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Read for AP English 11
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
After being caught dancing in the forest at night, teenage Abigail claims that someone had practiced witchcraft against her. From this accusation, a series of trials begins, convicting woman after woman of witchcraft. When the wife of respected John Proctor is accused, Proctor attempts to prove that the accusations of witchcraft are false. However, in a society where there is no accepted proof of innocence, John Proctor and his wife must decide if they are willing to lie to live, or die to maintain their righteousness.
Thoughts:
I usually don't like reading plays, but I loved this one. Though apprehensive at first, the themes of religion and gender and lies and hypocrisy were fascinating, and the last act of the play was so incredible and intense that it made me realize that while this is a play about trials and accusations and lies, it's really a love story between John Proctor and his wife, and it's incredible. Here's my essay:
A Reflection on the Puritan Church
The series of unjust trials, convictions and hangings that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 are commonly referred to as the Salem Witch Trials. In reality, the events that took place had less to do with witches as they had to do with an accusation, made by a child, that was taken too far. That accusation was supported and furthered by the justification of religious authority. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the incompetence and hypocrisy seen in leaders of the Puritan Church in Salem portray the church in an adverse and even mocking manner. This prompts the reader to assume that the church itself is faulty.
The ironic contradiction of Reverend Parris's opinions and actions reveals him to be hypocritical. According to a website called Classroom, the Puritans believed "that God wanted people to live simple lives [and that ] moderation in all behavior was expected in Puritan society." It was clearly noted by John Proctor in Act 2, however, that "There were pewter candlesticks [...] But Parris came, and for twenty week he preach nothin' but golden candlesticks until he had them" (Miller 62). Gold is a symbol of riches, and in this case, also of excess. While candlesticks were likely needed to light the church, ones made of pewter — a much humbler metal — were already available. Spending so much time discussing a symbol of excess gives the impression of total focus on an unnecessary object, which is directly contrary to the Puritan ideal of embracing moderation and simplicity. This irony of a religious leader ignoring an important aspect of his religion during a sermon which was, ostensibly, about that aspect of the religion, is almost mocking: it portrays him as hypocritical nearly to the point of humor.
Parris's selfishness and focus on reputation also depicts him as hypocritical, especially considering his position as Reverend. When Thomas Putnam, a villager, implies that Parris's sick daughter is possessed by the Devil, Parris's immediate response is concern for himself: "I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you — you least of all, Thomas, would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house" (Miller 13). Parris uses several tactics of persuasion, all of which are tainted with an air of desperation. First, he appeals to Thomas directly, emphasizing Thomas's goodness and their relationship. Next, he uses extreme words such as "disastrous" and "howl" to make Thomas's implication seem more severe. However, his injections of "I pray you" and his almost whiny tone betray his distress. Religious leaders in communities are paid to act as moral counsel. This means that they must possess some greater moral or religious knowledge so that they are prepared to help others. Considering this, Parris's reaction to the accusation effectively proves him to be unable to follow the rules of his religion and profession, whereby characterizing him as a hypocrite.
Similarly to Parris's hypocrisy, Reverend Hale's inability to maintain one position on the trials portrays him as incompetent. When Hale first arrives in Salem, he immediately believes Tituba when she admits to witchcraft: "You have confessed yourself to witchcraft, and that speaks a wish to come to Heaven's side. And we will bless you, Tituba [...] Who came to you with the devil? Two? Three? Four?" (Miller 43-44). Hale's willingness to see godliness in people is clear here: The offering of a blessing to someone who just admitted to being possessed by the Devil is a very hasty action. Hale did not take time to question any part of the situation; he simply saw someone wanting to embrace God, and accepted her. While being open-minded is generally a positive thing, the way that Hale's perspective changes as the play progresses proves that his earlier eagerness was a mistake. By the final act of the play, Hale has completely changed his viewpoint. Instead of earnestly and intensely searching for more people who have been allegedly corrupted by the Devil, he pleads for clemency for the Proctors: "You must pardon them. They will not budge" (Miller 119). His use of the word "must" reveals his desperation, which is very different from his easy confidence at the start of the play. This creates an almost pathetic effect. Hale's abrupt about-face in terms of both goal and success creates an effect of incompetence.
Not only has Hale experienced a change in objective, but he has also experienced a major shift in the way he is received. At first, he was successfully convicting people with an almost manic proficiency. Discussing the respected Rebecca Nurse with John Proctor, Hale tells Proctor that "God forbid such a one be charged. She is, however, mentioned somewhat" (Miller 61). The fact that Hale is accusing such an esteemed member of the community implies that all of the less-admired women in their community must already be accused: If there were other people to suspect, a respected person would not be charged. Once Hale alters his aim, however, people cease to take him seriously. When he attempts to criticize the court who hangs the accused witches, Judge Danforth brushes him off completely: "You cannot speak of likes [...] I'll hear no more of that" (Miller 122). Because blunt refusals such as "cannot" and "no more" are not polite, they typically used on people perceived as inferior or undeserving of regard. This frankness reveals how little relevance or power Hale has at this point, since Danforth no longer even respects Hale as a religious leader enough to speak to him in a civil way. The complete change in Hale's objective, and in the way that he is treated, show him to be unable to form an opinion and commit to it. Therefore, he is portrayed as incompetent.
The two religious leaders in Salem directly represent the Puritan church. Unlike the villagers, who have enough diversity of character that the reader cannot assume all Americans in the 1690s had a single set of traits, Parris and Hale are only two religious leaders seen in the entirety of The Crucible. The play essentially takes place in a bubble: few characters arrive at or leave Salem, and influence from outside the village is limited. According to an article from Classroom, this was typical for Puritan society: Puritans "did not tolerate the beliefs of others." This suggests that they kept their societies closed off in order to keep non-Puritan ideas out. For the purposes of the play, the restricted setting means that, combined with their statuses as Reverends, Parris and Hale represent the whole Puritan church, rather than merely being a part of it. This representation creates an effect of personification, and so their hypocritical and incompetent actions reflect directly on the church.
Within the limited setting of Salem during the events of The Crucible, Reverends Parris and Hale both possess a specific trait that, combined with their status of personification of the Puritan church, reflect poorly on the church. Parris's selfishness and focus on symbols of excess create a sense of hypocrisy, and Hale's complete change in perspective gives an effect of incompetence. This means that readers may conclude that the Puritan church itself was a structure full of incompetence and hypocrisy, and was thereby faulty.
Ella Kirshbaum
Ms. Reverman
AP English Language and Composition, Block 2
7 November 2021
Citations
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York City, Penguin Books, 2003.
Imbriaco, Alison. “Interesting Facts about Colonial Life in 1769.” Synonym, 30 June 2020, https://classroom.synonym.com/interesting-facts-about-colonial-life- in-1769-12084068.html. A Reflection on the Puritan Church