crucible essay about fear

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The Role of Fear in The Crucible

• Categories: Arthur Miller The Crucible

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Hook examples for "the crucible" essay, "the crucible" essay example.

• An Ominous Opening: In the stifling atmosphere of Salem, Massachusetts, fear hangs heavy in the air. Join me as we unravel the web of fear that drives the events in Arthur Miller's haunting play, The Crucible.
• A Compelling Quote: Arthur Miller once wrote, "Fear doesn't travel well; just as it can warp judgment, its absence can diminish memory's truth." Let's explore how fear distorts reality and leads the characters of The Crucible down a treacherous path.
• An Analysis of Hysteria: The witch trials in The Crucible are fueled by fear, but what does this hysteria reveal about the human condition? Dive into the depths of irrationality and paranoia as we dissect the role of fear in this gripping narrative.
• A Study of Character Motivations: In The Crucible, fear drives individuals to make choices they would never have imagined. Explore the intricate motivations and moral dilemmas faced by the characters as they grapple with the overwhelming power of fear.
• A Timely Exploration: While set in the 17th century, The Crucible's themes of fear, scapegoating, and mass hysteria continue to resonate in today's world. Join me as we draw parallels between the play and contemporary society's responses to fear.

Works Cited

• ACLU. (n.d.). Religious Freedom. https://www.aclu.org/issues/religious-liberty
• Aljazeera. (2018, February 5). How Muslim Americans' daily lives are shaped by bigotry. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2018/2/5/how-muslim-americans-daily-lives-are-shaped-by-bigotry
• Amnesty International. (2021, March 31). Religious freedom.
• Fox, J. R. (2019). Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me: Why Governments Discriminate against Religious Minorities. Cambridge University Press.
• Human Rights Watch. (n.d.). Religious Freedom.
• International Religious Freedom Report. (2021). United States Department of State.
• Pew Research Center. (2020, June 29). Religion and Education Around the World.
• Pew Research Center. (2020, November 5). Unpacking Americans' Views on Free Speech, Religion and the Press. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/05/unpacking-americans-views-on-free-speech-religion-and-the-press/
• The Guardian. (2018, May 11). The burqa has become a blank screen onto which anyone can project their prejudices.
• United Nations Human Rights. (n.d.). Freedom of Religion or Belief.

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• The Crucible
• Rebecca Nurse
• Judge Danforth
• Salem Village
• Arthur Miller
• Salem Massachusetts

Crucible - fear 3 Pages 806 Words

             In The Crucible Arthur Miller examines the topic of fear and how it is used to silence the opposition and coerce others into false testimony. In this play, as in the actual Salem Witch Trials, fear was a weapon used by those in power to control their enemies. In the late 17th century the people of Salem only a few things to be afraid of: Punishment from the ruling authority, shame brought onto their name and affliction from supernatural forces. In this play the afflicted girls use these weapons to their advantage so as to avoid their own fears of punishment.              There is but one punishment for a witch who does not confess and that is death. When someone is told "they will not hang them if they confess" their fear of death pushes them to do whatever they can to avoid this fate (p. 58). It is an ultimatum for many, that in their eyes they must be truthful to themselves and die by the noose or lie to authority and live a false life. Even the Reverend Hale, a man who is not accused, realizes that "... there is a prodigious fear of the court in the country-" (p.98). Hale, on of the only enlightened characters in this play see's that fear is what is ruling over the testimonies of the confessing, not truth. He see's that to confess is the accused's only hope for life, and so they will lie and take life out of fear of authoritative punishment.              Salem Village, though governed by men, is ruled by divine forces, and it is because of these forces that all its inhabitants pray and fear. Abigail uses the common fear of the devil to her advantage when she warns Mr. Danforth "... think you to be so mighty that the power of Hell may not turn your wits" (p.108). By doing this, Abigail is instilling fear into those who oppose her word, as if she is a divine messenger sent to give redemption to the sinners of Salem and that her word is final. The fear of supernatural forces is specifically evident at this time in the play, and Abigail wants t...

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