Arthur Miller 's The Crucible is a play loosely based on the American society 's hysteria around communism in the 1950s. The play takes place in 1692, where a group of girls accuse others within the town of Salem Massachusetts of witch craft to keep themselves out of trouble after being caught in the woods casting magic with Tituba, a slave, by Reverend Parris. The ring leader of this group is Abigail Williams, a seventeen year old girl who is the ward of Reverend Parris. The girls slowly but surely gain power in the court. Under Abigail 's influence, they use their newfound power to cause the death of over twenty Salem villagers. These girls went from house maids to guardian angels within the people of Salem 's eyes. The contrast between
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The gender role reversal is clear when even the men of the village begin to listen to Abigail and the girls. The village 's jailors were even taking direct orders from the girls, which was something that was wildly unimaginable. The judges trusted these girls to a fault, when they began accusing influential persons within Salem. Even when fellow men were accused, the judges continued to go by their word. When John Proctor and Giles Corey went to defend their wives, the girls were trusted over them. This is a huge deal as both men were highly reputable men within Salem. When John Proctor and Giles Corey were accused, the judges showed barely any hesitation. "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," (Miller, 73). John Proctor says this within the play as his wife is taken away by jailors during the night, showing his outrage at what is happening within Salem. For judges to believe a group of children over powerful people and evidence of family members is unjust, and shows how much power the girls pick up as they send people to the gallows in a power corrupted
The gender role reversal is clear when even the men of the village begin to listen to Abigail and the girls. The village 's jailors were even taking direct orders from the girls, which was something that was wildly unimaginable. The judges trusted these girls to a fault, when they began accusing influential persons within Salem. Even when fellow men were accused, the judges continued to go by their word. When John Proctor and Giles Corey went to defend their wives, the girls were trusted over them. This is a huge deal as both men were highly reputable men within Salem. When John Proctor and Giles Corey were accused, the judges showed barely any hesitation. "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," (Miller, 73). John Proctor says this within the play as his wife is taken away by jailors during the night, showing his outrage at what is happening within Salem. For judges to believe a group of children over powerful people and evidence of family members is unjust, and shows how much power the girls pick up as they send people to the gallows in a power corrupted