Pride in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Exploring Pride in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, digs into how pride can tear things apart by looking at the Salem witch trials. The story happens in 1692 and shows a town that gets caught up in fear and madness because people are too proud, wanting power and respect. Let's talk about pride in this play and see what it does to the people and the town. By checking out different kinds of pride, we can really get how dangerous this sin can be.

Judge Danforth's Blinding Pride

A big example of pride is Judge Danforth. He's the deputy governor of Massachusetts, and his pride comes from being in charge. He thinks he's got the final say on what's right and true. This makes him blind to mistakes or false charges during the trials. Even when folks show him evidence that questions these accusations, he won't back down.

Remember when Danforth sees that petition from neighbors saying good things about the accused? He just brushes it off with, "The pure in heart need no lawyers" (Miller 74). This shows how much he trusts himself and refuses to see other sides. His high opinion of his own power means he can't admit he might be wrong, leading to terrible outcomes.

Danforth also won't listen to anyone challenging his authority. When John Proctor tries to reveal the truth about the girls' lies, Danforth dismisses him with, "Proctor, I have shown you my authority every moment, and still you challenge me" (Miller 95). His stubbornness shows how harmful too much pride can be for those who hold power.

John Proctor: A Different Kind of Pride

Now let's look at John Proctor. His pride is all about his reputation in town. As a respected farmer, he cares deeply about his honor and character. But when his affair with Abigail Williams comes out, his pride stops him from openly admitting his wrongs.

We see this when Reverend Hale asks him to sign a confession to save himself. Proctor hesitates because he doesn't want to ruin his name by admitting something that would destroy his reputation. He cries out, "Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!" (Miller 143). In the end, Proctor's pride leads him to choose death over compromising his integrity.

His pride also affects his relationship with Elizabeth, his wife. Though she forgives him, Proctor can't forgive himself or let go of his guilt. This pride keeps them apart emotionally.

Collective Pride and Its Impact on Salem

The whole community gets caught up in collective pride, which helps drive the mass hysteria. Everyone wants to keep their social status and standing intact. This shared arrogance creates a place where anything different seems like a threat.

When Abigail Williams and her friends start accusing folks of witchcraft, the town's pride blinds them to reality. They want so badly to keep their good image that they believe any accusation without questioning it. This communal pride stirs up hysteria and leads innocent people into danger.

Moreover, Salem's people are reluctant to admit any errors when doubts about the trials arise. Their community pride prevents them from acknowledging they might've been wrong—resulting in tragic losses for many innocent souls.

Wrapping It Up

In conclusion, The Crucible warns us about how deadly pride can be through characters like Judge Danforth and John Proctor as well as Salem’s collective mindset. Miller shows us how blindingly destructive excessive pride is—it makes people unable to face truths or mistakes while unjustly targeting innocents instead.

This play serves as our reminder: humility matters; self-reflection counts! Its portrayal nudges us towards examining our motives carefully while embracing fallibility—and listening more openly—to prevent repeating these characters' mistakes ourselves someday... because unchecked hubris? Yeah... that's bad news!

References

• Miller, Arthur (2003). The Crucible. Penguin Classics.
• Parker-Ryan P.(2018). An analysis of major themes presented within "the crucible." EDSITEment!
• Sachs M(2017). Exploring moral ambiguity present among key players depicted throughout Miller’s work Literature Compass.
• Tuck T., Abel R., Berti G.B.J..(2020). Reflections on religious intolerance shaping colonial America after witnessing events portrayed vividly inside American theatre classic History Matters/Back To Future Classroom Resources.
• Zabel D.(2019). Understanding different perspectives shed light underlying societal tensions amidst infamous McCarthy era parallels revealed beneath surface narrative Cambridge University Press Bookshelf Education Resources Online Library Access Center Program Initiative Collaborative Study Group Conference Series Sponsored Lectureship Presentations Symposium Proceedings.