Human Resilience as Portrayed in The Crucible
Gollapudi 1
Samrat Gollapudi
Mr.Hogan
English II
19 November 14
Human Resilience as Portrayed in
The Crucible
The infamous witch hunt in 1692, regarded as the Salem Witch Trials, occurred in Salem Massachusetts and resulted in mass hysteria. Tension had been building for quite some time but had exploded when a group of young girls were caught dancing in the woods with a slave from Barbados. These girls took part in this act as a form of escapism, namely due to the fact that the society in Salem greatly oppressed the traits that made humans human. For instance, the lifestyle was very demanding, strict, and rigid; all citizens were expected to work hard and subdue all emotion and opinions. Conformity was required, despite the fact that all humans have their differences. In the play The Crucible,
Arthur Miller captures this piece of history, portraying both the hysteria and the resilience of those directly involved. Despite the harsh circumstances, two characters in the play, John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse, reject adversity and remain strong, as opposed to the characters Tituba and Sarah Good who succumb to adversity. Through this portrayal, Miller presents the notion that human resilience merely depends on a person’s position in society, influences, and what he or she personally have at stake. John Proctor, one of the wellrespected members in Salem society, encounters great adversity; however, he does not break. This character maintains good morals and characteristics; an honest, honorable, and blunt spoken man, yet he commits a grave mistake of Adultery with a teenager named Abigail Williams. The sin committed by John Proctor can be described as an
Gollapudi 2
underlying factor for the conflict that would soon follow. The intimate moment that was shared gave Abigail Williams a hateful impression on Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth; she would describe her as “ a cold sniveling woman” (22). The jealously held by
Samrat Gollapudi
Mr.Hogan
English II
19 November 14
Human Resilience as Portrayed in
The Crucible
The infamous witch hunt in 1692, regarded as the Salem Witch Trials, occurred in Salem Massachusetts and resulted in mass hysteria. Tension had been building for quite some time but had exploded when a group of young girls were caught dancing in the woods with a slave from Barbados. These girls took part in this act as a form of escapism, namely due to the fact that the society in Salem greatly oppressed the traits that made humans human. For instance, the lifestyle was very demanding, strict, and rigid; all citizens were expected to work hard and subdue all emotion and opinions. Conformity was required, despite the fact that all humans have their differences. In the play The Crucible,
Arthur Miller captures this piece of history, portraying both the hysteria and the resilience of those directly involved. Despite the harsh circumstances, two characters in the play, John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse, reject adversity and remain strong, as opposed to the characters Tituba and Sarah Good who succumb to adversity. Through this portrayal, Miller presents the notion that human resilience merely depends on a person’s position in society, influences, and what he or she personally have at stake. John Proctor, one of the wellrespected members in Salem society, encounters great adversity; however, he does not break. This character maintains good morals and characteristics; an honest, honorable, and blunt spoken man, yet he commits a grave mistake of Adultery with a teenager named Abigail Williams. The sin committed by John Proctor can be described as an
Gollapudi 2
underlying factor for the conflict that would soon follow. The intimate moment that was shared gave Abigail Williams a hateful impression on Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth; she would describe her as “ a cold sniveling woman” (22). The jealously held by