THEME OF TRUTH Wohooo!
Act 1:
We are firstly introduced to a community that believes that if they commit a sin, they must confess to be saved. This is shown in the first act, “so inclined to express publicly his guilt and sins, under the cover of accusations against victims” in Miller’s introduction, but he gives us an example of this, “Martha laid herself down on his chest and ‘nearly suffocated him’. Of course it was her spirit only, but his satisfaction at confessing himself” this shows how Miller believes that the people’s perception of confessing or even telling the truth was used not for its purpose, but for personal gain, in this case it would be to ensure that the accuser was saved and in the light of God.
This episode is repeated in the play although this time for the audience to witness, but appears in another kind of situation. It begins when Betty is incredibly afraid to get in trouble and pretends to be unconscious to avoiding having the confrontation with her father reverend Parris, of what truly happened that night. Abigail the niece of reverend Parris is blamed for Betty’s condition. The community automatically jump to the conclusion of witch craft being involved and accuse the girls of being part of it. Abigail then realises what would happen to her if people would think she was a witch and tries to deny it,”I never called him! Tituba, Tituba…” this then leads to Abigail bending the truth to shift the blame, “she sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayer” this is Abigail ‘telling the truth’ and this also shows a perfect example of her manipulative character. She is a key character as she is the one who triggers the call for a witch hunt. Abigail confesses to Proctor “We were dancing in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped in on us,” which tells us that there was no witchery involved, to prove that the witch hunt is made from lies.
Truth is also unravelled in this act. Parris asks Abigail why she was dismissed from Goody Proctors service, Abigail replies that, “she hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying cold snivelling, woman, and I will work for such a woman”. This is a lie as later on we discover that Goody Proctor had dismissed Abigail for the affair she was having with her husband. We realise this when Proctor goes to visit Parris’s house, Abigail says to him when they are alone “I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!” This is a key scene in act 1 as it shows the feelings they have for each other are still there, but most importantly this is when Abigail confesses to Proctor that they were only ‘dancing’ and this is used later to provide evidence that the girls are lying about there being witch craft.
Reverend Hale is another key character when discussing the theme of truth. Hale acts very confidently which provokes the village believe everything without hesitation as if what he is saying is fact.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Conflict- Dave, Gursevak,Lindsey, Miriam and Stephanie
Conflict
Conflict is a key point 2 the cruciblewhen people such as judge danforth hold strong beliefs conflict is inevitalbethe revenge of the which trials steems from conflict between the villagers which is unsettledalso there is an internal conflict within john proctor as he feels guilt for what he did 2 his wife and the douts his own judgementridled though out the play is the tention between the characters which end for some in a drastic death.
Act 1.
In the first act there is conflict between Abigail and John Proctor. Although it isn't as obvious at points it is a very deep underlying conflict between the two. Both of them have had a connection at some point and there is very mixed feelings between the two. The conflict is there because of the affair in which they had. For John it was for lust but for Abi it was love.
Quotes like ;(Abigail: I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!) Shows us that the affair did happen.
John however denies it, this part of act one is the most straight forward bit to identfy the conflict between the two.
Proctor: We never touched, Abby
Abigail:Aye, but we did.
Proctor: Aye but we did not .
This shows that John Proctor is ashamed of what happened between them and will not even admit it happened , even to Abigail.
Arthur Miller uses stage directions to make an effect on how awkward the company of these two people being together. He uses directions like; "setting her firmly out of his path" and "grasping his hand before he can release her".
Shows us again that Abigail doesn't want John to not want her and he is doing what he can to resist the young girl.
Act2.
There is conflict between elizabeth and John, it is already apparent that John has Slept with Abigail. The seperation between the two continues.
Arthur Miller uses directions to tell us that 'a sense of their seperation arises', this shows us that they are still in conflict with each other.
Elizabeth: (She doesn't want
This again shows us that their is still underlying theme of conflict.
Their are various times in the second act in 'The crucible' that show John Proctor's stage directions with the theme of conflict. Like ;'his anger is rising' and 'with a violent undertone', are just a couple to show the feeling of conflict in this marriage.
Proctor:(laughing bitterly);Oh,Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!
This is an important quote as it sums up his feeling towards Elizabeth, he is in conflict not only with Elizabeth but with abigail too.He's also in conflict with himself for what has happened to his mariage.
Conflict- Parris
Parris always goes on about his enemies and what they think about him, but we are never actually told who his enemies are and if they even exist. This could show that he has had conflict or even expects conflict to arise. Parris says things like;'It must come out - My enemies will bring it out'.and 'I cannot blink what i saw, Abigail,for my enemy will not blink it'.
In act3 , Proctor comes into the court ,Parros says'Beware this man. Your Excellency, this man is mischief'. After this he goes on to try and get Proctor in trouble from Danforth. 'Such a Christian that will not come to church but once in a month' and 'Do you rebel the gospel, Mr Proctor?', these quotes show that there is now conflict between these two men. As act 3 progresses Proctor starts getting hiw ways and Danforth starts listening to him, Parris reacts angrly to this and says 'He's come to overthrow the court, Your Honout!'. The stage directions 'Parris nervously moves over and reads over Danforth's shoulder ' show us he is quite a paranoid man.
In Act 4 Parris eventualy shows sympathy for Proctor and begs him to confess to save his life. At this point it seems the conflict has gone.
p.s Miriams attachment wouldn't open on my computer so it is missing, sorry Ms Moore will put it on as soon as we can. - Steph
Conflict is a key point 2 the cruciblewhen people such as judge danforth hold strong beliefs conflict is inevitalbethe revenge of the which trials steems from conflict between the villagers which is unsettledalso there is an internal conflict within john proctor as he feels guilt for what he did 2 his wife and the douts his own judgementridled though out the play is the tention between the characters which end for some in a drastic death.
Act 1.
In the first act there is conflict between Abigail and John Proctor. Although it isn't as obvious at points it is a very deep underlying conflict between the two. Both of them have had a connection at some point and there is very mixed feelings between the two. The conflict is there because of the affair in which they had. For John it was for lust but for Abi it was love.
Quotes like ;(Abigail: I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!) Shows us that the affair did happen.
John however denies it, this part of act one is the most straight forward bit to identfy the conflict between the two.
Proctor: We never touched, Abby
Abigail:Aye, but we did.
Proctor: Aye but we did not .
This shows that John Proctor is ashamed of what happened between them and will not even admit it happened , even to Abigail.
Arthur Miller uses stage directions to make an effect on how awkward the company of these two people being together. He uses directions like; "setting her firmly out of his path" and "grasping his hand before he can release her".
Shows us again that Abigail doesn't want John to not want her and he is doing what he can to resist the young girl.
Act2.
There is conflict between elizabeth and John, it is already apparent that John has Slept with Abigail. The seperation between the two continues.
Arthur Miller uses directions to tell us that 'a sense of their seperation arises', this shows us that they are still in conflict with each other.
Elizabeth: (She doesn't want
This again shows us that their is still underlying theme of conflict.
Their are various times in the second act in 'The crucible' that show John Proctor's stage directions with the theme of conflict. Like ;'his anger is rising' and 'with a violent undertone', are just a couple to show the feeling of conflict in this marriage.
Proctor:(laughing bitterly);Oh,Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!
This is an important quote as it sums up his feeling towards Elizabeth, he is in conflict not only with Elizabeth but with abigail too.He's also in conflict with himself for what has happened to his mariage.
Conflict- Parris
Parris always goes on about his enemies and what they think about him, but we are never actually told who his enemies are and if they even exist. This could show that he has had conflict or even expects conflict to arise. Parris says things like;'It must come out - My enemies will bring it out'.and 'I cannot blink what i saw, Abigail,for my enemy will not blink it'.
In act3 , Proctor comes into the court ,Parros says'Beware this man. Your Excellency, this man is mischief'. After this he goes on to try and get Proctor in trouble from Danforth. 'Such a Christian that will not come to church but once in a month' and 'Do you rebel the gospel, Mr Proctor?', these quotes show that there is now conflict between these two men. As act 3 progresses Proctor starts getting hiw ways and Danforth starts listening to him, Parris reacts angrly to this and says 'He's come to overthrow the court, Your Honout!'. The stage directions 'Parris nervously moves over and reads over Danforth's shoulder ' show us he is quite a paranoid man.
In Act 4 Parris eventualy shows sympathy for Proctor and begs him to confess to save his life. At this point it seems the conflict has gone.
p.s Miriams attachment wouldn't open on my computer so it is missing, sorry Ms Moore will put it on as soon as we can. - Steph
Theme - Religion
This presentation is based on the main theme of the 'Crucible', Religion. We have decided to cover many of the different parts of religious activity that is portrayed throughout the play. We are going to show how religion is conveyed through the languauge of the characters, their forenames and the set of the play.
The play lets us know that in 1692 Salem was run by a theocracy, which basically means that the community of Salem was run by the church, so they were exceptionally religious, well they had to be.
The language that is used in the crucible has it's origins in religion.
The people os Salem think they are the chosen ones, but this creates paranoia between them all. This society is one which is rural and deeply religious. The irony of the witch trials is that the fight against sinfullness in Salem will become more sinful and malicious than any of the actual events that occur.
The forenames of the characters, and others mentioned are taken from the bible, as was the practise in christian communities, eg, John, Elizabeth, Mary and Ezekial.
Some of the language that is used in the 'Crucible' mostly comes from religion: "Aye, sir. I pray for her."
This theme is also maintained by the setting of the play. At the very beginning of the play in Act 1 the house of Reverend Parris is described as a very obscure and narrow place. This darkness and narrowness have a connotation of Evil. It is indeed a contrast with the religion they are supposed to be applying to their lives. Furthermore, this obscure place of the shepherd reveals the kind of person he is, he is also driving off the community. This is an example of Proctor ploughing on Sundays and having not baptised his third child. However, at the end of each season there is a harvest, on which almost the whole community lives on. A good harvest, in the bible, symbolises hard-work and also a holy labour. Reverend Parris isn't the only form of misconduct in Salem, it is also due to everyone elses behaviour. The setting of Act 1 shows us Proctor's house, that although seems peaceful, (like it should, according to their religion) is not in reality. This example gives the impression that this is what is happening in every household in Salem. To finnish with this is another fact going against the religion which is the rate of unfair decisions and hangings at the court.
Amy, Anika, Mwamba, Sera and Lyndon.
The play lets us know that in 1692 Salem was run by a theocracy, which basically means that the community of Salem was run by the church, so they were exceptionally religious, well they had to be.
The language that is used in the crucible has it's origins in religion.
The people os Salem think they are the chosen ones, but this creates paranoia between them all. This society is one which is rural and deeply religious. The irony of the witch trials is that the fight against sinfullness in Salem will become more sinful and malicious than any of the actual events that occur.
The forenames of the characters, and others mentioned are taken from the bible, as was the practise in christian communities, eg, John, Elizabeth, Mary and Ezekial.
Some of the language that is used in the 'Crucible' mostly comes from religion: "Aye, sir. I pray for her."
This theme is also maintained by the setting of the play. At the very beginning of the play in Act 1 the house of Reverend Parris is described as a very obscure and narrow place. This darkness and narrowness have a connotation of Evil. It is indeed a contrast with the religion they are supposed to be applying to their lives. Furthermore, this obscure place of the shepherd reveals the kind of person he is, he is also driving off the community. This is an example of Proctor ploughing on Sundays and having not baptised his third child. However, at the end of each season there is a harvest, on which almost the whole community lives on. A good harvest, in the bible, symbolises hard-work and also a holy labour. Reverend Parris isn't the only form of misconduct in Salem, it is also due to everyone elses behaviour. The setting of Act 1 shows us Proctor's house, that although seems peaceful, (like it should, according to their religion) is not in reality. This example gives the impression that this is what is happening in every household in Salem. To finnish with this is another fact going against the religion which is the rate of unfair decisions and hangings at the court.
Amy, Anika, Mwamba, Sera and Lyndon.
Hype and Hysteria By Ross, Smaira, Jess and Gemma
To hype is to publicise or promote, especially by extravagant, inflated, or misleading claims
People who are "hysterical" often lose self-control due to overwhelming fear
The term also occurs in the phrase mass hysteria to describe mass public near-panic reactions.
Hype and Hysteria is a big theme in Arthur Millers play, ‘The Crucible’. It first becomes apparent when Abigail Williams accuses the innocent of witchcraft, which during this time was a crime punishable by death. Abigail Williams first starts accusing members of Salems community in order to take focus off her own crimes, and accuses Elizabeth Proctor so she can take her place as John’s wife.
Before the accusations began, Salem was a very close knit community, and the witch trials gave the people a chance to speak out against others for the first time.
This was used by people to settle long grudges by accusing them of witch craft.
Elizabeth Proctor was accused by Abigail for the simple reason that she wanted to take her place as John Proctors wife.
John Proctor was also accused because once he told Abigail that he loved his wife and nothing was ever going to happen with them, Abigail became angry and wanted her revenge she then accused Proctor of sending his spirit out on all of the girls.
Goody Nurse was also accused of witch craft, and killing their babies, by the Putnams. Rebecca Nurse was hung because she did not admit to the crime that she did not commit.
Martha Corey was first related to witch craft when her own husband confessed to her reading books.
Hype and hysteria is one of the most important themes of the play as it builds up throughout the play and causes every character to change and go against each other, just to save themselves from death.
People who are "hysterical" often lose self-control due to overwhelming fear
The term also occurs in the phrase mass hysteria to describe mass public near-panic reactions.
Hype and Hysteria is a big theme in Arthur Millers play, ‘The Crucible’. It first becomes apparent when Abigail Williams accuses the innocent of witchcraft, which during this time was a crime punishable by death. Abigail Williams first starts accusing members of Salems community in order to take focus off her own crimes, and accuses Elizabeth Proctor so she can take her place as John’s wife.
Before the accusations began, Salem was a very close knit community, and the witch trials gave the people a chance to speak out against others for the first time.
This was used by people to settle long grudges by accusing them of witch craft.
Elizabeth Proctor was accused by Abigail for the simple reason that she wanted to take her place as John Proctors wife.
John Proctor was also accused because once he told Abigail that he loved his wife and nothing was ever going to happen with them, Abigail became angry and wanted her revenge she then accused Proctor of sending his spirit out on all of the girls.
Goody Nurse was also accused of witch craft, and killing their babies, by the Putnams. Rebecca Nurse was hung because she did not admit to the crime that she did not commit.
Martha Corey was first related to witch craft when her own husband confessed to her reading books.
Hype and hysteria is one of the most important themes of the play as it builds up throughout the play and causes every character to change and go against each other, just to save themselves from death.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Theme of Community!
The Crucible
Community
In this play, the people of the town were always aware of everyone else’s business. No secrets were kept in the community. So, when people started to talk about witchcraft and accusing others of it, everyone knew very quickly.
Everyone and everything belonged to God or the Devil.
These villagers believed in witches and the infallibility of the bible.
Anyone, in the community that doubted any evidence given against an accused person, would be questioning God’s will.
The tensions caused in the community because of the witch trials, led to a confrontations between characters.
Key Characters
Although all characters are linked to the community, Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale are the key ones.
Reverend Parris
Although Parris is meant to be the leader of the town, he changes through the duration of the play. He separates himself from the town and his own family, resulting in the breakdown
of the entire community. He also divides the community by claiming that he doesn’t get enough money and demanding possessions, such as the house that he lives in. This starts arguments between the characters
He shows more concern over his own reputation than his own daughter’s welfare at the beginning. His concerns over his reputation develop throughout the play.
Stage Description
The smallness of the room in Parris’ house symbolises the narrow-mindedness of the community.
Reverend Hale
Hale arrives in the town to question people, as an expert on witchcraft. He investigates who goes to church and who works on Sundays, to see who should be under the suspicion of witchcraft
At first he is arrogant, but his confidence erodes when he realises that the girls may be lying in the court. He finds himself caught up in the hysteria of the community.
McCarthyism
The McCarthy hearings were when people were put under suspicion of being a communist because they were involved in Anti-American activities.
The play has a strong link with the McCarthy hearings of the late 50’s and early 60’s in America. The witch trials symbolise McCarthyism and the community represents the American society of that period.
Community
In this play, the people of the town were always aware of everyone else’s business. No secrets were kept in the community. So, when people started to talk about witchcraft and accusing others of it, everyone knew very quickly.
Everyone and everything belonged to God or the Devil.
These villagers believed in witches and the infallibility of the bible.
Anyone, in the community that doubted any evidence given against an accused person, would be questioning God’s will.
The tensions caused in the community because of the witch trials, led to a confrontations between characters.
Key Characters
Although all characters are linked to the community, Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale are the key ones.
Reverend Parris
Although Parris is meant to be the leader of the town, he changes through the duration of the play. He separates himself from the town and his own family, resulting in the breakdown
of the entire community. He also divides the community by claiming that he doesn’t get enough money and demanding possessions, such as the house that he lives in. This starts arguments between the characters
He shows more concern over his own reputation than his own daughter’s welfare at the beginning. His concerns over his reputation develop throughout the play.
Stage Description
The smallness of the room in Parris’ house symbolises the narrow-mindedness of the community.
Reverend Hale
Hale arrives in the town to question people, as an expert on witchcraft. He investigates who goes to church and who works on Sundays, to see who should be under the suspicion of witchcraft
At first he is arrogant, but his confidence erodes when he realises that the girls may be lying in the court. He finds himself caught up in the hysteria of the community.
McCarthyism
The McCarthy hearings were when people were put under suspicion of being a communist because they were involved in Anti-American activities.
The play has a strong link with the McCarthy hearings of the late 50’s and early 60’s in America. The witch trials symbolise McCarthyism and the community represents the American society of that period.
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