The Crucible Flashcards
We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite as stone, and I must tell you all that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her.” (Hale, Act 1, p. 35)
The irony, of course, is that the “marks” of the Devil are nowhere near “definite as stone” – the only evidence to support accusations of witchcraft are the subjective experiences of the “afflicted.” Even in cases when the girls display symptoms (going cold and clammy or having needles stuck in them), there’s never any physical evidence directly linking the accused witches to their supposed crimes.
ABIGAIL: Don’t lie! To Hale: She comes to me while I sleep; she’s always making me dream corruptions!” (Act 1, p. 41)
Abigail yelling “don’t lie” at another person is highly ironic, not only because Miller introduced her as a liar (she has “an endless capacity for dissembling”), but because Abigail had just told Proctor Betty’s illness was nothing to do with witchcraft not 20 page previously.
“I cannot speak but I am doubted, every moment judged for lies, as though I come into a court when I come into this house!” (Proctor, Act 2 p. 52)
“PROCTOR: Because it speaks deceit, and I am honest! But I’ll plead no more! I see now your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I will never tear it free!” (Act 2, p. 59)
This pair of quotes both demonstrate the ironic concept: as far as the audience understands it, the only person who seems to be judging Proctor is not Elizabeth, but Proctor himself. There’s also a bit of foreshadowing with “as though I come into a court”, since in Act 3 Proctor will do that very thing.
No man may longer doubt the powers of the dark are gathered in monstrous attack up on this village. There is too much evidence now to deny it” (Hale, Act 2, p. 61).
The village is certainly under attack, but not necessarily in the way Hale thinks it is. The real “powers of dark” affecting Salem are suspicion and fear, not anything demonic.
“I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it” (Hale, Act 3, p. 92).
Again, the “proof so immaculate” that Hale speaks of is the word of one person against the word of another. As we’ll see in a quote by Danforth later on in this article, the proof only remains beyond reproach if you believe in witchcraft more than you believe that people are fallible.
There’s also a bit of foreshadowing in this quote because by the end of this act, Hale is full of qualms, and by the end of the play, Hale feels he has “blood on [his] head” (p. 121).
DANFORTH, conciliatory: You misunderstand, sir; I cannot pardon these when twelve are already hanged for the same crime. It is not just.” (Act 4, p. 119).
The irony in Danforth’s statement is that it wasn’t “just” to hang any of the accused witches in the first place, and so continuing to hang people just because it’s already been done before is a terrible idea.
There is a misty plot afoot so subtle we should be criminal to cling to old respects and ancient friendships. I have seen too many frightful proofs in court - the Devil is alive in Salem, and we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points!” (Hale, Act 2, p. 68)
Hale demonstrates perfectly the mindset of the characters affected by the hysteria and fear. In his case, it’s more hysteria than fear – he doesn’t particularly fear that he may be accused as a witch, but he has been persuaded by the “frightful proofs” he’s seen and this has blinded him to any other possible reasons that the witchcraft accusations might be being made.
Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers? I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem - vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!” (Proctor, Act 2, p. 73)
Proctor is the voice of common sense here, as a counterpoint to Hale’s “don’t question the process” stance. Unlike Hale, Proctor realizes that you can only trust in accusations as much as you can trust the accuser, and Proctor has cause to suspect that at least one of the accusations is being driven by a thirst for vengeance.
This quote also fits a little bit under the “Power/Authority” theme – the witchcraft trials have turned the world upside down, so that those who used to be powerless (“the little crazy children”) are the ones in power (“are jangling the keys of the kingdom”).
In an ordinary crime, how does one defend the accused? One calls up witnesses to prove his innocence. But witchcraft is ipso facto, on its face and by its nature, an invisible crime, is it not? Therefore, who may possibly be witness to it? The witch and the victim. None other. Now we cannot hope the witch will accuse herself; granted? Therefore, we must rely upon her victims—and they do testify, the children certainly do testify. As for the witches, none will deny that we are most eager for all their confessions. Therefore, what is left for a lawyer to bring out? I think I have made my point. Have I not?” (Danforth, Act 3, p. 93)
In this quote, Danforth shows the terrible effect of the logical extension of belief in witchcraft. Of course, the part he leaves out in his discussion is whether or not the victims are trustworthy – just because “they do testify” doesn’t mean that they’re testifying truthfully – but this is a blind spot for Danforth. It’s possible that Danforth cannot fathom that women or children would lie to him (a judge!) because of societal preconceptions; but his stance is also influenced, at least to some extent, by the fear of witchcraft that pervades Puritan society.
ABIGAIL, in a temper: My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (Act 1, p. 12)
Abigail is concerned about her reputation and her “name;” this is no doubt what motivates her, at least initially, to put the blame for the dancing in the woods on Tituba. If her name is “soiled,” Abigail could face harsh consequences in the Salem theocracy where women are already low on the totem pole – if it’s discovered that she, an unmarried orphan woman, slept with a married man, she would face huge consequences (although what these consequences would be aren’t specified in the play).
I came into this village like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion; the very crowns of holy law I brought, and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died; and where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up. Beware, Goody Proctor—cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice. Life, woman, life is God’s most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it. I beg you, woman, prevail upon your husband to confess. Let him give his lie. Quail not before God’s judgment in this, for it may well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride.” (Hale, Act 4, p. 122)
Hale is describing how he came in full of pride in himself and abilities, only to have that pride result in the deaths of others. He warns Elizabeth that nothing, not even one’s pride or reputation, is worth throwing one’s life away on.
PROCTOR, with a cry of his whole soul: Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Proctor, Act 4, p. 133).
Proctor’s self-worth is entirely tied up in “his name” and how others perceive him. He manages to make himself confess and signs the confession, but when the court officials try to take the confession away to show to the whole town, that is the sticking point. Proctor cannot bear to have his reputation be smeared with this confession of witchcraft, because if his reputation is damaged then he no longer can think well of himself.
And mark this. 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 a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!” (Abigail Williams, Act 1, p. 19)
At the beginning of the play, the power that Abigail holds is relatively minimal. She is able to use threats of physical violence to cow other girls into doing her bidding, but that’s about as far as her influence extends. She would never be able to say what she says in this quote to, for instance, her uncle Parris, and get away with it.
ABIGAIL, in an open threat: Let you beware, Mr. Danforth. Think you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits? Beware of it!” (Act 3, p. 100)
By this point in the play, Abigail has gotten powerful enough that she can threaten the Deputy Governor of the entire province without negative consequences.
We burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment.” (Danforth, Act 3, p. 83)
This line is a reference to the name of the play, The Crucible. A crucible is used to melt down metals and separate out the base metals - or in the case of those questioned about witchcraft, it separates out lies and hypocrisy. There’s more true to this statement than Danforth knows, however; not only do the trials melt down the fronts people have put up, but they also expose people’s core selves.
One example of this is when Mary Warren accuses John Proctor of being the Devil’s man: when push comes to shove, she is not strong enough to tell the truth (Act 3, p. 110). With John Proctor, on the other hand, we find that his true inner self is strong enough stand up for truth. First, his upstanding reputation is melted away (when he confesses to adultery) and Procto is revealed as a hypocrite; at the end of The Crucible, though, a second, stronger core is exposed when Proctor chooses to be hanged as a witch rather than falsely (and publicly) confess to witchcraft.
