The name Jezebel has come down through the centuries to be used as a general name for all wicked women. Jezebel is portrayed in modern usage as a controlling whore in such phrases as "painted Jezebel." (The "painted" part refers to a line in 2 Kings, just before she is defenestrated, where she puts on her makeup). From a generalized Christian point of view, the story and concept of Jezebel has been used to refer to those who refute perceived evidence and belief in God. From a biblical and generalized Christian point of view, being compared to Jezebel would suggest that the implied person would be a pagan or an apostate. While it is often negative in connotation, some embrace the image, as evidenced by various lingerie designs named after Jezebel.
Edith Piaf recorded a song called "Jezebel," which was later covered in tribute by Ann Wilson of Heart.
Pioneer Virginia gospel/pop quartet of the '30s and '40s, The Golden Gate Quartet recorded a song titled "Jezebel" on their Rock My Soul album; the song reflects the story of Jezebel, and was re-recorded and adapted for Recoil's album Liquid (March 2000).
Bette Davis won an Oscar for Best Actress in William Wyler's Jezebel (1938)
Frankie Laine had a big pop hit in 1951 with a song called Jezebel.
Indie musician Sam Beam (aka Iron & Wine) recorded a song somewhat sympathetic to Jezebel on his Woman King EP.
Australian rock band The Drones have Jezebel as the opening track of their third album "Gala Mill". A sprawling 7 minute song, it appears to cover topics from nuclear testing in Australia to the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl.
Nathan Price mentions and compares his daughter to Jezebel in the novel The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
British grime artist Dizzee Rascal recorded a song titled "Jezebel" on his debut album Boy In Da Corner; it is a tale of a young girl and the choices she makes.
British singer Sade Adu (Sade) also recorded a song titled "Jezebel" on her Promise album in 1985 about a girl who knows how to get what she wants.
The American band 10,000 Maniacs also recorded a song titled "Jezebel" on their 1992 album Our Time on Eden, concerning Jezebel's regrets about the inexorability of her mission.
In Tom Robbins's novel Skinny Legs and All, Jezebel is presented as a down to earth, sympathetic, and strong female character.
In Isaac Asimov's novel Caves of Steel, Jezebel is described as an ideal wife, and a woman who, in full compliance with the mores of the time, promotes her own religion conscientiously.
In Memories by Leonard Cohen, Jezebel is mentioned as being sung about by Frankie Lane in a dance club.
Joni Mitchell's song "Magdalene Laundries" from her album Turbulent Indigo, along with many other biblical references, alludes to Jezebel.
Sarah Jane Ferridge, a.k.a Sarah Jezebel Deva is an English singer who has collaborated with bands like Cradle of Filth and Mortiis.
My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, a 1981 album by Brian Eno and David Byrne, features a track called The Jezebel Spirit, which contains a sample of Jezebel being mentioned during an exorcism performed by a preacher.
In the 1997 Jim Carrey movie Liar Liar, Carrey and co-star Swoosie Kurtz are involved in a courtroom argument that degenerates into name-calling. The dialogue in the released version of the film begins with Kurtz objecting to one of Carrey's character's points, Carrey saying "You would," Kurtz calling him "Bastard," with Carrey finally calling Kurtz "Hag" before Jason Bernard's "Judge Stevens" harshly reprimands them both. In the gag reel on the DVD, Kurtz continues with "Overactor" before Bernard has a chance to begin his dialogue, to which Carrey responds "Jezebel" as the film crew break down in laughter.
In the Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy, The Wedding Planner, drunk Lopez's character mumbles that "Jezebel is the only queen in the Bible to be eaten by dogs."
KMFDM has a song entitled "Juke Joint Jezebel" on their 1995 album Nihil, written by collaborator Raymond Watts, which is considered by many to be their most popular song.
WWE commentator Jim Ross refers to the heel divas as "Jezebels" quite frequently.
The German singer/songwriter Alexander Veljanov has recorded a song Jezebel on his 1998 Album 'Secrets of the Silver Tongue'
The hard rock band He Is Legend refers to Jezebel in the lyrics of their song The Seduction which was released on the album I Am Hollywood, released in 2004.
In 1996, Elenor Brown composed the poem "Jezebel and the Eunuchs." [1]
The Hip-Hop group Outkast have a song off the album 'ATLiens' called 'Jazzy Belle', a take on the name that explores similar themes to the biblical Jezebel.
From Lauryn Hill's 1998 rap hit Doo Wop (That Thing): "Now that was the sin that did Jezebel in / Who you gonna call when the repercussions spin?"
In Margret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale, the chapter where Offred talks to her best friend Moira, a escaped handmaid transformed to a whore, for the final time is entitled "Jezebel."
In the 2005 movie musical Reefer Madness, Mary Lane refers to herself as "a pubescent addition to Jezebel" in the song "Murder".
The Smothers Brothers recorded a humorous version of Jezebel.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Jezebel
Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians or Tyre and Sidon. King Ahab of Israel, the son of Omri, did evil in the sight of the Lord, took Jezebel in marriage and went and served Baal. Ahab coveted the vineyard of Naboth and when he could not obtain it, Jezebel slandered Naboth, he was stoned and the vineyard given to Ahab. The wife of Ahab had introduced the abominations of Astarte worship into Israel. Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, hiding others in a cave with bread and water. Jezebel is referred to as the corrupt woman, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. She led her husband into the same idolatry and fed the prophets of Baal at her own table.
Jezebel is mentioned as the licentious false prophet of the Thyatira Church of the seven churches of Revelation. The church at Thyatira seems to fulfill the age of the Western Church from the dark ages unto the present time when their last works are more than the first. The nicolaitan idea of fleshly leadership in the church typified Rome and continued with the Protestants with the separation of clergy and laity. The denial of the sacramental quality of marriage leads the church into fornication and the false authority leads the church into confusion and false prophecy.
What Jesus had against the church of Thyatira was that "You suffer that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds."
Jezebel is a figurative and spiritual name for us. The Thyratiran church continues to this day and the Jezebel spirit manifests herself in the church and reaches to the highest pinnacles of government. The prophecy of the tribulation is in these last days and includes the greater part of Christendom that has allowed idolatry and the Jezebel spirit to flourish in the church and subsequently into all areas of society. Without an attitude of holiness, grace turns into licentiousness.
Jezebel is a whore and a witch whose spirit endures in the church by taking over the vineyard of the Lord. She covers her face with make-up to appear more attractive. Finally, Jezebel was a woman eventually destroyed by the very government she herself corrupted. The word of God came to Elijah and called him to show himself to Ahab and it would rain. The prophet came out of nowhere, stirred the righteous hearts, and the priests of Baal were put to death by the people. It was not Elijah alone but Jehu the anointed King over Israel that sought out the prophets of Baal and slew them, avenging the blood of the prophets. It was this king that dealt Jezebel the death blow by having her thrown down from the wall. In the end, Jehu did not follow the laws of the Lord with all His heart but it shall not be so with us. You are under the law of love and are among the overcomers, if in fact you are among the remnant. We may not be the Elijah to come or even a prophet but under our heritage, we are kings and priests. It is up to the church to become the spotless Bride in these last days and cast out the false prophets, we have the right and the power, we need but have the resolve to appropriate this power as the chosen remnant.
In Thyatira, the Jezebel spirit was and is introducing these same vile practices into the Christian church. By attaching herself to the Christians and manipulating them, she is insisting on the right to teach and practice licentious indulgence and claiming inspiration for her teaching. Those in the church that despise prophecy and forbid the true prophets to speak are under the influence of the Jezebel spirit. They may not have actually killed the prophets but by not allowing God's free operation to speak through His ministers, they kill the spirit that speaks through Him, thereby introducing the confusion of Babylon and the false teaching and doctrines of demons that identify a divided church. Among an apostate church, true prophets are hidden and not allowed to feast upon the richness of spiritual meat. Those under her influence will despise true prophecy, entertain the false prophets and attack those with true spiritual authority. Not all Thyatira pastors accept this teaching and this stinging rebuke is not for those that have not reached into Jezebel's satanic depth. Judgment is given according to the works of those under the Jezebel spirit, the words against them are delivered from One "with eyes like fire and feet like brass." Without repentance, these sins and the accompanying worldliness and schismatic confusion will cause tribulation and the death of the children who commit adultery with her.
Different demons have different names. The Jezebel demon spirit entices God's servant to fornication and adultery. Attitudes are contrived to try to cover the sin and the true prophetic spirit of conviction is allowed to be cast out. The sin of fornication includes any sexual act outside of marriage, male and female, to one partner and in the New Testament, it is the sin with the most singular condemnation but we must realize here that there are prophecies concerning the church committing fornication with the kings of the earth. Jesus is wedded to the church. When Jesus condemns those that have committed adultery with Jezebel, He is referring to the church and worldliness, not necessarily sexual immorality. Jezebel was and is a political figure and uses spiritual control and manipulation to exert influence. Once under this delusionary spirit, she takes them captive, disguises herself as the spirit of God and allows false prophecy, idolatry and worldly practices to flourish.
Jezebel uses her controlling influence to lead God's people to worship a church system that is not led by His spirit. Instead of being the Bride of Christ, the church is turned into a harlot turning to other gods, and a harem, becoming many wives through denominational divisions. It is hard to resist once under her spell, she feels just like Jesus but it is a delusion. Those under the Jezebel spirit are given a false peace about the sin and confusion and the spirit of conviction does not take hold because they are given over to satan's deception for the destruction of the flesh. She will even counterfeit the Holy Spirit feeling of holiness in the heart. Jezebel is the spirit of modern day Babylon and we are told to flee from her.
Jezebel is not gender specific. She is a type that shows up in todays relationship with the church to the world and the relationship with church authority and the congregation. When Jezebel painted her face to make herself more attractive it suggests a type of evil that is all made up to look attractive to those that are under her spell. The Jezebel spirit is a type of delusion that is given to the church so that they might not recognize the influence. If you understand the hypocrisy and worldliness of the political Christian right and their pretense of proper Christian truth, you have an idea how far this has gone. This is much more of a balanced approach to the world situation today and what Elijah would be fighting against than merely a women doing anything in authority over a man or any person usurping authority in the church.
There is a movement today that looks like it is coming against pastors in the church but this impression is only half right. Pastors are needed in the church and are a proper part of the ministry and there are many that have not bent the knee to Baal but more and more, we are learning about the Jezebel spirit in the church and that it applies to many pastors and teachers. The Elijah spirit that comes against the spirit of Jezebel is prophetic and those pastors that will not submit to the prophetic voice in the congregation are starting to feel the heat. There are pastors and Christian leaders that use control and manipulation to bring forth their own special interests and pet denominational doctrines. Some of those pastors are trying to turn it around and blame it on the prophets speaking out in church but these very pastors that are muzzling the prophets are exposing the Jezebel spirit to their own shame. Pastors who are hearing the insistence of apostolic mandate and treat these times as business as usual are being exposed as fools. It is true that most Christians will be taken unawares but many hear the Lord.
Jezebel is a hot prophetic topic right now, the Lord is exposing these people as false teachers and it includes so-called apostles and evangelists. Your pastor may accept the prophetic but it is time to come against the Jezebel spirit in the church and prophets called to do it will be sent to them. If your pastor falls into that category, then it will be to his loss but it is not for us to judge. There are pastors who have not fallen prey to the delusions of Jezebel and they are standing along side of these truths. We must come to the irrefutable conclusion that as the remnant, we should not be subject to this power. The Elijah spirit that is taking on the Jezebel spirit is coming forth with another power, that of the "Spirit saith the Lord" kind of power that will knock Jezebel out of her exalted perch and bring her down to the level that she is destined to fall into, along with Babylon.
It is the Jezebel spirit that has seduced our present generation to commit fornication, whether sexual or political, to deny the prophets and has allowed the spirit in the mainstream, justifying it according to the mores of the times. Those under her spell think it is overlooked by God. We need to pray for these ones that the Jezebel spirit is overcome so that they will see the truth. There are loved ones involved that need to be restored, churches that need the prophetic truth, there are millions right around you just waiting to hear this truth and submit themselves to true spiritual authority so that they may be delivered. Now you know, the trumpet is at your lips, sound the alarm. [294, I Kings 16, 19, 21, II Kings 9, 10, Revelation 2, 298, 378, 398, 338, Jezebel was a topic of the latter rain list end-time discussions]
Jezebel is mentioned as the licentious false prophet of the Thyatira Church of the seven churches of Revelation. The church at Thyatira seems to fulfill the age of the Western Church from the dark ages unto the present time when their last works are more than the first. The nicolaitan idea of fleshly leadership in the church typified Rome and continued with the Protestants with the separation of clergy and laity. The denial of the sacramental quality of marriage leads the church into fornication and the false authority leads the church into confusion and false prophecy.
What Jesus had against the church of Thyatira was that "You suffer that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds."
Jezebel is a figurative and spiritual name for us. The Thyratiran church continues to this day and the Jezebel spirit manifests herself in the church and reaches to the highest pinnacles of government. The prophecy of the tribulation is in these last days and includes the greater part of Christendom that has allowed idolatry and the Jezebel spirit to flourish in the church and subsequently into all areas of society. Without an attitude of holiness, grace turns into licentiousness.
Jezebel is a whore and a witch whose spirit endures in the church by taking over the vineyard of the Lord. She covers her face with make-up to appear more attractive. Finally, Jezebel was a woman eventually destroyed by the very government she herself corrupted. The word of God came to Elijah and called him to show himself to Ahab and it would rain. The prophet came out of nowhere, stirred the righteous hearts, and the priests of Baal were put to death by the people. It was not Elijah alone but Jehu the anointed King over Israel that sought out the prophets of Baal and slew them, avenging the blood of the prophets. It was this king that dealt Jezebel the death blow by having her thrown down from the wall. In the end, Jehu did not follow the laws of the Lord with all His heart but it shall not be so with us. You are under the law of love and are among the overcomers, if in fact you are among the remnant. We may not be the Elijah to come or even a prophet but under our heritage, we are kings and priests. It is up to the church to become the spotless Bride in these last days and cast out the false prophets, we have the right and the power, we need but have the resolve to appropriate this power as the chosen remnant.
In Thyatira, the Jezebel spirit was and is introducing these same vile practices into the Christian church. By attaching herself to the Christians and manipulating them, she is insisting on the right to teach and practice licentious indulgence and claiming inspiration for her teaching. Those in the church that despise prophecy and forbid the true prophets to speak are under the influence of the Jezebel spirit. They may not have actually killed the prophets but by not allowing God's free operation to speak through His ministers, they kill the spirit that speaks through Him, thereby introducing the confusion of Babylon and the false teaching and doctrines of demons that identify a divided church. Among an apostate church, true prophets are hidden and not allowed to feast upon the richness of spiritual meat. Those under her influence will despise true prophecy, entertain the false prophets and attack those with true spiritual authority. Not all Thyatira pastors accept this teaching and this stinging rebuke is not for those that have not reached into Jezebel's satanic depth. Judgment is given according to the works of those under the Jezebel spirit, the words against them are delivered from One "with eyes like fire and feet like brass." Without repentance, these sins and the accompanying worldliness and schismatic confusion will cause tribulation and the death of the children who commit adultery with her.
Different demons have different names. The Jezebel demon spirit entices God's servant to fornication and adultery. Attitudes are contrived to try to cover the sin and the true prophetic spirit of conviction is allowed to be cast out. The sin of fornication includes any sexual act outside of marriage, male and female, to one partner and in the New Testament, it is the sin with the most singular condemnation but we must realize here that there are prophecies concerning the church committing fornication with the kings of the earth. Jesus is wedded to the church. When Jesus condemns those that have committed adultery with Jezebel, He is referring to the church and worldliness, not necessarily sexual immorality. Jezebel was and is a political figure and uses spiritual control and manipulation to exert influence. Once under this delusionary spirit, she takes them captive, disguises herself as the spirit of God and allows false prophecy, idolatry and worldly practices to flourish.
Jezebel uses her controlling influence to lead God's people to worship a church system that is not led by His spirit. Instead of being the Bride of Christ, the church is turned into a harlot turning to other gods, and a harem, becoming many wives through denominational divisions. It is hard to resist once under her spell, she feels just like Jesus but it is a delusion. Those under the Jezebel spirit are given a false peace about the sin and confusion and the spirit of conviction does not take hold because they are given over to satan's deception for the destruction of the flesh. She will even counterfeit the Holy Spirit feeling of holiness in the heart. Jezebel is the spirit of modern day Babylon and we are told to flee from her.
Jezebel is not gender specific. She is a type that shows up in todays relationship with the church to the world and the relationship with church authority and the congregation. When Jezebel painted her face to make herself more attractive it suggests a type of evil that is all made up to look attractive to those that are under her spell. The Jezebel spirit is a type of delusion that is given to the church so that they might not recognize the influence. If you understand the hypocrisy and worldliness of the political Christian right and their pretense of proper Christian truth, you have an idea how far this has gone. This is much more of a balanced approach to the world situation today and what Elijah would be fighting against than merely a women doing anything in authority over a man or any person usurping authority in the church.
There is a movement today that looks like it is coming against pastors in the church but this impression is only half right. Pastors are needed in the church and are a proper part of the ministry and there are many that have not bent the knee to Baal but more and more, we are learning about the Jezebel spirit in the church and that it applies to many pastors and teachers. The Elijah spirit that comes against the spirit of Jezebel is prophetic and those pastors that will not submit to the prophetic voice in the congregation are starting to feel the heat. There are pastors and Christian leaders that use control and manipulation to bring forth their own special interests and pet denominational doctrines. Some of those pastors are trying to turn it around and blame it on the prophets speaking out in church but these very pastors that are muzzling the prophets are exposing the Jezebel spirit to their own shame. Pastors who are hearing the insistence of apostolic mandate and treat these times as business as usual are being exposed as fools. It is true that most Christians will be taken unawares but many hear the Lord.
Jezebel is a hot prophetic topic right now, the Lord is exposing these people as false teachers and it includes so-called apostles and evangelists. Your pastor may accept the prophetic but it is time to come against the Jezebel spirit in the church and prophets called to do it will be sent to them. If your pastor falls into that category, then it will be to his loss but it is not for us to judge. There are pastors who have not fallen prey to the delusions of Jezebel and they are standing along side of these truths. We must come to the irrefutable conclusion that as the remnant, we should not be subject to this power. The Elijah spirit that is taking on the Jezebel spirit is coming forth with another power, that of the "Spirit saith the Lord" kind of power that will knock Jezebel out of her exalted perch and bring her down to the level that she is destined to fall into, along with Babylon.
It is the Jezebel spirit that has seduced our present generation to commit fornication, whether sexual or political, to deny the prophets and has allowed the spirit in the mainstream, justifying it according to the mores of the times. Those under her spell think it is overlooked by God. We need to pray for these ones that the Jezebel spirit is overcome so that they will see the truth. There are loved ones involved that need to be restored, churches that need the prophetic truth, there are millions right around you just waiting to hear this truth and submit themselves to true spiritual authority so that they may be delivered. Now you know, the trumpet is at your lips, sound the alarm. [294, I Kings 16, 19, 21, II Kings 9, 10, Revelation 2, 298, 378, 398, 338, Jezebel was a topic of the latter rain list end-time discussions]
The Ace of Spades Reversed
This illustration shows the reverse aspect of the ace of spades. The right way up this card stands for adundance, success and the coming to fruition of your plans. A reversed card predicts the exact opposite and can be a bit alarming when it presents itself as a picture of what is going to happen to you next. But you have to remember that as with turning seasons, sometimes things have to end for there to be a new beginning. Collapse, death and decay are followed by regeneration, growth, fruition, and harvest. Spring follows winter, autumn follows harvest, rebirth is only possible after some kind of death.
Spades seems to be the suit of darkness, despair and death. Not an unexpected theme for spades, which has historically been the suit of death. The ace signifies: "an emotional relationship that could cause trouble. Reversed: Unexpected bad news."
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
:(
Miss, this is unfair. We had to do this essay for Monday and then told we had to learn it for Wednesday but only had tonight to learn it because it was being marked :'( can we not have more time? Because I'm not gonna be able to do this well at all and it seems so rushed! Dunno about anyone else...
pleeeease?
pleeeease?
*@!#
aw for Falkirks sake Jordan leeeeeeee has thiefted my book so i cannot find any much needed quotes! hint (give me more time) hint
from Scott x
from Scott x
Monday, January 08, 2007
Grahams crucible essay
Dont hav your email address so just posted it on here
“The Crucible,” by Arthur Miller is a play which tells the true story of the hysteria of the 1692 witch trials in a small town called Salem, in Massachusetts. This essay will look at a particular episode towards the end of the play which is laced with tension. It will examine the position of this episode and also show how the tension is created.
This episode appears at the end of Act Three, when the villainous, manipulative character of Abigail Williams is in the court room with her group of friends just after John Proctor has been found guilty of having an affair with Abigail. Reverend Hale starts to tell Deputy Governor Danforth about how he thinks the girls are faking the whole thing. At this point, Abigail screams and points to the ceiling, claiming that there is a yellow bird sitting on one of the beams attempting to attack her, and that it has been sent by Mary Warren, the servant of the Proctor household. “Why do you come, yellow bird?...Oh Mary, this is a black art to change your shape.” Mary tries to stop her, “Abby you mustn’t,” but Abigail just repeats everything that Mary says. The group of girls quickly catch on to Abigail’s plan, and join in mimicking Mary, showing the reader just how much power Abigail has over them.
The girls flee from the yellow bird out of the court room, which eventually forces Mary to give in. She runs to them and is comforted by Abigail. John Proctor tries again to persuade the court officials that the girls are pretending, but his plans are thwarted when Mary turns on John Proctor, crying out, “You’re the Devil’s man! I’ll not hang with you! I love God, I love God.” This again shows just how manipulative Abigail is. She is able to change Mary completely to turn against her master, and have him hanged by accusing him of witchcraft. Reverend Hale sees that Proctor will be hanged for this and jumps in, shouting, “Excellency, this child’s gone wild!”
As the girls flee from the courtroom, a real sense of chaos and hysteria is created, and this can be seen from the stage directions. “She and the girls run to one wall, shielding their eyes. And now, as though cornered, they let out a gigantic scream, and Mary, as though infected opens her mouth and screams with them.” The image of all these girls screaming and fleeing from a bird which is attacking them is a very strong one, and adds to the idea of the town being in complete chaos.
After these claims from Mary, John Proctor does not try and protest his innocence, but instead he continues to attack the court, at the same time condemning himself, by crying, “I say – I say – God is dead!” When he says this, he speaks metaphorically, lamenting a world in which a villain such as Abigail may preside over the ostensibly just and moral society of Salem. “You are pulling down heaven and raising up a whore!” These are John’s final words of Act Three, and the reader gets the impression here that he has realised that the court will not listen to him, no matter how much evidence he produces. This is his final attack on Abigail and the court. These two quotes from Proctor are very strong and add to the tension greatly as they show how much damage Abigail has brought to Salem. The town was very religious, but now heaven is being “pulled down,” by these allegations of witchcraft.
Miller is able to create so much tension in this episode by presenting a drastic change in character of both Mary Warren and John Proctor. Mary has changed from being an accused person to being an accuser within a matter of minutes. Mary also started to come across as a more powerful character after she was made an official of the court, saying to her master, “I am an official of the court now…I’ll not stand whipping any more!” However, in this episode, she loses all her new found confidence and gives in to the girls.
John started out as a very calm person, but as the trials unfold, more and more pressure is placed upon him and he eventually cracks when he claims that God is dead in the town of Salem. To say such a thing in a Puritan town such as Salem led him to his inevitable death.
Another aspect which adds to the tension is the fact that this episode shows some of the characters who once held power losing control. One of these is Mary, who seemed to be building up her confidence but then lost it all when the girls accused her of sending her spirit to attack them. We also get the impression that Danforth, who started out as a very strong character who knew what he was doing, now doubts his own actions, but carries on in the same way as he doesn’t want to admit this. He carries on as thought he is convinced he is correct. “While I speak God’s law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering.” Through him, Miller demonstrates what happens when the state assumes absolute moral authority to direct the lives and beliefs of its citizens. He knows that he must purge the town, but this overrides legal quibbles about evidence or court proceedings. He cannot understand that even if God’s law is infallible, its interpreters are not.
Miller has succeeded in making this scene very tense for the reader by presenting some significant changes in a few of the main characters, and also by some of the quotes from these characters. The episode comes at the part in the play where the chaos and hysteria in the town of Salem is at its peak, so this also adds to the tension.
“The Crucible,” by Arthur Miller is a play which tells the true story of the hysteria of the 1692 witch trials in a small town called Salem, in Massachusetts. This essay will look at a particular episode towards the end of the play which is laced with tension. It will examine the position of this episode and also show how the tension is created.
This episode appears at the end of Act Three, when the villainous, manipulative character of Abigail Williams is in the court room with her group of friends just after John Proctor has been found guilty of having an affair with Abigail. Reverend Hale starts to tell Deputy Governor Danforth about how he thinks the girls are faking the whole thing. At this point, Abigail screams and points to the ceiling, claiming that there is a yellow bird sitting on one of the beams attempting to attack her, and that it has been sent by Mary Warren, the servant of the Proctor household. “Why do you come, yellow bird?...Oh Mary, this is a black art to change your shape.” Mary tries to stop her, “Abby you mustn’t,” but Abigail just repeats everything that Mary says. The group of girls quickly catch on to Abigail’s plan, and join in mimicking Mary, showing the reader just how much power Abigail has over them.
The girls flee from the yellow bird out of the court room, which eventually forces Mary to give in. She runs to them and is comforted by Abigail. John Proctor tries again to persuade the court officials that the girls are pretending, but his plans are thwarted when Mary turns on John Proctor, crying out, “You’re the Devil’s man! I’ll not hang with you! I love God, I love God.” This again shows just how manipulative Abigail is. She is able to change Mary completely to turn against her master, and have him hanged by accusing him of witchcraft. Reverend Hale sees that Proctor will be hanged for this and jumps in, shouting, “Excellency, this child’s gone wild!”
As the girls flee from the courtroom, a real sense of chaos and hysteria is created, and this can be seen from the stage directions. “She and the girls run to one wall, shielding their eyes. And now, as though cornered, they let out a gigantic scream, and Mary, as though infected opens her mouth and screams with them.” The image of all these girls screaming and fleeing from a bird which is attacking them is a very strong one, and adds to the idea of the town being in complete chaos.
After these claims from Mary, John Proctor does not try and protest his innocence, but instead he continues to attack the court, at the same time condemning himself, by crying, “I say – I say – God is dead!” When he says this, he speaks metaphorically, lamenting a world in which a villain such as Abigail may preside over the ostensibly just and moral society of Salem. “You are pulling down heaven and raising up a whore!” These are John’s final words of Act Three, and the reader gets the impression here that he has realised that the court will not listen to him, no matter how much evidence he produces. This is his final attack on Abigail and the court. These two quotes from Proctor are very strong and add to the tension greatly as they show how much damage Abigail has brought to Salem. The town was very religious, but now heaven is being “pulled down,” by these allegations of witchcraft.
Miller is able to create so much tension in this episode by presenting a drastic change in character of both Mary Warren and John Proctor. Mary has changed from being an accused person to being an accuser within a matter of minutes. Mary also started to come across as a more powerful character after she was made an official of the court, saying to her master, “I am an official of the court now…I’ll not stand whipping any more!” However, in this episode, she loses all her new found confidence and gives in to the girls.
John started out as a very calm person, but as the trials unfold, more and more pressure is placed upon him and he eventually cracks when he claims that God is dead in the town of Salem. To say such a thing in a Puritan town such as Salem led him to his inevitable death.
Another aspect which adds to the tension is the fact that this episode shows some of the characters who once held power losing control. One of these is Mary, who seemed to be building up her confidence but then lost it all when the girls accused her of sending her spirit to attack them. We also get the impression that Danforth, who started out as a very strong character who knew what he was doing, now doubts his own actions, but carries on in the same way as he doesn’t want to admit this. He carries on as thought he is convinced he is correct. “While I speak God’s law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering.” Through him, Miller demonstrates what happens when the state assumes absolute moral authority to direct the lives and beliefs of its citizens. He knows that he must purge the town, but this overrides legal quibbles about evidence or court proceedings. He cannot understand that even if God’s law is infallible, its interpreters are not.
Miller has succeeded in making this scene very tense for the reader by presenting some significant changes in a few of the main characters, and also by some of the quotes from these characters. The episode comes at the part in the play where the chaos and hysteria in the town of Salem is at its peak, so this also adds to the tension.
YAHOOOOO-NESS
Have not sent it yet.... (its 5.49pm)
but i will be sending it to you in a bit am just putin the quotes in so will u pleeeeaaassseeee check your yahoo account lol xxx
but i will be sending it to you in a bit am just putin the quotes in so will u pleeeeaaassseeee check your yahoo account lol xxx
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Minging x
this is disgusting, im trying to do this essay.. how can i start it? : maybe i should have done it earlier, i cant do it, my spacebar is not working right, you have to push it alot to make it work and its annoying.. Grrrr
Just A Little Something...
Hey peeps...
Been trying to do this essay HA have lost the book... : WOOT.
But found this site which has got lotsa helpful stuff on it like useful quotations and character studies and stuff so here's the link..
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/index.html
Xxx
p.s Btw, Miss, did you not tell us we had a week when we came back to do this essay as well :S cuz i remember you saying sumthing like that and me being like... U mean we have an extra week?? Cuz in ur post it sez it's for tomoro but... i thought u had given us till next monday :S..
Am doing it now anyways but if we do have an extra week would really appreciate it lol xxx
p.p.s I'm not trying to be a chancer or be funny lol... i reeli do think i remember questioning the fact tht we wood still have a week after the hols... ? lol x
Been trying to do this essay HA have lost the book... : WOOT.
But found this site which has got lotsa helpful stuff on it like useful quotations and character studies and stuff so here's the link..
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/index.html
Xxx
p.s Btw, Miss, did you not tell us we had a week when we came back to do this essay as well :S cuz i remember you saying sumthing like that and me being like... U mean we have an extra week?? Cuz in ur post it sez it's for tomoro but... i thought u had given us till next monday :S..
Am doing it now anyways but if we do have an extra week would really appreciate it lol xxx
p.p.s I'm not trying to be a chancer or be funny lol... i reeli do think i remember questioning the fact tht we wood still have a week after the hols... ? lol x
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