... intentions can do to a community and even a nation. It also shows the lengths to which people will go to protect themselves, even turning on their neighbors. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, the characters of Thomas Putnam, Reverend Parris and Abigail Williams display this same penchant for treachery through Putnam's land-lust, Parris' narcissism, and Abigail's obsession over John Proctor. Putnam seizes on the superstition of the Salemites and the doubts of Reverend Parris to push ... towards witchcraft. He then capitalizes on the constant accusations of the girls to attempt to steal la...

• Word Count: 2562
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

... Bishop with the Devil!" The children would also faint, cry, scream, and blame the poor Salem people for sending their spirit out in to the children the middle of court. The Salem citizens would get blamed for giving the girls stomachaches and headaches, for coming to them in the middle of the night and not letting the girls sleep. The innocent people were also accused of murder. In my opinion this story The Crucible portrays many ... different themes in which are all shown threw the actions of the Salem citizens whether it many be the accusers or the citizens itself. Revenge is shown th...

• Word Count: 593
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... Salem, Massachusetts, with Reverend Samuel Parris, the petty, irritable and mostly unliked minister. He is worried about his daughter, Betty. The night before, his daughter and niece, Abigail, were caught dancing in the nude in the forest with some of the other town girls. Since this, Betty has slept in what seems like a trance. Thomas Putnam, a ruthless landowner, and his wife Ann, arrive with news ... Yet it also tended to decrease attention of the work as a serious drama. As some of the more heated political controversies of the 1950s have cooled down, The Crucible has been increasing...

• Word Count: 2029
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

I pray you all, tell me what they deserve / That do conspire my death with devilish plots / Of damned witchcraft, and that have prevailed / Upon my body with their hellish charms?(Shakespeare 21.) What do those who practice witchcraft deserve? Because of the nature of witchcraft, do accused witches owe anything to general society? Can the opportunity for benefit cause upstanding citizens to accuse neighbors of witchcraft? The conflict of religious ideals and governmental rule in the parochial society of the Puritans, combined with inherent flaws in the social hierarchy, led to the corruption o...

• Word Count: 886
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The story begins with Reverend Samuel Parris standing over his daughter's bedside. His daughter, Betty Parris, is laying before him transfixed by some unknown ailment. Reverend Paris soon sends for Reverend John Hale, a specialist in demonology, to see if Betty's sole may have been transfixed by the Devil. Once Reverend Hale arrives, at Reverend Parris" home, Parris explains that he surprised Betty, her cousin Abigail Williams, and some other girls while they were in the forest dancing around naked. He further explains that when he walked up on the girls, Betty was scared and has been in her c...

• Word Count: 1275
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor were arrested and tried also, among others. In the play by Arthur Miller, The Crucible, some historical events were changed around to fit a modern day drama. In the play, Elizabeth Parris" name was changed to Betty. This was probably done so the reader would no confuse Elizabeth Proctor with Elizabeth Parris. The Parris family also included two other children- an older brother, Thomas and ... with Elizabeth Parris was. In reality, Tituba never lead any wild dancing in the woods and certainly Rev. Parris never stumbled upon them. Some of the girls did do tests...

• Word Count: 1002
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... and hysteria and destroying basic organization in the town of Salem. The severity and high value of the Salem witch trials created complex situations in which stir up problems in Salem. The townsfolk accept and become active in the chaotic incident not only out of genuine religious piety but also because it gives them a chance to express withdrawn sentiments and to act on personal grudges. In the crucible, Abigail Williams, Francis Parris, and Thomas Putnam ... help populate hysteria throughout Salem by continuously making false accusations and hiding under righteousness. Abigail Willia...

• Word Count: 424
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate