Bassani​ ​1

Vianna​ ​Bassani

Mr.​ ​Bless

English​ ​Foundations​ ​II​ ​Honors

23​ ​January​ ​2017

Superstition,​ ​Fear,​ ​and​ ​Truth:​ ​The​ ​Crucible

“Superstition​ ​is​ ​to​ ​religion​ ​what​ ​astrology​ ​is​ ​to​ ​astronomy:​ ​the​ ​mad​ ​daughter​ ​of​ ​a​ ​wise

mother”​ ​(Voltaire).​ ​The​ ​Crucible,​ ​by​ ​Arthur​ ​Miller,​ ​describes​ ​life​ ​during​ ​the​ ​17th​ ​century​ ​in

Salem,​ ​Massachusetts​ ​during​ ​the​ ​Salem​ ​Witch​ ​Trials.​ ​In​ ​a​ ​patriarchal​ ​and​ ​theological​ ​society,

religion​ ​dominates​ ​all​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​life.​ ​Men,​ ​women,​ ​and​ ​children​ ​are​ ​expected​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​strict

Puritan​ ​ideals,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​attending​ ​church,​ ​reading​ ​the​ ​bible,​ ​and​ ​observing​ ​the​ ​Sabbath.​ ​When

Abigail​ ​Williams,​ ​a​ ​17-year-old​ ​girl,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​girls​ ​go​ ​dancing​ ​in​ ​the​ ​woods​ ​at​ ​night​ ​with

Tituba,​ ​a​ ​Barbadian​ ​maid,​ ​their​ ​meant-to-be-secret​ ​gathering​ ​is​ ​discovered​ ​by​ ​Abigail’s​ ​uncle

and​ ​Salem​ ​minister,​ ​Reverend​ ​Parris.​ ​Since​ ​dancing​ ​is​ ​against​ ​Puritan​ ​rules,​ ​especially​ ​in​ ​the

woods,​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​lie​ ​about​ ​the​ ​event​ ​and​ ​use​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​convince​ ​the​ ​townspeople​ ​their​ ​words

are​ ​true.​ ​The​ ​events​ ​that​ ​happen​ ​during​ ​that​ ​night​ ​cause​ ​Betty,​ ​Abigail's​ ​cousin,​ ​and​ ​Ruth

Putnam,​ ​Thomas​ ​and​ ​Ann​ ​Putnam’s​ ​daughter​ ​to​ ​fall​ ​under​ ​a​ ​spell,​ ​in​ ​which​ ​the​ ​whole​ ​town​ ​of

Salem​ ​believes​ ​that​ ​they​ ​have​ ​become​ ​possessed​ ​by​ ​the​ ​devil.​ ​Miller​ ​portrays​ ​how​ ​as​ ​fear​ ​and

superstition​ ​rises,​ ​Abigail​ ​and​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​are​ ​faced​ ​with​ ​the​ ​conflict​ ​of​ ​telling​ ​the​ ​truth​ ​of​ ​the​ ​taboo

in​ ​the​ ​night​ ​of​ ​the​ ​woods,​ ​but​ ​decide​ ​to​ ​let​ ​superstitious​ ​thoughts​ ​create​ ​chaos​ ​for​ ​the​ ​town​ ​of

Salem.
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Abigail​ ​uses​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​protect​ ​and​ ​defend​ ​herself​ ​against​ ​the​ ​activities​ ​from​ ​the​ ​night

in​ ​the​ ​woods,​ ​while​ ​drawing​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​herself.​ ​When​ ​Betty​ ​is​ ​first​ ​found​ ​under​ ​a​ ​sleeping​ ​spell,

Reverend​ ​Parris​ ​and​ ​others​ ​in​ ​the​ ​town​ ​of​ ​Salem​ ​immediately​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​she​ ​is​ ​bewitched.

Abigail​ ​tries​ ​to​ ​deny​ ​all​ ​accusations​ ​that​ ​they​ ​are​ ​calling​ ​the​ ​devil,​ ​by​ ​telling​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​that​ ​“[they]

danced...and​ ​that​ ​is​ ​all”​ ​(20).​ ​Abigail​ ​is​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​up​ ​the​ ​other​ ​activities​ ​they​ ​did​ ​that​ ​night.

Since​ ​Tituba​ ​is​ ​from​ ​Barbados,​ ​her​ ​religion​ ​is​ ​voodoo,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​thought​ ​of​ ​as​ ​a​ ​black​ ​cult​ ​by​ ​the

Puritans.​ ​The​ ​girls​ ​have​ ​a​ ​cauldron​ ​and​ ​drink​ ​blood,​ ​while​ ​Tituba​ ​says​ ​her​ ​ritual​ ​statements,

which​ ​could​ ​be​ ​considered​ ​spells​ ​that​ ​call​ ​the​ ​devil​ ​by​ ​an​ ​outsider.​ ​This​ ​event​ ​is​ ​a​ ​way​ ​for​ ​the

girls​ ​to​ ​rebel​ ​against​ ​the​ ​strict​ ​rules​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Puritans​ ​and​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​they​ ​have​ ​power​ ​in​ ​patriarchal

society.​ ​As​ ​time​ ​goes​ ​on,​ ​Abigail​ ​realizes​ ​that​ ​she​ ​could​ ​blame​ ​whatever​ ​she​ ​needs​ ​on​ ​the​ ​devil

as​ ​an​ ​excuse​ ​for​ ​her​ ​actions.​ ​She​ ​is​ ​a​ ​mischievous​ ​girl​ ​and​ ​stands​ ​out​ ​during​ ​some​ ​Puritan

practices.​ ​She​ ​claims​ ​people​ ​“sen[t]​ ​[their]​ ​spirit[s]​ ​on​ ​[her]​ ​in​ ​church”​ ​and​ ​made​ ​her​ ​“laugh​ ​at

prayer”​ ​(44).​ ​Since​ ​Abigail​ ​does​ ​not​ ​want​ ​to​ ​receive​ ​consequences​ ​for​ ​her​ ​disturbance​ ​at​ ​church,

she​ ​uses​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​escape​ ​the​ ​truth.​ ​Since​ ​the​ ​church​ ​is​ ​a​ ​necessary​ ​aspect​ ​of​ ​life​ ​in​ ​Salem,

they​ ​find​ ​it​ ​understandable​ ​that​ ​an​ ​external​ ​force​ ​could​ ​cause​ ​Abigail​ ​to​ ​laugh​ ​during​ ​a​ ​sacred

time.​ ​Superstition​ ​takes​ ​the​ ​blame​ ​off​ ​Abigail,​ ​but​ ​then​ ​she​ ​uses​ ​it​ ​to​ ​causes​ ​blame​ ​on​ ​someone

else.

Similarly,​ ​Abigail​ ​Williams​ ​uses​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​gain​ ​power​ ​within​ ​the​ ​male​ ​dominated

Puritan​ ​society.​ ​According​ ​to​ ​Maureen​ ​Moran,​ ​author​ ​of​ ​“Light​ ​No​ ​Smithfield​ ​Fires”,​ ​Salem

citizens​ ​use​ ​superstition​ ​for​ ​more​ ​than​ ​just​ ​protecting​ ​themselves.​ ​She​ ​describes​ ​how​ ​the​ ​“Salem

establishment”​ ​was​ ​crawling​ ​with​ ​“hysteria​ ​and​ ​personal​ ​malevolence”​ ​(Moran).​ ​Abigail

becomes​ ​a​ ​clear​ ​example​ ​of​ ​“personal​ ​malevolence”​ ​as​ ​the​ ​story​ ​progresses,​ ​as​ ​she​ ​blames​ ​an
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innocent​ ​women,​ ​Elizabeth​ ​Proctor,​ ​of​ ​witchcraft​ ​so​ ​she​ ​can​ ​have​ ​a​ ​relationship​ ​with​ ​Elizabeth's

husband,​ ​John​ ​Proctor.​ ​Through​ ​this,​ ​she​ ​believes​ ​that​ ​she​ ​will​ ​gain​ ​more​ ​female​ ​power.​ ​Girls

had​ ​“to​ ​walk​ ​straight,​ ​eyes​ ​slightly​ ​low-ered,​ ​arms​ ​at​ ​the​ ​sides,​ ​and​ ​mouths​ ​shut​ ​until​ ​bidden​ ​to

speak”​ ​(4).​ ​If​ ​she​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​have​ ​a​ ​relationship​ ​with​ ​John,​ ​she​ ​might​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​she​ ​could​ ​gain

authority​ ​and​ ​not​ ​be​ ​treated​ ​like​ ​a​ ​child.​ ​She​ ​uses​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​help​ ​her​ ​gain​ ​authority​ ​in​ ​Salem.

Also,​ ​the​ ​more​ ​evil​ ​she​ ​calls​ ​on​ ​others,​ ​the​ ​more​ ​attention​ ​she​ ​gets​ ​for​ ​cleansing​ ​Salem​ ​of

witchcraft.​ ​In​ ​Moran’s​ ​journal​ ​it​ ​is​ ​mentioned​ ​that​ ​people​ ​gain​ ​“pleasure”​ ​from​ ​“perceiving

[themselves]”​ ​as​ ​“the​ ​centre​ ​of​ ​attention”​ ​(qtd.​ ​in​ ​Moran).​ ​The​ ​more​ ​people​ ​Abigail​ ​accuses​ ​of

witchcraft,​ ​the​ ​more​ ​attention​ ​she​ ​gets​ ​in​ ​the​ ​town​ ​of​ ​Salem​ ​for​ ​being​ ​a​ ​hero.​ ​Females​ ​in​ ​this

society​ ​are​ ​rarely​ ​given​ ​attention​ ​and​ ​superstition​ ​is​ ​a​ ​way​ ​for​ ​Abigail​ ​to​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​she​ ​actually

has​ ​power.

Abigail’s​ ​craving​ ​for​ ​John​ ​Proctor​ ​leads​ ​her​ ​to​ ​use​ ​superstition​ ​as​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​create​ ​revenge

against​ ​Elizabeth​ ​Proctor​ ​for​ ​throwing​ ​her​ ​out​ ​of​ ​the​ ​house.​ ​Abigail,​ ​who​ ​has​ ​an​ ​affair​ ​with​ ​John

when​ ​she​ ​works​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Proctors,​ ​is​ ​furious​ ​that​ ​she​ ​is​ ​sent​ ​back​ ​to​ ​her​ ​uncle’s​ ​house,​ ​and​ ​that​ ​she

rarely​ ​sees​ ​John​ ​anymore.​ ​When​ ​Abigail​ ​explains​ ​the​ ​situation​ ​to​ ​her​ ​uncle,​ ​she​ ​describes

Elizabeth​ ​as​ ​“a​ ​bitter​ ​woman,​ ​a​ ​lying,​ ​cold,​ ​sniveling​ ​woman”​ ​(12).​ ​Abigail​ ​is​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​send​ ​out

a​ ​poor​ ​message​ ​of​ ​Elizabeth​ ​to​ ​her​ ​uncle,​ ​and​ ​then​ ​later​ ​to​ ​the​ ​town​ ​so​ ​they​ ​have​ ​an​ ​unfavorable

feeling​ ​about​ ​her.​ ​This​ ​would​ ​make​ ​Abigail’s​ ​later​ ​plans​ ​of​ ​accusing​ ​Elizabeth​ ​of​ ​witchery

easier.​ ​Since​ ​people​ ​would​ ​already​ ​have​ ​an​ ​opinion​ ​of​ ​Elizabeth,​ ​she​ ​would​ ​not​ ​“fit​ ​the​ ​image​ ​of

the​ ​ideal​ ​Christian​ ​mother​ ​and​ ​wife”​ ​leading​ ​her​ ​to​ ​easily​ ​be​ ​accused​ ​as​ ​a​ ​witch​ ​(Jones).​ ​Her

manipulative​ ​nature​ ​tries​ ​to​ ​convince​ ​people​ ​of​ ​things​ ​that​ ​she​ ​wants​ ​herself​ ​to​ ​believe.​ ​For

example,​ ​she​ ​tells​ ​John​ ​Proctor,​ ​“you​ ​loved​ ​me​ ​then​ ​and​ ​you​ ​do​ ​now”​ ​when​ ​she​ ​is​ ​thrown​ ​out​ ​of

Proctor’s​ ​house​ ​(22).​ ​Abigail​ ​does​ ​not​ ​know​ ​for​ ​sure​ ​whether​ ​John​ ​loves​ ​her​ ​or​ ​not,​ ​but​ ​she​ ​tries

to​ ​convince​ ​herself​ ​he​ ​does,​ ​by​ ​telling​ ​Proctor​ ​his​ ​own​ ​feelings.​ ​She​ ​uses​ ​this​ ​same​ ​manipulative
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nature​ ​to​ ​accuse​ ​people​ ​of​ ​witchery,​ ​and​ ​make​ ​them​ ​believe​ ​their​ ​superstitions.​ ​Superstition

creates​ ​“corruption”​ ​and​ ​“opportunities”​ ​for​ ​“the​ ​jealous​ ​and​ ​bitter​ ​to​ ​take​ ​revenge​ ​on​ ​those​ ​who

displease​ ​them”​ ​(Moran).​ ​Abigail​ ​takes​ ​up​ ​opportunities​ ​of​ ​superstition​ ​in​ ​The​ ​Crucible​ ​in​ ​order

to​ ​get​ ​revenge​ ​on​ ​Elizabeth,​ ​and​ ​satisfy​ ​her​ ​wants.

The​ ​alleged​ ​consequences​ ​that​ ​people​ ​face​ ​for​ ​refusing​ ​to​ ​admit​ ​to​ ​witchcraft​ ​creates​ ​fear,

and​ ​leads​ ​Abigail​ ​to​ ​use​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​escape​ ​trouble.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Crucible​,​ ​Abigail

refuses​ ​to​ ​confess​ ​anything​ ​from​ ​the​ ​night​ ​in​ ​the​ ​woods.​ ​She​ ​believes​ ​that​ ​if​ ​she​ ​and​ ​the​ ​girls

keep​ ​quiet,​ ​there​ ​will​ ​be​ ​no​ ​punishment.​ ​When​ ​she​ ​sees​ ​Tituba​ ​confess,​ ​she​ ​recognizes​ ​that

Tituba​ ​is​ ​not​ ​condemned​ ​for​ ​her​ ​actions.​ ​This​ ​leads​ ​Abigail​ ​to​ ​blurt​ ​out​ ​“I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​open

myself!..I​ ​want​ ​the​ ​light​ ​of​ ​God,​ ​I​ ​want​ ​the​ ​sweet​ ​love​ ​of​ ​Jesus!​ ​I​ ​danced​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Devil;​ ​I​ ​saw

him;​ ​I​ ​wrote​ ​in​ ​his​ ​book...”​ ​(48).​ ​This​ ​change​ ​of​ ​attitude​ ​in​ ​Abigail​ ​shows​ ​that​ ​confessing​ ​is​ ​more

beneficial​ ​than​ ​keeping​ ​quiet.​ ​Her​ ​claim​ ​of​ ​witchcraft​ ​is​ ​rewarded​ ​with​ ​praise​ ​and​ ​self​ ​dignity

rather​ ​than​ ​fear​ ​and​ ​anguish.​ ​In​ ​a​ ​review​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Salem​ ​Witch​ ​Trials​ ​by​ ​Sarah​ ​Jones,​ ​she​ ​describes

how​ ​“official​ ​support...granted...a​ ​measure​ ​of​ ​authority...something​ ​[that]​ ​traditionally​ ​would

have​ ​lacked”​ ​(Jones).​ ​Abigail​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​gain​ ​authority​ ​for​ ​her​ ​confession,​ ​leading​ ​her​ ​to​ ​obtain

the​ ​trust​ ​of​ ​easily​ ​influenced​ ​legal​ ​bodies.​ ​The​ ​trust​ ​she​ ​gains​ ​allows​ ​her​ ​to​ ​be​ ​believed​ ​through

any​ ​accusation​ ​that​ ​she​ ​proposes.​ ​She​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​use​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​back​ ​up​ ​her​ ​assertions​ ​and

shape​ ​the​ ​outcome​ ​of​ ​the​ ​witch​ ​trials​ ​as​ ​they​ ​occur.

Likewise,​ ​the​ ​group​ ​of​ ​girls​ ​that​ ​go​ ​dancing​ ​in​ ​the​ ​woods​ ​with​ ​Abigail​ ​are​ ​easily

influenced​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​her​ ​lead,​ ​and​ ​confess​ ​themselves​ ​at​ ​the​ ​the​ ​hands​ ​of​ ​superstition,​ ​especially

Mary​ ​Warren.​ ​As​ ​soon​ ​as​ ​Abigail​ ​confesses​ ​to​ ​witchcraft,​ ​the​ ​girls,​ ​including​ ​Mary​ ​Warren,

Mercy​ ​Lewis,​ ​and​ ​Susanna​ ​Walcott,​ ​decide​ ​to​ ​confess​ ​and​ ​cry​ ​witchery​ ​against​ ​people​ ​in​ ​Salem.

About​ ​halfway​ ​through​ ​Act​ ​III,​ ​Mary​ ​decides​ ​to​ ​repeal​ ​her​ ​claims​ ​of​ ​witchery,​ ​through​ ​the
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persistence​ ​of​ ​John​ ​Proctor.​ ​Now​ ​that​ ​Mary​ ​is​ ​going​ ​against​ ​the​ ​common​ ​threads​ ​of​ ​superstition,

she​ ​is​ ​seen​ ​through​ ​Puritan​ ​eyes,​ ​as​ ​contaminated​ ​by​ ​the​ ​devil.​ ​Mary​ ​is​ ​pained​ ​by​ ​this​ ​and

struggles​ ​to​ ​fully​ ​support​ ​her​ ​new​ ​claims.​ ​Parris​ ​effects​ ​her​ ​final​ ​decision​ ​by​ ​telling​ ​Mary​ ​to

“cast​ ​the​ ​Devil​ ​out!...Trample​ ​him!”​ ​because​ ​they​ ​would​ ​“save​ ​[her]”​ ​(118).​ ​This​ ​statement​ ​that

Mary​ ​would​ ​be​ ​saved​ ​shows​ ​that​ ​she​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​avoid​ ​consequences.​ ​She​ ​is​ ​already​ ​scared​ ​of​ ​the

witch​ ​trials​ ​and​ ​fears​ ​what​ ​would​ ​happen​ ​if​ ​she​ ​is​ ​to​ ​go​ ​against​ ​Abigail​ ​or​ ​the​ ​court.​ ​In​ ​Moran’s

journal,​ ​she​ ​quotes​ ​a​ ​statement​ ​made​ ​by​ ​Charles​ ​Elliott​ ​and​ ​his​ ​analysis​ ​of​ ​the​ ​witch​ ​trials.​ ​It

states​ ​that​ ​in​ ​Salem​ ​“so​ ​great​ ​was​ ​the​ ​outcry​ ​‘by​ ​the​ ​popular​ ​voice’”​ ​(qtd.​ ​in​ ​Moran).​ ​Mary​ ​is

going​ ​against​ ​the​ ​“popular​ ​voice”​ ​by​ ​claiming​ ​the​ ​fanciful​ ​truth​ ​of​ ​the​ ​superstitious​ ​thoughts

from​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​in​ ​the​ ​night​ ​in​ ​the​ ​woods.​ ​The​ ​other​ ​girls​ ​blindly​ ​follow​ ​Abigail,​ ​because​ ​they

know​ ​they​ ​would​ ​not​ ​face​ ​consequences​ ​for​ ​their​ ​actions.​ ​When​ ​Mary​ ​individualizes​ ​herself

from​ ​the​ ​common​ ​ideas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​girls,​ ​she​ ​becomes​ ​an​ ​outsider​ ​and​ ​loses​ ​authority​ ​and​ ​control​ ​of

her​ ​own​ ​beliefs.

Abigail​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​feed​ ​off​ ​the​ ​already​ ​present​ ​tensions​ ​between​ ​people​ ​and​ ​the​ ​society​ ​by

using​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​increase​ ​fear.​ ​Salem​ ​was​ ​created​ ​as​ ​a​ ​theocracy​ ​that​ ​would​ ​strictly​ ​follow

Puritan​ ​law,​ ​while​ ​enforcing​ ​peace,​ ​and​ ​unity.​ ​According​ ​to​ ​Jones,​ ​it​ ​was​ ​“founded​ ​as​ ​a​ ​sort​ ​of

Puritan​ ​utopia​ ​free​ ​from​ ​heretical​ ​interference”​ ​(Jones).​ ​Throughout​ ​the​ ​story​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Crucible​,

the​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​“heretical​ ​interference”​ ​becomes​ ​profound,​ ​as​ ​people,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​Abigail,​ ​use​ ​it​ ​to​ ​accuse

almost​ ​anyone​ ​of​ ​unchristian​ ​behavior.​ ​Miller​ ​explains​ ​how​ ​it​ ​is​ ​believed​ ​that​ ​these​ ​immigrants

created​ ​a​ ​government​ ​“​whose​ ​function​ ​was​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​the​ ​community​ ​together,​ ​and​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​any

kind​ ​of​ ​disunity​ ​that​ ​might​ ​open​ ​it​ ​to​ ​destruction​ ​by​ ​material​ ​or​ ​ideological​ ​enemies”​ ​(7).​ ​In​ ​the

play,​ ​the​ ​Puritans​ ​create​ ​the​ ​colony​ ​with​ ​these​ ​ideals,​ ​but​ ​as​​ ​time​ ​goes​ ​on,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​able​ ​to

live​ ​up​ ​to​ ​these​ ​standards.​ ​Before​ ​Reverend​ ​Parris,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​many​ ​other​ ​ministers​ ​that​ ​do​ ​not​ ​do

a​ ​well​ ​enough​ ​job​ ​to​ ​satisfy​ ​the​ ​community.​ ​This​ ​creates​ ​tension​ ​when​ ​Parris​ ​becomes​ ​minister,
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because​ ​he​ ​is​ ​the​ ​“third​ ​preacher​ ​in​ ​seven​ ​years”​ ​(30).​ ​The​ ​community​ ​has​ ​lost​ ​so​ ​much​ ​faith​ ​in

their​ ​religious​ ​ministers,​ ​who​ ​are​ ​supposed​ ​to​ ​guide​ ​them​ ​and​ ​bring​ ​them​ ​closer​ ​to​ ​God.​ ​This

fractured​ ​the​ ​connection​ ​between​ ​the​ ​people​ ​and​ ​their​ ​religion,​ ​allowing​ ​for​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​easily

weaken​ ​the​ ​theocracy.​ ​In​ ​an​ ​article​ ​written​ ​by​ ​Fred​ ​Pelka,​ ​he​ ​explains​ ​how​ ​accusations​ ​of

witchcraft​ ​are​ ​easily​ ​able​ ​to​ ​bypass​ ​the​ ​“heretical​ ​interference”​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cracks​ ​of​ ​trust​ ​in

the​ ​government.​ ​He​ ​states,​ ​“The​ ​charges​ ​of​ ​witchcraft​ ​at​ ​Salem​ ​came​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time​ ​when​ ​the

institutions​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Puritan​ ​theocracy--the​ ​church,​ ​the​ ​commercial​ ​community,​ ​the

government--felt​ ​most​ ​threatened”​ ​(Pelka).​ ​The​ ​theocracy​ ​of​ ​Salem​ ​that​ ​was​ ​once​ ​strong,​ ​is​ ​now

threatened​ ​with​ ​distrust​ ​of​ ​the​ ​people.​ ​This​ ​allows​ ​for​ ​Abigail​ ​and​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​to​ ​use​ ​witchcraft​ ​and

superstition​ ​to​ ​further​ ​deteriorate​ ​the​ ​society,​ ​by​ ​eating​ ​away​ ​at​ ​the​ ​core​ ​values​ ​that​ ​are​ ​initially

made​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​harmony.

Judge​ ​Danforth’s​ ​past​ ​actions​ ​of​ ​hanging​ ​people​ ​accused​ ​of​ ​witchery​ ​leads​ ​him​ ​to​ ​believe

Abigail,​ ​and​ ​use​ ​superstition​ ​as​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to​ ​justify​ ​his​ ​actions.​ ​In​ ​The​ ​Crucible​,​ ​Danforth​ ​allows​ ​for

the​ ​death​ ​of​ ​multiple​ ​people,​ ​solely​ ​basing​ ​his​ ​decisions​ ​on​ ​the​ ​witchery​ ​that​ ​Abigail​ ​cries.​ ​When

Danforth​ ​is​ ​asked​ ​to​ ​postpone​ ​the​ ​hangings​ ​of​ ​Rebecca​ ​Nurse,​ ​Martha​ ​Corey,​ ​and​ ​John​ ​Proctor,

he​ ​refuses.​ ​He​ ​states,​ ​“twelve​ ​are​ ​already​ ​executed...postponement​ ​now​ ​speaks​ ​a​ ​floundering​ ​on

my​ ​part”​ ​(129).​ ​Danforth​ ​does​ ​not​ ​want​ ​to​ ​have​ ​more​ ​time​ ​until​ ​the​ ​hangings,​ ​because​ ​he​ ​might

feel​ ​like​ ​he​ ​has​ ​made​ ​a​ ​mistake.​ ​During​ ​the​ ​time​ ​of​ ​the​ ​witch​ ​trials,​ ​Danforth​ ​might​ ​not

understand​ ​the​ ​effects​ ​that​ ​witchcraft​ ​causes​ ​on​ ​the​ ​people.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​play,​ ​he​ ​is​ ​so​ ​influenced​ ​by

Abigail’s​ ​superstition​ ​that​ ​he​ ​is​ ​“​Shaddowing​ ​his​ ​venerable​ ​P'rson​ ​in​ ​Answer​ ​to​ ​theharmes​ ​of

WitchCraft,​ ​&​ ​other​ ​Instances​ ​from​ ​Good​ ​hands​ ​[​sic​]”​ ​(SWP​ ​107.6).​ ​Danforth​ ​is​ ​taking

advantage​ ​of​ ​good​ ​people​ ​by​ ​allowing​ ​for​ ​witchcraft​ ​to​ ​determine​ ​their​ ​fate.​ ​He​ ​is​ ​omitting​ ​their

reputations​ ​to​ ​do​ ​what​ ​is​ ​in​ ​the​ ​best​ ​interest​ ​of​ ​himself​ ​and​ ​the​ ​girls.​ ​In​ ​reality,​ ​after​ ​20​ ​people

had​ ​been​ ​executed​ ​of​ ​witchcraft,​ ​Judge​ ​Saltonstall,​ ​who​ ​is​ ​not​ ​in​ ​The​ ​Crucible​,​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​rethink
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the​ ​wh​ole​ ​incident.​ ​He​ ​“resigned​ ​from​ ​the​ ​court​ ​not​ ​too​ ​long​ ​thereafter,​ ​disgusted​ ​at​ ​the​ ​entire

affair​ ​and​ ​uncomfortable​ ​at​ ​the​ ​total​ ​reliance​ ​on​ ​the​ ​girls’​ ​spectral​ ​evidence”​ ​(Guiley​ ​297).​ ​The

girls​ ​and​ ​Abigail​ ​are​ ​the​ ​only​ ​ones​ ​that​ ​are​ ​driving​ ​the​ ​witch​ ​trails​ ​forward.​ ​Finally,​ ​an​ ​adult​ ​with

authority,​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​step​ ​up​ ​and​ ​take​ ​control​ ​of​ ​the​ ​situation,​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​letting​ ​children​ ​run​ ​the

society.​ ​Unfortunately,​ ​too​ ​many​ ​lives​ ​are​ ​lost​ ​because​ ​the​ ​judges​ ​are​ ​unable​ ​to​ ​confront​ ​the​ ​fear

that​ ​they​ ​might​ ​have​ ​been​ ​wrong.

On​ ​the​ ​other​ ​hand,​ ​truth​ ​surpasses​ ​fear​ ​and​ ​superstition​ ​through​ ​the​ ​enlightened​ ​thoughts

of​ ​Elizabeth​ ​Proctor,​ ​Rebecca​ ​Nurse,​ ​and​ ​Giles​ ​Corey​ ​in​ ​The​ ​Crucible​,​ ​but​ ​are​ ​not​ ​able​ ​to​ ​fully

develop​ ​until​ ​after​ ​their​ ​death.​ ​Elizabeth​ ​Proctor​ ​knows​ ​that​ ​Salem​ ​is​ ​heading​ ​in​ ​a​ ​corrupt

direction​ ​from​ ​what​ ​she​ ​hears​ ​at​ ​court.​ ​She​ ​believes​ ​that,​ ​“the​ ​town’s​ ​gone​ ​wild”​ ​because​ ​when

Abigail​ ​and​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​are​ ​in​ ​court,​ ​“folks​ ​are​ ​brought​ ​before​ ​them,​ ​and​ ​if​ ​they​ ​scream​ ​and​ ​howl

and​ ​fall​ ​to​ ​the​ ​floor​ ​-​ ​the​ ​person’s​ ​clapped​ ​in​ ​the​ ​jail​ ​for​ ​bewitchin’​ ​them”​ ​(52-53).​ ​Elizabeth

does​ ​not​ ​believe​ ​in​ ​witchcraft​ ​and​ ​thinks​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​a​ ​disgrace​ ​for​ ​people​ ​to​ ​even​ ​consider​ ​it.​ ​She

also​ ​knows​ ​that​ ​Abigail​ ​is​ ​at​ ​the​ ​forefront​ ​of​ ​the​ ​trials​ ​as​ ​vengeance​ ​against​ ​the​ ​society.​ ​Rebecca

Nurse​ ​agrees​ ​with​ ​Elizabeth​ ​that​ ​the​ ​witch​ ​trials​ ​are​ ​fictitious.​ ​She​ ​believes​ ​that​ ​“it​ ​is​ ​a​ ​lie”​ ​and

“how​ ​may​ ​[she]​ ​damn​ ​herself?”​ ​(140).​ ​Rebecca​ ​is​ ​seen​ ​as​ ​a​ ​pure​ ​soul​ ​in​ ​Salem,​ ​someone​ ​who

would​ ​never​ ​do​ ​anything​ ​wrong.​ ​However,​ ​people​ ​are​ ​too​ ​preoccupied​ ​in​ ​fear​ ​to​ ​recall

reputations.​ ​Also,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​so​ ​absorbed​ ​with​ ​the​ ​accusations​ ​by​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​that​ ​they​ ​neglect

concrete​ ​evidence.​ ​Giles​ ​Corey​ ​tries​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​light​ ​to​ ​this​ ​issue​ ​by​ ​telling​ ​the​ ​court​ ​“[his]​ ​proof​ ​is

there!​ ​Pointing​ ​to​ ​the​ ​paper...”​ ​(96).​ ​Giles​ ​wants​ ​the​ ​court​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​physical​ ​evidence​ ​rather

than​ ​verbal​ ​allegations​ ​made​ ​by​ ​Abigail​ ​and​ ​the​ ​girls.​ ​He​ ​creates​ ​a​ ​document​ ​that​ ​lays​ ​out

physical​ ​evidence,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​logic​ ​and​ ​reason​ ​to​ ​be​ ​assessed​ ​by​ ​the​ ​court,​ ​something​ ​that​ ​would

go​ ​against​ ​the​ ​girl’s​ ​reasoning.

 Bassani​ ​8

Fear​ ​allows​ ​for​ ​superstition​ ​to​ ​create​ ​turmoil​ ​in​ ​Salem,​ ​while​ ​Abigail​ ​and​ ​the​ ​girls​ ​bury

the​ ​truth​ ​within​ ​themselves.​ ​Miller​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​capture​ ​how​ ​superstition​ ​is​ ​a​ ​way​ ​for​ ​the​ ​society​ ​to

justify​ ​anything​ ​that​ ​would​ ​go​ ​in​ ​their​ ​favor.​ ​People​ ​were​ ​putting​ ​each​ ​other​ ​to​ ​death​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to

authorize​ ​the​ ​power​ ​within​ ​themselves.​ ​At​ ​that​ ​time,​ ​people​ ​did​ ​not​ ​realize​ ​the​ ​greatness​ ​in

individuality​ ​because​ ​they​ ​were​ ​so​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​maintaining​ ​religious​ ​monotony.​ ​Superstition​ ​is​ ​an

excuse​ ​to​ ​rewind​ ​human​ ​development​ ​out​ ​of​ ​fear,​ ​to​ ​times​ ​when​ ​people​ ​did​ ​not​ ​understand

human​ ​nature,​ ​or​ ​the​ ​truth​ ​of​ ​themselves.

 Bassani​ ​9

Works​ ​Cited

Guiley,​ ​Rosemary​ ​Ellen.​ ​The​ ​Encyclopedia​ ​of​ ​Witches​ ​and​ ​Witchcraft​.​ ​Facts​ ​on​ ​File,​ ​1989.

“John​ ​Proctor​ ​(SWP​ ​No.​ ​107.6).”​ ​The​ ​Salem​ ​Witchcraft​ ​Papers:​ ​Verbatim​ ​Transcriptions​ ​of​ ​the

Court​ ​Records​ ​In​ ​Three​ ​Volumes.​ ​Ed.​ ​Paul​ ​Boyer​ ​and​ ​Stephen​ ​Nissenbaum.​ ​U​ ​Virginia,

2010,​ ​Salem.lib.Virginia.edu/texts/transcripts.html/.​ ​Accessed​ ​7​ ​Dec.​ ​2016.

Jones,​ ​Sarah​ ​E.​ ​"A​ ​New​ ​Look​ ​At​ ​The​ ​Salem​ ​Witch​ ​Trials."​ ​Church​ ​&​ ​State​ ​69.1​ ​(2016):​ ​19-20.

Academic​ ​Search​ ​Premier​.

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=cookie,cpid&custid=s5405384&site=ehost-live&scope=site​ ​Web.​ ​7​ ​Dec.​ ​2016.

Miller,​ ​Arthur.​ ​The​ ​Crucible​.​ ​Penguin​ ​Books,​ ​1976.

Moran,​ ​Maureen​ ​F.​ ​"'Light​ ​No​ ​Smithfield​ ​Fires':​ ​Some​ ​Victorian​ ​Attitudes​ ​To​ ​Witchcraft."

Journal​ ​Of​ ​Popular​ ​Culture​ ​33.4​ ​(2000):​ ​123-151.​ ​Academic​ ​Search​ ​Premier​.

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=cookie,cpid&custid=s5405384&site=ehost-live&scope=site.​ ​Web.​ ​7​ ​Dec.​ ​2016.

Pelka,​ ​Fred.​ ​"The​ ​`Women's​ ​Holocaust.'."​ ​Humanist​ ​52.5​ ​(1992):​ ​5-32.​ ​Academic​ ​Search

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e=cookie,cpid&custid=s5405384&site=ehost-live&scope=site​ ​Web.​ ​7​ ​Dec.​ ​2016.