Skip to main content

How is The Crucible violent?

The Crucible is violent because, through the events of the play, innocent and good people are wrongly persecuted, imprisoned, and eventually hanged, by a corrupt justice system, for crimes they did not commit.  The violence done to these individuals in the name of justice is disturbing and tragic. 


Take John Proctor, for instance: though he is not sinless, he is a good man.  He is accused of witchcraft by Mary Warren, his cowardly and hypocritical...

The Crucible is violent because, through the events of the play, innocent and good people are wrongly persecuted, imprisoned, and eventually hanged, by a corrupt justice system, for crimes they did not commit.  The violence done to these individuals in the name of justice is disturbing and tragic. 


Take John Proctor, for instance: though he is not sinless, he is a good man.  He is accused of witchcraft by Mary Warren, his cowardly and hypocritical employee, and he is found guilty through no evidence aside from her testimony.  His own words are twisted against him.  He is left to rot in a disgusting jail cell for months, all because some terrible coward sought to save herself by pointing a finger at him.  Further, on the day of his hanging, his judge isn't even convinced that he's committed the crime of which he's been accused, but because Danforth is afraid of undermining his own and the court's authority, he will neither transmute nor delay the sentence.  Proctor is faced with the awful decision to tell the truth and die or lie and keep his life: the violence of this choice is appalling.  And the fact that his integrity and honesty and desire to be a good man costs him his life, in the end, is the most violently tragic of all.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why did Tybalt attack and kill Mercutio instead of Romeo, who he had originally been targeting?

Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio... Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio responds "And but one word with one of us?/ Couple it w...
Post a Comment
Read more