Salem Witch Trials How would you like to be accused of something you did not do? During the Salem witch trials Elizabeth Proctor, the wife of John Proctor, was accused of witchcraft. Witchery was a huge deal in Salem, Massachusetts. If you were convicted you would either confess to something you did not do and serve jail time, or you would not confess and be hung for what you did. In May of the same year, witch hysteria had finally died down and the remaining prisoners were released. The Proctor’s were a wealthy family who lived on a large farm on the outskirts of Salem village. Elizabeth Proctor and John Proctor got married in April of 1674. Elizabeth was John’s third wife. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of Goody Burt, who was a folk healer, but was later accused of witchcraft thirty years earlier. John and Elizabeth had three kids before the trials began. …show more content…
There was a warrant for her arrest. She was brought to the Salem Village meetinghouse on April 11, and questioned by Judge Danforth. Abigail Williams, a teenage girl that had an affair with John Proctor, had claimed Elizabeth had been practicing witchery on her. Some afflicted girls began having fits and claimed that Elizabeth’s invisible forces were tormenting them. The judge deeper investigated and found that the Proctors’ servant, Mary Warren, had begun having the same symptoms. Although Marry Warren wasn’t one of Elizabeth’s original accusers, she went against both John and Elizabeth in court. According to, History of Massachusetts, Marry Warren told the court that the Proctor’s spirits beat and chocked her at night. Elizabeth then began serving jail time and finally got released in May, after the witch hysteria died
A month later in August another case came up. Elizabeth and John Proctor.. When the trials started John always said that the three affiliated girls were lying. But no one ever believed him. One day is servant Mary Warren began acting strange with very awkward behavior.
When Proctor was asked again, proctor stated that he would accuse Elizabeth for being a witch because she was acting out-of-hand and that was how witches were seemed to act. With these statements, you can see Proctor had changed his story about his beliefs. When Proctor went on with his answers he told me who he would accuse and described how witches acted. “Witches stay awake at night, they are extremely hyper, and they have major outbursts.” says Mr.
Since this his wife Elizabeth Proctor has forgiving him and no one else knows about the situation because he doesn't want to ruin his good name. Soon after the Witch Trials started, Abigail accused his wife of witch craft and the people came and got Elizabeth and took her captive. John Proctor was not happy about it at all. He knew his wife was innocent so he went down to the church and told them she was and that she wouldn't lie. In this he said that he had an affair with his servant and so the judge said I'll ask her if you did, if she says yes she's free if she says no she a witch.
His request was denied and Proctor was hanged. His wife, Elizabeth Proctor, was also convicted of witchcraft; however, she was pardoned from the execution because she was pregnant at the
The situation escalates quickly and soon a court is set up in Salem with people being accused, convicted, and executed because of witchcraft charges. The central figure in this story, John Proctor, along
Proctor brings about some valid points in the witch trials to save not just his wife but his friends wives also. Proctor is a wise man and makes a strong argument to Reverend Hale about Abigail’s and others confessions that, “There are them that will swear to anything before they’ll hang,” why not lie and confess if the other choice is death(Miller 65). First of many arguments that Proctor will bring up but this is one of the strongest that brings with it a different idea, a more reasonable solution of why all this
Many young people today are unaware that the Salem Witch Trial occurred. Some people like to believe that it was a hoax created by the government. Alex Jones was a famous conspiracy theorist who has played a big part in convincing many people that the Salem Witch Trial was a ruse to scare the population. People now get all of their information off of non-credible sites and social media. People don’t bother to look for the true facts and only hear what they want to.
Salem, Massachusetts, USA and occurred between February 1692 and May 1693. Over 150 people were arrested and imprisoned and even more accused; but not pursued by the authorities. 29 were convicted of witchcraft but only 19 were hanged. The best known trials were in the Court of Oyer and Terminer.
When The Salem witch trials stated many people were accused of witchcraft and some of them have to go through a severe test. Elizabeth Proctor and John Proctor were two of the people that had to go through a severe test. Elizabeth was arrested because Abigail Williams accused her of witchcraft as a result she was put in jail. John Proctor her husband went to court to testify that she was innocent. Elizabeth severe test begins when John decides to testify in court that he had an affair with Abigail.
Arthur Miller’s portrayal of a town in the midst of a downfall “The Crucible”, tells the story of how mob mentality and hysteria can significantly influence not only individuals but the whole town. This mob mentality leads to unthoughtful acts and false accusations. Two characters who demonstrate how mob mentality can lead to the demise of Salem are Abigail and Mary Warren. As Abigail begins to be accused she is pressured to deter from the truth. While Mary Warren gets pressured by Proctor to reveal the truth about Abigail, but the overwhelming pressure from the mob makes her turn from the truth.
In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, there were many moments where all the characters lacked commitment and loyalty. There were little girls accusing women of witchcraft just because they didn’t like them. The girls were practically murdering the poor women themselves, all to get rid of someone and save themselves. No one was loyal to their own spouses, or was committed to a job without panicking or getting jealous at someone. The characters had no morals, and disregarded them.
Proctor motivates to learn how the truth can still not matter if it is not what the court wants to hear causing people to be killed and put in jail. John Proctor chooses to try to hide the affair between him and Abigail Williams , which causes half of the town of Salem going to jail for witchcraft. John is talking to Mary Warren when she is talking to him about the Devil being in Salem and they must find where he is:"I
The Salem witch trial hysteria of 1692 may have been instigated by religious, social, geographic and even biological factors. During these trials, 134 people were condemned as witches and 19 were hanged. These statistics also include 5 more deaths that occurred prior to their execution date. It is interesting to look into the causes of this stain on American History, when as shown in document B, eight citizens were hanged in only one day.
Defense of Elizabeth Proctor In the play, The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, Abigail Williams charged Elizabeth Proctor with witchcraft. The evidence presented to the court against Elizabeth Proctor is inadequate and not justified. Elizabeth is a proper and honest woman. Elizabeth is definitely innocent of any allegation of dealing with the Devil.
In the crucible when the girls kept blaming and persecuting the innocent people made the story feel dark and shameful. When Mary Warren accused John Proctor. When John Proctor was asked to confess, he refused. John Proctor made the right decision. John Proctor spent most of his time trying to prove his wife’s innocence.