Danforth states that he cannot pardon the people set to be executed in...
Danforth states that he cannot pardon the people set to be executed in Act IV for two related reasons. The authority of the court must be maintained and pardoning those set to be hanged would suggest...
View ArticleThese men lack restraint and any sense of legal equanimity. Instead of...
These men lack restraint and any sense of legal equanimity. Instead of approaching the issue of the Salem witch trials with appropriate skepticism as all trials ought to be approached (in terms of...
View ArticleJohn Proctor uses a series of metaphors in his final speech. Addressing...
John Proctor uses a series of metaphors in his final speech. Addressing Hale and Elizabeth, Proctor describes his realization that he is a good person, or at least a good enough person to meaningfully...
View ArticleGod is seen as the source of justice in the play, especially within the...
God is seen as the source of justice in the play, especially within the confines of the court. Justice is not being carried out in the court. Put simply, Proctor is saying that where there is no...
View ArticleI think that Miller is able to develop the ways in which conflict are...
I think that Miller is able to develop the ways in which conflict are caused by beliefs in exploring how individuals can manipulate deeply held beliefs for their own benefit. In exploring this...
View ArticleParris pleads with Danforth to pardon or postpone the executions in the...
Parris pleads with Danforth to pardon or postpone the executions in the final act of the play. His evidence offers a combination of selfish hope and selfish fear. First, Parris allows Hale into the...
View ArticleAbigail stabs herself with the needle in an attempt to "frame" Elizabeth...
Abigail stabs herself with the needle in an attempt to "frame" Elizabeth Proctor for the crime of witchcraft. She is successful in her efforts and Elizabeth is tried and sentenced to death for harming...
View ArticleThe character of Abigail drives much of the action of the play. She acts...
The character of Abigail drives much of the action of the play. She acts and others react, including John Proctor. Her assertive and aggressive nature is demonstrated from early on in the play as she...
View ArticleThe trait that Elizabeth and John Proctor share most fully through the...
The trait that Elizabeth and John Proctor share most fully through the first three acts of the play is that of pride. In the final act, they have both lost much of their connection to this particular...
View ArticleThe drastic selfishness of Abigail is demonstrated by her willingness to...
The drastic selfishness of Abigail is demonstrated by her willingness to cause people to die so that she can 1) avoid punishment for her own actions (dancing in the woods; drinking blood; etc.) and 2)...
View ArticleOne irony in the third act occurs when Proctor has confessed to his...
One irony in the third act occurs when Proctor has confessed to his affair with Abigail, saying that the affair proves she is motivated by dishonorable and dishonest impulses in accusing Elizabeth....
View ArticleReverend Parris argues in the first act with John Proctor about his...
Reverend Parris argues in the first act with John Proctor about his salary and his ancillary benefits. Proctor accuses Parris of abusing his position and craving selfishly and materialistically after...
View ArticleIn Act Two of The Crucible, we see some key figures arrested for...
In Act Two of The Crucible, we see some key figures arrested for witchcraft; among them are Elizabeth Proctor, Martah Corey, and Rebecca Nurse. Each arrest was accompanied with "evidence" that the...
View ArticleIn Act Three of The Crucible, Mary Warren comes to the courts and...
In Act Three of The Crucible, Mary Warren comes to the courts and attempts to explain that the accusations that the girls were making were false, and were based on fear and mass hysteria. It started...
View ArticleIn The Crucible, there were many reasons why people were accused of...
In The Crucible, there were many reasons why people were accused of witchcraft; landlust was just one of them. The best character to look at for an example of landlust is Thomas Putnam. Arthur Miller...
View ArticleJohn Proctor is direct and blunt, though also, at times artful in his...
John Proctor is direct and blunt, though also, at times artful in his use of metaphor. Proctor's blunt way of speaking is on display in the opening act of the play as he directly criticizes the idea...
View ArticleProctor is identified with the quality of "lust" in his private...
Proctor is identified with the quality of "lust" in his private conversation with Abigail. Though he refuses her advances, his former affair with her is exposed. Prior to the action of the play,...
View ArticleRebecca Nurse is proper and "common sensical" in the opening act of the...
Rebecca Nurse is proper and "common sensical" in the opening act of the play. She counsels against invited Reverend Hale to Salem to investigate the possibility of witchcraft, correctly pointing out...
View Articlediscuss the character development of Reverend John Hale
discuss the character development of Reverend John Hale
View ArticleHysteria was a major factor in the many accusations of witchcraft that...
Hysteria was a major factor in the many accusations of witchcraft that occurred throughout The Crucible. It helps to understand what hysteria is--an overwhelming fear and excitement that overrides all...
View Article