The Crucible: witchcraft in Salem

Witchcraft

Can there be such a thing, in my eyes the idea is preposterous, however in 1692 it was very much real. It is set in Salem, Massachusetts and for them it was very real.

During this time girls started acting very strangely; the only answer, witchcraft. Soon, jails started getting filled with innocent people, only later realising it was a lie, the girls were making it up. Starting to blame innocent people that they were the cause. How is this fair. An example was Betty Parris, daughter of the minister, she started behaving strangely, now this is called 'psychosomatic', however then, it was the Devil possessing the child. Another strength which the children had was that they were the only witnesses, no true source of evidence; since they were in a town of 'believers' this worked to their advantage.


Act One: Pages 1-5:

It's a quick introduction into the social side of Salem, and how Reverend Parris wasn't well liked. Also The key layout of the city, as well as a slight brief history of the town. Quote from page 5:

'The Salem tragedy, which is about to begin in these pages, Act One 7 developed from a paradox. It is a paradox in whose grip we still live, and there is no prospect yet that we will discover its resolution. Simply, it was this: for good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material or ideological enemies. It was forged for a necessary purpose and accomplished that purpose. But all organisation is and must be grounded on the idea of exclusion and prohibition, just as two objects cannot occupy the same space. Evidently the time came in New England when the repressions of order were heavier than seemed warranted by the dangers against which the order was organised. The witch-hunt was a perverse manifestation of the panic which set in among all classes when the balance began to turn toward greater individual freedom.'     

URL:

http://asbamericanlit.edublogs.org/files/2011/10/21078735-The-Crucible-Arthur-Miller-2hmdzot.pdf, Date accessed: 17/09/13