The Crucible Analysis

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and been friendly with for years. It can make them believe that they have done unbelievable crimes like communing with the devil, killing babies, killing people, stealing, etc. In the crucible the hysteria is everyone believing in witchcraft and it lets the towns people blame innocent people to relieve the long lasting grudges they have on other people. An example of a grudge with Abigail excusing Elizabeth of witchcraft to get her sent to jail and then Abigail can have John. Some people can use hysterias to increase there power like reverend Paris used the witch trials to his advantage. 

Reputation is extremely in theocratic Salem, where public and private mortalities are one and the same. In a place where reputation plays such a big role, being guilty by just association is a very big thing to try to keep people from knowing. In this play and time period, reputation played a huge role and the smallest sin could make people who saw you good, change their whole opinions on you. When John proctor had the affair he does whatever he can to try and keep that a secret because if people were to figure that out then instead of having a good reputation in the town, no one would like him. 

The crucible is set in a theocratic society, in which the church and state are one, and the religion is really strict. Because of the theocratic nature of the society, moral laws and state laws are the same. Sining and breaking the law are pretty much the same thing, they are both very bad, and also they are both public concern. There is no reason for deviation from social norms, since any individuals private life doesn’t conform to the established moral laws threatens not only the public good but the rule of God and the thought of true religion. In this time era, the people of Salem either are people of God or people of the devil, there is no grey area. Intolerance is a very important theme in this play. As mentioned in the play, you’re either with the court or you’re considered counted against the court. The witch trials are the ultimate expression of intolerance; the trials brand all social deviants with the taint of  devil worship and the reason for the killing/hanging of the "witches"  

The quote I’ve chosen shows the romance between John proctor and Abigail. Basically their two fling sort of started this whole mess. In the play Abigail wanted to get rid of Elizabeth and she wanted John proctor. She is a type of girl to do anything she can to get what she wants and she did. She accused Elizabeth of witch craft and got the whole town on to the idea that witch craft was a real thing. 

"I have a sense for heat, John and yours has drawn me to my window, and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness. Do you tell me you’ve never looked up at my window?" (Abigail page 15). This quote shows some of the romance between John and Abigail, two of the biggest/major characters. There affair provokes the climax for the whole play. There were many different situations through out this play and one was the sin of cheating. John proctor committed this sin in the start of the play. Another situation that happened was just because Abigail wanted John, she started the whole hysteria of witch craft In the town of Salem. She started it because of three reasons; they were boredom, her thrust for sex and power. 

Another situation is where proctor cuts off Abigail and pretty much says that he’s done with her. "Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby." (John proctor, page 15). This just shows when John ended things then it set Abigail off. This is when everything started going to crap. Once again all of this started because Abigail wanted John and it shows that the saying "you want what you can’t have"