues to show how Abigail manipulates the court to create a sense of disbelief towards what Mary Warren is confessing about the accusations against Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail does this by accusing Judge Danforth of not trusting her: “...I done my duty pointing out the Devil’s people–and this is my reward? To be mistrusted, denied, questioned like a –”. (Miller 1307) She uses the good things she has supposedly done to make it seem like he is questioning an honest and trustworthy person when in reality it is the opposite.
There are many themes displayed throughout The Crucible, during different circumstances, as well as who the character is and what they are doing. However, one of the most important things displayed in the crucible is the character 's concern about their reputation, and what they will do to maintain it. Reputation is something that is a huge part of society in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, and who a person is, and their rank in society. There are many example of characters concerned about their reputations in the town, for selfish reasons, and most lie so they do not lose the reputation that they hold dearly to their heart. Reputations is something that the characters are very concerned with, as well as the honor and respect upon their names, and will do anything to preserve it, including lies, denial of witchery and satanic worship, and false accusations.
Abigail did this because she loved John and she knew that if she got his wife out of the picture they would have a better chance of being together because Elizabeth had recently kicked Abigail out of their house in fear that her and John had something going on. John knew his actions were wrong and that if he
In the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the relationship between Abigail Williams, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor in act one seems to be a rising conflict throughout the book. Ever since Abigail’s affair with John Proctor, she has been out to get Elizabeth for it. In act one Abigail tells John that “I never knew what pretense salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men... you loved me John Proctor” (Miller 24). Abigail is clearly confessing her love to John and she has no sense of closure between the two but John on the other hand, wants nothing but to put their relationship in the past.
During the hysteria of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, many people were accused of practicing witchcraft. Therefore, their reputation, was ruined. Other people committed many sins in order to keep their reputation clean in town. For instance, some characters had to lie, fight, and accuse other people of witchcraft which could get the individual out of trouble and keep their hands clean. when a person got accused of being a witch, the person’s reputation would get ruined and the person would go to jail or be hanged.
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.
Abigail Williams is not your typical teenage girl. She is a girl that will drink blood to kill someone, accuse people of witchcraft, and have a affair. By looking at The Crucible, one can see that Abigail Williams develops the theme of reputation, which is important because people who fear losing their reputation spread hysteria. Protecting her reputation motivates Abigail Williams to accuse others of being a witch.
By looking at The Crucible by Arthur Miller one can see that the characterization of John Proctor reveals the theme of reputation and integrity, which is important because refusing to tell lies to protect his reputation and stop delirium from spreading throughout Salem. John Proctor states that the woman of Salem who have been locked up for witchcraft:”Excellency, does it not strike upon you that so many of these women have lived so long with such upright reputation”(3.1.305-309). Proctor represents reputation because he would rather die than have his reputation downed to a victimizer. Protecting his reputation motivates John Proctor to deny that witchcraft exists in the village. All he hears is crying out of screams and wailing which is a cause of the Devil 's work: “What 's she doing?
In a setting of Salem, Massachusetts 1692, religion is the direct reflection of one's social standing. Reputation is extremely important for the town, as it is your only way to get a fair hearing and respect from the people. The protectiveness of reputation is necessary in The Crucible to justify yourself when presented with fallacious arguments. In this play the importance of reputation is revealed though the uses of ethos, logos and pathos. The protectiveness of reputation is uncovered through various characters such as Reverend Hale, Reverend Parris, and John Proctor.
Abigail Williams In the play "The Crucibles" by Arthur Miller, Abigail Williams was not such a good Puritan woman. She was a very young and gorgeous women but had sinned a lot against her Puritan religion. Abigail definitely did not make the right decisions for herself. She is an magnificent liar and tends to get others in trouble to save herself from getting caught.