How Rivalries, Power, and Insatiable Thirst Got the Best of Society: The Salem Witch Trials
Quincy Harding
Everybody has morals, a set of values that they live by. A few examples are loyalty, respect, or fairness, but what happens when a person’s insatiable thirst for power takes over?The Crucible by Arthur Miller shows how a group of girls manipulated an entire settlement into believing that witches were among them. This play dramatizes the Salem witch trials as an allegory for communism. It was first performed in 1953, while the trials took place from 1692-1693. The Salem witch trials were a bloody time period, with over 25 casualties, and more than 200 people accused. The people of Salem, Massachusetts were motivated by corrupt ideas of power, greed, and revenge to cry witchcraft.
Throughout the play, Abigail and her friends spin tales of Satanism to bring them an advantage. They were powerless, but through creativity, they became very influential members of the town. Many of them had never experienced any power at all, it created the illusion of being untouchable. Describing Reverend Parris, Miller writes, “He regarded them as young adults, and until this strange crises he, like the rest of Salem, never conceived that children were anything but thankful for being permitted to walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and mouths shut until bidden to speak”(p. 3). These children were practically ignored, and jumped at the prospect of recognition. They were clearly willing to do anything, even sentencing innocent people to death. Being a woman in those times, especially one who was a child or servant (or formerly a servant), like Abigail and Mary Warren, meant that your opinion was not considered, nor valued, so they saw an opportunity and seized it.
The Salem witch trials were seen as a way to get ahead, with people sacrificing their morals for more land or revenge. The gullibility and religious ideals of the Salem townspeople only aided in creating a collective fear of the Devil. Many people used the greedy court to their advantage, one of them being Thomas Putnam. Giles Corey maintains that, “My proof is there. If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeit up his property - that’s law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy such a piece. This man is killing his neighbors for land!”(p. 96). This is one example of the greed in Salem. Putnam is a person who benefited a lot from the trials, so he had no reason to stop it. He was a trusted member of the community, and yet he used the blind faith to his advantage. According to a deposition submitted to the court by Giles Corey, he prompted his daughter to accuse George Jacobs of affiliation with the Devil. Defending themselves was practically impossible, especially if people didn’t attend church every Sunday, or if they weren’t in an authority figure’s favor. This was the case with Parris and Proctor. The source of this long held dispute was that Proctor believed Parris to be a fraud, and adamantly informed Parris and the town of his opinion. It’s hard to believe the hunger for personal gain it must take to hurt your fellow townspeople like this, but the loss clearly didn’t affect many of the accusers.
Abigail Williams exacerbated the severity of the witch hunt in Salem because she wanted revenge on John Proctor for scorning her. Talking to her uncle, Reverend Parris, Abigail rather dramatically laments that “She [Elizabeth Proctor] hates me uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman”(pg. 11) This shows Abigail’s hatred of Elizabeth, and was her motivation for accusing her of witchcraft. However, Abigail has refrained from mentioning the fact that she was having an affair with Elizabeth’s husband. Abigail has continued to spur on the outrage against the accused witches and is always conveniently ready with another person to blame, because she realizes how it gives her an advantage. Due to her occupation as a servant, she doesn't have very much influence, but her vengeful spirit helps her get the best of the town and allowed a quick and cruel condemnation of Elizabeth Proctor.
Unfortunately, the Salem witch trials demonstrate that the former people of Salem were no strangers to using religion to hurt others. Herd mentality and being a bystander can be difficult to resist. These trials were a bloody example of the negative consequences. The Bible describes what should happen to a witch in Exodus 22:18: “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” It was easy to accuse someone of having a relationship with the devil, but if they denied the accusations, they would be killed for being dishonest. Based on this, the Bible thumping citizens of Salem had no choice but to execute the so-called witches. It’s important to understand that in the 1600’s, the Bible was law, and Christianity was the only accepted religion in the British colonies, so many people were just trying to follow the rules. However, that doesn’t excuse the betrayals that Salem citizens committed towards their servants, neighbors, and even family members. Revenge and greed got the best of many people during this time. These circumstances are certainly a reminder to consider the impact of your unintentional actions, like how Giles Corey accidentally caused his wife to be killed, because of the attention he brought to her bookishness. The Crucible also serves as a reminder that what starts as innocent fun can be twisted into the deaths of innocent people.
