The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a play that is based on the Salem witch trials and shows how people react in mass hysteria. The mass hysteria was caused by the religious belief that witches were in the town of Salem. A story that was made up by the girls in the village to save themselves the punishment of dancing in the woods. Religion was used in the crucible to manipulate in many ways such as misinterpreting religion, manipulation through lies, and to enforce the strict rules that held the community together. The play of the Crucible is based on the real witch trials in Salem. Arthur Miller changed the real events to fit with the play better. Like the ages of the girls, making them older to fit in his time. The author also did a great …show more content…
Religion is the main power in the play. If one was to misinterpret religion, they could use its power over the people of Salem for anything. Religion was used like this by many people in the play. The main antagonist of the play, Abigail Williams, was able to get her power from manipulating the town’s beliefs. With this power she was able to accuse Elizabeth proctor of being a witch. She did this because Abby wanted to be John Proctor's wife. Abby stabbed herself with a needle. When Mary made the poppet she put the needle in the poppet’s stomach. “Why? What meaning’ has it” (Miller, 74). Reverend hale, the man they brought to help cast out the witches, didn’t know what the needle meant that was found in the doll. Abigail manipulated people into thinking that Elizabeth had sent her spirit out. She used religion to get Elizabeth arrested. Reverend Parris is also guilty of doing this. Using his status as reverend, a reverend word is the word of God, to do many things in the town. “And for twenty weeks he preached nothin’ but golden candlesticks until he had them” (Miller, 65). Reverend Parris is supposed to preach about God and Christianity, but instead he is preaching about gold candlesticks. In this sense, God doesn’t want the golden candlesticks, but Reverend Parris does. As reverend, Parris is able to use his religion to manipulate more than most people because he is the only person in the village that …show more content…
The town of Salem looks at the bible as its main government. Many characters in the play use it to justify their actions in the court. The court itself uses Gods name to get confessions and to find witches in the town. “I confess to God; and God has seen my name on this” (Miller, 142). John Proctor confessed to being a wizard in order to save his own life. But judge Danforth and reverend Parris wanted to a signed confession to show the town that someone more important was guilty. They manipulated religion claiming that Proctor had to confess to God but it wasn’t a confession without signing his name. But really they wanted a signed confession to keep the town calm and to hide the fact that maybe the girls had made the whole thing up. The town bases its religion on the bible. This could easily be manipulated by people in the church such as reverend Parris. “This is a court of law, law based upon the bible” (Miller, 120). The Government is based on Christianity. This limits the freedoms of the people. Only following the rules set by the bible and the people who interpret it. This could easily be manipulated. A government where the people have no say and those that do are punished. This form of government can be used to keep the common people in check while those with power can manipulate them. This form of government punishes those who do not