Abigail Williams has made a confliction for herself between John Proctor and herself, “My wife is innocent, except she knew a whore when she saw one!” By use of the word “whore”, John Procter immediately shows the audience the disgust he holds for Abigail Williams for ruining his love life with Elizabeth Proctor. In later acts, John Proctor further shows the audience that he hates her for what she has done when he says “A whore’s vengeance”. By saying this John Proctor shows the audience how much his life has been ruined due to his affair with Abigail Williams.
Abigail Williams holds strong grudges against Elizabeth Proctor, “It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold…” This quotation shows the outright hatred she has for Elizabeth Proctor. By referring to Elizabeth Proctor as “it” shows a lack of respect because she talks about Elizabeth Proctor as if she was an object. Furthermore, Arthur Miller uses the rule of three to emphasise her pure hatred against Elizabeth Proctor. The words that Abigail William’s uses sound cold and dirty, this emphasises her rivalry against Elizabeth Proctor because Abigail William’s is trying to make Elizabeth Proctor sound like she has no heart.
When Abigail Williams is introduced, Arthur Miller makes us question her character, “with an endless capacity for dissembling.” This stage direction shows the audience that Abigail Williams has a bad reputation. The use off the word “endless” shows that she will stop at nothing to get hew own way; it also puts the audience at the edge of their seats.
Abigail Williams also has a reputation for doing anything to get herself out of trouble, “Not I, Sir- Tituba and Ruth.” The audience recognises that Abigail Williams will lie to get herself out of trouble. This is linked to the McCarthy period where people would blame other’s to climb higher in the social ladder. Arthur Miller also introduces the fact that Abigail Williams is ruthless, aggressive and selfish to the people that surround her. This is reflected in modern day life because Joe McCarthy was also very ruthless to his grudges and rivalries.
The girls of Salem are scared by Abigail Williams because she is wicked and sly to them, “Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring you pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” From this speech by Abigail Williams the audience can see Abigail Williams controlling the other girls that danced with her in the forest. By use of the word “black”, Abigail Williams tries to remind the other girls of the devil and scare them. In addition, “pointy reckoning” is used to scare the girls because it reminds them of the devil and they are extremely religious. Even the “der” in “shudder” provokes the feeling of endless pain.
Abigail Williams developed her violent lifestyle when she was young, “I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night.” From this the audience can sympathise with Abigail Williams because she had a troubled child hood. However, Abigail Williams uses this speech to terrify the girls that danced with her in the forest. The phrase “next to mine” emphasises the close shave of death that Abigail Williams has had; she introduces to the girls that she has seen someone killed and she knows what its like. Abigail Williams enhances the fact that she has no problems to kill the girls of Salem by saying “I have seen some reddish work done at night.” In addition, the personal pronoun, “I” underlines to the girls that she will do it herself. “Reddish” also enhances the gory and graphical image that Abigail Williams is trying to create inside the other girls heads to scare them further. This imagery does not scare Abigail William’s because she has seen it happen and she is not afraid.
Abigail Williams is very good at lying, “If the girls a saint now, I think it is not easy to prove she’s fraud.” From this dialogue by John Proctor, the audience can see that Abigail Williams has persuaded the court that she is a good citizen of Salem. Using the word “saint”, John Proctor evokes the feeling that Abigail Williams has got herself a good reputation in the court’s mind.
Reverend Parris is the towns Reverend. He has worked very hard to get in his position and he wishes to keep it. However, from Reverend Parris’ high status, he has become very paranoid. This is reflected in the McCarthy period because Joe McCarthy became Senate of the USA and he also got very paranoid. Reverend Parris is obsessed with his reputation and strides for a high status within the Salem society,” he cut a villainous path.” This stage direction evokes the feeling that Reverend Parris is not entirely honest; the use of the word “cut” connotes that he some how cheated his way to this high ranking authority in the community. This reflects the time in which Arthur Miller was writing The Crucible because Joe McCarthy blamed people for communism to stay as the Senate of the USA.
In Act One, Reverend Parris shows his concern for his high status and authority, “Abigail, I have fought here three years long to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character.” From this quote the audience can see how paranoid that Reverend Parris has become. “Stiff-necked people” enhances the corrupt view of Reverend Parris has on the people of the Salem society; it also puts emphasis on the amount of grudges and rivalries that Reverend Parris has.
Reverend Parris is obsessed with his high social status, “I am not some preaching farmer with a book under my arm; I am a graduate of Harvard College.” From this quote the audience can see that Reverend Parris is trying to make himself look more important. The use of the word “some” show that Reverend Parris doesn’t think himself to be just anyone. Reverend Parris also uses the word “farmer” to emphasise on his high education at Harvard College; also he uses “farmer” to belittle John Proctors low education and simple life and job.
Reverend Parris is so eager to rise in social status that he shows little care for his own daughter, “They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.” This quote connotes the fact that Reverend Parris does not care about Betty Parris, who is his own daughter. From the word “me” it is highlighted that he doesn’t care about his family; he just simply looks after himself and his authority. Furthermore, “howl” puts even more emphasis on how Reverend Parris thinks his grudges and rivalries will attack him if they think that he is corrupt. This is mirrored in the McCarthy period where Joe McCarthy blamed others for communism to make himself rise in the social ladder.
Reverend Parris thinks himself to be of such high status he will not accept anything that is standard or cheap, “Since we built the church there were pewter candlesticks upon the altar; Francis Nurse made them, y’know, and a sweeter hand never touched the metal. But Parris came, and for twenty week he preach nothin’ but golden candlesticks until he had them. I labour the earth from dawn of day to blink of night, and I tell you true, when I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbows – it hurt my prayer, sir, it hurt my prayer.” From this the audience can clearly see what kind of man Reverend Parris is; he is cold, shrewd and corrupt. By not accepting hand made pewter candlesticks, Arthur Miller makes the audience see that Reverend Parris is corrupt. Arthur Miller also makes the audience question if Reverend Parris is a true man of God. This also shocks the audience because the Salem society was a very religious society and by not accepting hand made pewter candlesticks, Reverend Parris shows that he does not care about his religion but in fact he only cares about his appearance.
Reverend Parris demands a lot of respect that he thinks he deserves, “I want a mark of confidence, is all! I am your third preacher in seven years. I do not wish to be put out like the cat whenever some majority feels the whim. You people seem not to comprehend that a minister is the Lord’s man in the parish; a minister is not to be so lightly crossed and contradicted-.” The audience can tell from this quote that Reverend Parris thinks that he isn’t getting enough respect from the town’s people. “You people” shows that Reverend Parris is not giving the villagers their respect until they show respect to him. This is reflected in the McCarthy period because Joe McCarthy also demanded a lot of respect for such a high ranking individual.
Thomas and Anne Putnam may be minor characters, but they are both key players in initiating and escalating the hysteria. This works to their advantage because they have many grudges and rivalries over many disputes about land and social status. When Anne Putnam is introduced to the audience, the audience instantly recognises that she is gullible and easily swayed, “How high did she fly, how high?” From this quote, the audience immediately that Anne Putnam is a gossip. This is because Anne Putnam does not walk in and ask politely how Betty Parris is, but instead she bursts in to know the gossip; this is shown by repeating “how high”. Also, the audience finds out that Anne Putnam is very superstitious, gullible and has a low level of intelligence. Not long after Anne Putnam says that quote, Thomas Putnam believes “it is a providence the thing is out now! It is a providence.” This quote shows how highly regarded religion is in the Putnam way of life. It also reflects in the McCarthy period where Joe McCarthy felt very strongly about the communism hysteria. The point that the Putnam’s are very gullible is later enhanced when Anne Putnam say’s, “She cannot bear to hear the Lords name in vein.” This shows that Anne Putnam has little intelligence. It also shows that she is trying to create hysteria against the Parris’.
The Putnam’s have grudges against the Corey’s, “I’ll have my men on you Corey! I’ll clap a writ on you!” The audience immediately recognises from this quote that the Putnam’s and the Corey’s have a raging battle between them. Using an exclamation mark, Arthur Miller shows the escalated anger in Thomas Putnam’s voice.
Thomas Putnam’s family has had a long battle with John Proctor’s family for years, “Your Grandfather had a habit of willing land that never belonged to him.” From this quote the audience recognise the elongated rivalry over land between the Putnam’s and the Proctors. Use of the word “Grandfather” emphasises how old their rivalry has been.
Anne Putnam blames Rebecca Nurse for the loss of seven children of her own, “Let God blame me, not you, not you, Rebecca! I’ll not have you judging me any more! [To Hale] Is it a natural work to lose seven children before they even live a day?” The dialect from Anne Putnam shows the grudge that Anne Putnam has against Rebecca Nurse. The stage direction “[To Hale]” shows that Anne Putnam is trying to blame Rebecca Nurse for witch-craft by telling the council directly. By saying “Is it a natural work” evokes that Anne Putnam is trying to rule out the possibility that the loss of seven children was not due to the fact that they might have been ill after birth; Anne Putnam does this by making the possibility of dying of a natural cause seem impossible due to the odds of that happening.
Tituba is a slave in her forties who works for Reverend Parris. Tituba holds deep grudged against Reverend Parris for taking her away from Barbados, “He say Mr Parris must be kill!” When Tituba says this quote, she is lying about the devil. However what Tituba is really doing is expressing her true feelings about Reverend Parris. Tituba is an innocent character; however, she is somehow always blamed for other people’s crimes because she is a slave and has extremely low social status, “trouble in this house eventually lands on her back.” From this stage direction the audience recognises that Tituba has low social status and she is used as an easy excuse to keep Reverend Parris’ status high. From the stage direction the audience is briefly told the outline for Tituba’s grudge against Reverend Parris and the people living in the house.
Giles Correy does not believe the hysteria about witch-craft, instead he thinks rationally. Giles Correy has a grudge against Thomas Putnam, “If Jacob’s hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property – that’s law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbours for their land.” From the quote the audience recognises that Giles Correy thinks wisely about the witch-craft hysteria. It also shows how Giles Correy is highly educated. Giles Correy shows that he knows why Thomas Putnam is accusing people for witch-craft to obtain more land. By use of the word “killing”, Giles Correy emphasises how Thomas Putnam is using the witch-trials to gain land. In a sense, Giles Correy is also accusing Thomas Putnam for lying.
Grudges and rivalries play a vital role in “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller because they provoke the key events in the play. The grudges and rivalries are held over mostly land, social status, and in some cases, love. These grudges were then resolved by blaming people to settle their grudges and rivalries- this is also known as the blame game. The play “The Crucible” is relevant to the time it was written in; this was the McCarthy period. This is because Joe McCarthy blamed people for communism in the USA to rise in social status. This sparked off paranoia across the USA which is exactly what happened in the Salem society. In the McCarthy period there were many cases that are mirrored in the Salem society, for instance the case were Pete Townshend was blamed for child pornography to destruct his music career with his band The Who. Thankfully Pete Townshend case was dismissed; he then went onto creating another album with his band after a twenty four year gap. Another case is the Charlie Chaplain case, this was when Charlie Chaplain was tried for un-American activities and was ordered out of the USA. In conclusion, Arthur Miller used “The Crucible” as an act to show how the USA mirrored the events that happened in the 17th century Salem society.
