How does someone prove they are not a witch? They don’t. Two hundred people between 1692 and 1693 had to find a way. Their two options were die, or admit to a crime they were not at fault for. Pride meant too much to some people and they could not come to peace with admitting witchcraft. In result, twenty people were hanged during these witch trials. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, takes place during the late 1600s in, Salem. Townspeople believe that if something can not be explained, that it is witchcraft. During this time, there is not a way to prove someone is not a witch (without dying), so the accused admit to witchcraft even if it is not true, just so they could live. It is the words of the accusing against those being accused. In, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is responsible for the witch trials because he is guilty of committing adultery and forcing Mary Warren to testify against her will. Proctor has broken one of the ten commandments, he commits adultery. This causes Abigail to have feelings for John. Proctor has lead Abigail on and toyed with her feelings, making her feel offended and betrayed. Early in act I, Abby says, “I know you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come now or did I dream that?...you loved me then and you love me now,” (Miller 23). Just before this, John’s wife falls ill. He becomes bored and lonely so he turns to Abigail. Since Proctor allows this, Abby falls for him and is heartbroken when he tells her it “never happened”. In the same conversation, Proctor says, “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut my own hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby” (Miller 24). John sees Abby is falling from him so he tries to push her away but instead it backfires and Abby becomes vengeful. Proctor’s wife got in the way, so she chooses to try and eliminate her from the picture. John betrays Abby, Abby then betrays John. In Acts III and IV, Proctor forces Mary warren into testifying against Abby and the other girls. This then causes her to be scared and backstab John. Mary Warren had made it clear she does not want to testify but Proctor still makes her. After she tells the authorities that she had made the doll, he tells her, “you’re coming to the court with me, Mary. You will tell it in the court” (Miller 84). Later in this scene, John also says, “My wife
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John furthers his guilty actions when he commits adultery with Abigail. He leads Abby on because his wife falls ill so he becomes lonely and turns to Abby. Mary is clear to Proctor when telling him she does not want to testify because she knows Abigail will come after her. John continues to push her too far. John was too focused on himself and wife to realize how his actions were affecting others. He was not necessarily being selfish, but John was not concerned with how others were being affected by the witch trials and his actions. Selfish people in the world are becoming too self-involved to see how what they do are affecting
John furthers his guilty actions when he commits adultery with Abigail. He leads Abby on because his wife falls ill so he becomes lonely and turns to Abby. Mary is clear to Proctor when telling him she does not want to testify because she knows Abigail will come after her. John continues to push her too far. John was too focused on himself and wife to realize how his actions were affecting others. He was not necessarily being selfish, but John was not concerned with how others were being affected by the witch trials and his actions. Selfish people in the world are becoming too self-involved to see how what they do are affecting