One confession before all others occurs in Act One, when Abigail confesses her burning desire for Proctor. The irony is that this confession, and Proctor's refusal to accept her love, is the catalyst that provokes the entire nightmarish trial.
In The Crucible, Arthur Miller's message is that public hysteria based on fear destroys people's lives. Miller uses the Salem trials, acknowledging
In the Crucible, Elizabeth uses a metaphor to explain that Proctor will not forgive himself, he judges himself, and she has forgave him long time ago. She says, "I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you."
Another example of irony in The Crucible is that when Mary Warren comes to the court with her employer, John Proctor, to tell the truth—that she and the other girls are not witches, and they have been telling lies when they've accused others in the town—she is not believed.
Abigail is afraid the other girls will confess what was truly going on in the woods and she doesn't want to get into trouble. She admits that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits only to save Betty from being accused of witchcraft. Abigail treats the other girls badly, but treats her uncle good and with respect.
A Modern-Day Witch Hunt
Accused of communism by a government committee led by Republican Senator Joseph P. McCarthy, playwright Arthur Miller fired back with The Crucible. This play is an allegory, or metaphor, that compares McCarthyism to the Salem witch trials.Proctor realizes that Elizabeth will not confess, but agrees to confess anyway. The play suggests, but does not confirm, two possible solutions for Elizabeth.
The irony of this exchange is that Elizabeth always tells the truth; however, the one time she lies to save someone she loves, it backfires on her. If she had remained true to herself, she would have told the truth, saved John, condemned Abigail, ended the trials, and lived the rest of her life with her husband.
When John Proctor is interviewed, or interrogated, he is asked to recite the Ten Commandments, and he can't remeber the commandment against committing adultery. Irony is when the outcome is different than what is expected. It is ironic, because he has committed adultery, with Abigail Williams.
The Crucible Literary Elements
- Tone. The tone was serious and tragic.
- Imagery. Examples are at the beginning of each act.
- Symbolism. Act 4: "At the back is high barred window, near it, a great, heavy door.
- Suspense.
- Plot.
- Flash-Forward.
- Foreshadowing.
- Protagonist.
The Crucible Themes
- Puritanism and Individuality. Puritan society required that its members follow strict guidelines of social order.
- Hysteria. In The Crucible, neighbors suddenly turn on each other and accuse people they've known for years of practicing witchcraft and devil-worship.
- The Danger of Ideology.
- Reputation and Integrity.
How does this dramatic irony enable readers to understand the real reasons behind the girls symptoms and the events that result. Lines 311-370 this part of the play reveals information to readers that the other characters do not have. This is called dramatic irony.
What paper did 91 people sign? They signed saying that Rebecca, Elizabeth and Martha were all good, upstanding God-loving citizens. What does Giles accuse Putnam of? Of killing his neighbors for their land.
This line comes from a story both Proctor and Mary are familiar with and, when she begins to cry, Proctor leans down and says this: Now remember what the angel Raphael saint to the boy Tobias. Remember it. “Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee.”
Situational irony is a literary device that you can easily identify in literary works. Simply, it occurs when incongruity appears between expectations of something to happen, and what actually happens instead.
Verbal Irony is when words express something contrary to truth or someone says the opposite of what they really feel or mean. Verbal irony is often sarcastic.
The motives for the behavior of Thomas Putnam and Parris reveal in the stage direction because we can see on the evidence below that Parris suspects Betty's condition to be the result of something evil, something that he believes has "taken" his daughter away.
Another example of irony in The Crucible is that when Mary Warren comes to the court with her employer, John Proctor, to tell the truth—that she and the other girls are not witches, and they have been telling lies when they've accused others in the town—she is not believed.
What two ironic twists does the plot take in this act? Elizabeth lies (repeated many times by John that she never lies) and Rev. Hale quits because he realizes many people are dying with no true cause. Reread and explain John Proctor's last speech int his act.
Terms in this set (7)
- begging the question/circular reasoning. Often called circular reasoning, begging the question occurs when the believability of the evidence depends on the believability of the claim.
- ad hominem.
- scare tactic/appeal to fear.
- red herring.
- faulty dilemma (either/or choices)
- bandwagon.
- false analogy.
Told that they would be shown mercy if they confessed, 54 of the accused witches admitted guilt. Families and friends often urged their loved ones to confess to save their lives.
Proctor and Rebecca do not support Parris' decision to invite Hale to investigate the girls and Salem for witchcraft. They believe the town should first consider their own erroneous ways and pray for God's help. Goody Proctor fired Abigail because she was having an affair with John Proctor.
Elizabeth tells Proctor that almost one hundred people have confessed to witchcraft. She relates that Giles was killed by being pressed to death by large stones, though he never pleaded guilty or not guilty to the charges against him.
Ultimately, The Crucible can be understood as a satirical allegory because although the judges in both eras claim they want to expose the truth, they instead manipulate facts and place blame in order to hide their personal agendas for political power.
