CRUCIBLE: THE HUMAN CONDITION
morality
social constructs
the capital vices (the 7 deadly sins)
law and rules in Salem
repentance
forgiveness
punishment
rehabilitation
power
all relationships are a balance of power
deep in individual desire
rooted in 7 deadly sins
interpersonal conflict
husband/wife
leader/subject
teacher/subject
man/man (friendship/classmates/neighbours)
power imbalances
children
oppression & the overcoming of oppression: mary warren <-> proctor
pg. 49 stage direction - (she has been edging toward offstage)
pg. 49 "(terrified, but coming erect, striving for her authority) I'll not stand whipping any more!"
attempting to assert her newfound power but is truly frightened of her long-time oppressor
is finally standing up to her oppressor and not allowing him to abuse her, like he has so many times before
"any more" connotes that Proctor has been using this kind of physical abuse for a long time
the blacks
in this society, typically viewed as inferior and are slaves to their white masters
overcoming chains: tituba <-> parris
pg. 38 "he say Parris must be kill! Mr Parris no goodly man, Mr Parris mean man and no gentle man, and he bid me rise out of your bed and cut your throat! But I tell him 'No! I don't hate that man. I don't want kill that man.'"
although parris views himself as superior to tituba, he is now in debt to tituba because she 'did the right thing' and resisted the Devil's orders even though she was being compelled to carry out the act of murder on Parris
pg. 49 "(pointing at elizabeth) I saved her life today!"
proctor is now in debt to Mary, and cannot whip her, for she has just saved the person most dear to him
power dynamic reversal - now, Mary welds the power over Proctor, at least in this moment
master/slave
for order or for oppression?
constant tension and struggle between the needs of the individual and the needs of the society
all humans are constantly searching for power
vainglory (vanity)
hubris (pride)
greed
irascibility (wrath)
lust
gluttony
sloth
the welding of fear as a tool for suppression, that the superior use on the typically inferior to keep them under submission
power is in the hands of those that are loud and vocal
good or evil: characters in the crucible
we have the propensity for good & for evil - nurture, more than nature, affects our decisions
evil
good
elizabeth proctor
francis nurse
rebecca nurse
giles
hale
the constant struggle between good and evil
john proctor
mary warren
danforth
thomas putnam
parris
tituba
abigail
intimidates his wife
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why has she become evil?
trauma from her parents' death - pg. 15 "I saw Indians smash my dear parents' head on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!"
is she evil?
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Salem's constant dismissal of children -
women
Salem as a patriarchal society
submission to man: elizabeth <-> proctor
interpretation of the bible
the idea of a theocracy
the puritanical society of Salem allowed sins to be openly expressed and justified in the name of God
pg 5. "(The witch hunt) was a long-overdue opportunity for everyone so inclined to express publicly his guilt and sins, under the cover of accusations against the victims"
ungodly hatred & grudges could be acted out upon when alleging the work of god's hand/the devil's doing (supernatural forces)
pg. 5 "long-held hatred of neighbours could now be openly expressed, and vengeance taken, despite the Bible's very intentions"
pg. 38 "He say Parris must be kill! Mr Parris no goodly man, Mr Parris mean man and no gentle man, and he bid me rise out of your bed and cut your throat! But I tell him 'No! I don't hate that man. I don't want kill that man.'"
tituba can now openly express her gripes against Parris, exposing his true character (that he is towards her) while painting this portrayal of him as reliable by claiming that an omniscient being shares the same views
a confirmation that the devil is present, gives Abigail this huge dea and allows her to capitalise on this opportunity
the devil surrounds us
pg. 3 "and the Salem folk believed that the virgin forest was the devil's last preserve, his home base and the citadel of his final stand"
separates the devil from the human - however, is the devil already innately within ourselves
societal foundation rests on the belief in the religion
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promiscuity: abigail <-> proctor
abigail <-> proctor
pg. 18 "I have a sense for heat, John, and yours has drawn me to my window, and I have seen you looking up, burning in your loneliness."
pg. 18 "Do you tell me you've never looked up at my window?" "I may have looked up."
pg. 18 "I may think of you softly from time to time."
tries his best to be good
greed for power: abigail & the girls <-> society
(pg. 43) "Abigail brings the other girls into the court, and where she walks the crowd will part like the sea from Israel."
preservation of the society - the danger of a faction ceding from the state