Betrayal In The Crucible Essay

Betrayal in The Crucible

President Nixon betrayed his country, Brutus betrayed Caesar, and even Anakin Skywalker betrayed the Jedi. From the past to the present, betrayal has been one of the most acclaimed human faults. It has appeared in history, novels, plays, movies, video games, and plays. The Crucible is no exception. Arthur Millars The Crucible, like the historical Salem witch trials, is rooted in betrayal. The tragic tale tells of the betrayal of others, the betrayal of expectations, and in the eyes of the puritans, the betrayal of God.

Naturally, when we think of The Crucible we think of the betrayal of others. This is the tragedy of the play, when the townsfolk of Salem betray their neighbors and friends. However to best understand the true tragedy of this betrayal, we must first understand tragedy its self. Tragedy is not when a character dies or a sad event occurs. Tragedy is when a person unintentionally brings suffering upon themselves due to a flaw in their own character. Abigail Williams character flaws are that she is vengeful, a liar, and an extortionist. Because of her flaws many townsfolk will die. In the first act of The Crucible, Abigail is caught dancing in the woods. When Reverend Parris discovers her more sinister motives she lies and says that his slave, Tituba, made her do it. She says She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! (Miller 41). This lie will spark a frenzy of betrayal in Salem. But what originally sparked Abigail into her into her treachery? John Proctor betrayed his wife Elizabeth, by having an affair with Abigail. Now Abigail, wishing to be with John, was trying to kill Elizabeth by dancing a spell in the woods. This is the essence of The Crucible , it was never about saving the town, it was about people getting what they want.

In The Crucible there is a betrayal of expectations. A good example is Reverend Parris. Parriss tragic flaws are that he is greedy and arrogant. People expect him to be the voice of God, however he has his own plans first. Parris was in a position of authority and authority, in the opinions of those who have it, cannot be questioned. Parris addresses this perfectly when he says, There is either obedience or the Church will burn like Hell is burning. (Miller 90). So basically he is saying, do exactly as I say or bad things will happen. Another character that betrays his expectations is Judge Danforth. His job is to discover the truth and bring it to light. Yet with all his educations, he still believes the girls lies. Later in the play, John Proctor comes to him and tries to expose the girls as frauds. However Danforth has already said that these people are witches, and to admit that he was wrong would be to undermine his authority. Danforth says to Proctor: Do you take it upon your self to determine what this court shall believe and what it shall set aside? (Miller 79) Again we see the essence of The Crucible, people placing their reputations or their longing for power before truth and justice.

Finally there is the idea of betraying God. In The Crucible, men and women who are accused of being witches can save themselves from being hanged by confessing. However, as the play progresses, more and more choose not to. They would rather die than lie, because God condemns liars. Proctor reflects on this when he states, You have made your magic now, for now I think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs. (Miller 133). Throughout the play John Proctor has thought of himself as a bad man for having an affair, but when he refuses to lie in front of God he realizes that there is some goodness in him. He would rather sacrifice his own life than betray God.

There are consequences to betrayal in Puritan society, just like in our own. However, unlike our own, betrayal in Puritan society is far worse. Puritan society is based on strict values. There is no entertainment, or parties, or anything that would distract someone from work and church. So in a sense there is no fun, there is only God. If one betrays anyone, one betrays God, and God is all there is. Miller does an excellent job of making it evident in The Crucible that no matter how strict a society might be, humans and their imperfections will find a way to betray others, betray themselves, and even manage to betray God.