Saturday, December 21, 2019

Human Failings in The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay

Arthur Miller writes about the tragic results of human failings in his play, The Crucible. He presents characters from the past and infuses them with renewed vitality and color. Miller demonstrates the horrifying results of succumbing to personal motives and flaws as he writes the painful story of the Salem witch trials. Not only do the trials stem from human failings but also from neglect of moral and religious considerations of that time. Characters begin to overlook Puritan values of thrift and hope for salvation. Focusing on the flawed characters, they begin to exhibit land lust, envy of the miserable and self-preservation. Thomas Putnam establishes conflict by vying for land with other characters. From the outset, he is bitter and†¦show more content†¦She screams and writhes as, quot;Stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, [Parris] draw a needle out.quot; (Miller, ) Envy even pushes Abigail to inflict pain on herself. To frame Elizabeth, she resorts to extreme and desperate means of proof. She casts away all shreds of morality, religion, and common sense to pursue her treasure. Anne Putnam exposes similar motives for accusing Rebecca Nurse. Francis Nurse quotes the arrest warrant for his wife, quot;For the marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnams babies.quot; (Miller, ) Goody Putnam envies the Nurses because they already have a large clan of offspring while they are left with one weak child. Envy and jealousy play a key role in Goody Putnams decision to blame Rebecca. To obtain vengeance, they accuse Rebecca in hopes to solve their own misfortune. The Putnams envy her success and instead of celebrating their happiness and cherishing their only child, they choose the immoral action and strike back at their scapegoat, Rebecca. Abigail plays a cruel trick on Proctor to try to resolve her envy, and the Putnams condemn Rebecca Nurse to death for some false hope in their lives. Envy encourages ordinary people to feel disappointed, but it encourages the ones without strong ethics to strike back and take revenge. In The Crucible, this revenge takes the form of unreasonable trials of innocent people.Show MoreRelatedThe Crucible by Arthur Miller1085 Words   |  5 Pagesthe society. Arthur Miller in ‘The Crucible,’ deals with the internal/external conflicts of protagonist John Proctor, during the witch trials of Salem; showing the effects of â€Å"an individual opposed to the will of the majority.† Through the mass hysteria caused by Abigail, corruption of justice and weakness of man; we see clearly the effects of fear and how Miller’s work translates into his own situation, during the introduction of McCarthyism. The most dominant outward human conflict betweenRead MoreEssay about Human Flaws in Arthur Millers The Crucible923 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Flaws in Arthur Millers The Crucible Many of the characters in Arthur Millers The Crucible have specific human flaws that cause the tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. Many villagers, especially Abigail Williams, take advantage of the opportunity to seek vengeance on others through the trials. Greed for power and land often holds precedence when the hysteriaRead MoreAnalysis Of The Crucible 1364 Words   |  6 Pages Themes A theme in The Crucible is that a society ruled by theocracy and status based on religion is bound to fall apart. Salem s strict adherence to the Christian shurch is evident in everything the citizens do. 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The Crucible was a very impressive play that took place in Salem in early day America, mainly focusing on the witch trials and the early American thought. While it was heavily historically based, it was also based off of the times of currentRead More Tragic Hero in The Crucible Essay2240 Words   |  9 PagesTragic Hero in The Crucible What is a tragic hero? The most well known definition of a tragic hero comes from the great philosopher, Aristotle. When depicting a tragic hero, Aristotle states The change in the heros fortunes be not from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery, and the cause of it must not lie in any wickedness but in some great error on his part.† In addition, he explains the four essential qualities that a tragic hero should possess, which areRead MoreSin : A Necessity Of Puritan Society1678 Words   |  7 PagesMistakes range from breaking the law, to failing a test, and even an accidental nuclear meltdown, but each mistake holds its own benefit to society, and the individual. In Puritan society, the mistakes of people are equivalent to sin. Puritans believe that sins have the potential to lead to the destruction of society. However, despite this belief, Puritan literature seems to suggest that sin serves a crucial function in society. Through the works of Arthur Miller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and John Winthrop

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