Essay on The Crucible: Motivations for the Trials :: Essay on The Crucible

Motivations for the Trials in The Crucible In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the madness of the Salem witch trials is explored in great detail. There argon many theories as to why the witch trials came about, the most popular of which is the girls subdue childhoods. However, there were other factors as well, such as Abigail Williams affair with trick Proctor, the secret grudges that neighbors held against each other, and the physical and economic differences between the citizens of Salem Village. From a historical viewpoint, it is known that young girls in colonial Massachusetts were effrontery little or no freedom to act like children. They were anticipate to walk straight, arms by their sides, eyes slightly downcast, and their mouths were to be closed in(p) unless otherwise asked to speak. It is not surprising that the girls would find this type of lifestyle in truth constricting. To rebel against it, they played pranks, such as dancing in the woods, earshot to slaves magic s tories and pretending that other villagers were bewitching them. The Crucible starts after the girls in the village have been caught dancing in the woods. As one of them locomote sick, rumors start to fly that there is witchcraft going on in the woods, and that the sick girl is bewitched. Once the girls talk to each other, they become much and more frightened of being accused as witches, so Abigail starts accusatory others of practicing witchcraft. The other girls all join in so that the blame will not be placed on them. In the novel, Abigail starts the accusations by saying, I go back to Jesus I kiss his hand. I axiom Sarah Good with the tease I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil Another girl, Betty, continues the cry with, I saw George Jacobs with the Devil I saw Goody Howe with the Devil From here on, the accusations come up and grow until the jails overflow with accused witches. It must have given them an incredible palpate of power when the whole town of Salem listened to their words and believed each and all accusation. After all, children were to be seen and not heard in Puritan society, and the newfound attention was probably overwhelming. In Act Three of The Crucible, the girls were called before the resolve to defend themselves against the claims that they were only acting.