Arrogance in pride has the potential to ruin a man’s integrity, destroy his life, and even drive a settlement to insanity. Salem experiences all of the previous and more because of the arrogance of those involved in the Salem Witch Trials. Nathan Hale is one of the few men involved in the trials who had potential to prevent its tragedies from ever occurring. When Reverend Hale was summoned to Salem, he was quick to let his “extensive” dealing with witchcraft be known. Though he is more a man of God than Parris, he is not without his faults, and his faults will prove fatal.
This creates a suspicion about Hale and the town that he is somewhat anti-religious, which is increased when Mary gives in to the mass hysteria of the town and finally accused John Proctor of witchcraft. In conclusion, John Proctor is an honorable man who died for his name and the reputation of his family. He would not live with the shame
Mary Warren displays this anxiety when she allows Abigail to frighten her into abandoning John Proctor and accusing him of witchcraft. This leaves him unable to prove the girls' perjury and at the mercy of the judges who are quick to impose guilt. Reverend Parris also displayed an influence by fear when he urged the judges to condemn the accused and encouraged the accused to confess. He believed that this would help him continue to appear moral in the town during immoral and unjust proceedings. Should he lose his facade of morality, he would lose his position of power as reverend.
The passion of Medea’s love is evident in her actions preluding the play, where she killed her own brother to help distance her enemies from Jason and herself. But, upon the adulterous actions of Jason, this powerful love is extinguished. A jilted lover, she becomes incredibly mournful, which “sweeps on violently”. She becomes malevolent, her “proud, impassioned soul so ungovernable now” after feeling the “sting of injustice”. Medea is infected by rage, which festers within her and ultimately consumes her.
Claudius is revealed to be a two-faced character and a ‘smiling damned villain’. The word damned suggests that Claudius has damned himself to hell in a religious sense, as he has committed murder of the king which is seen as very punishable also in a superstitious sense. This demonstrates the problems existing in the ruling class, and how they aren’t necessarily good people, just because they have a lot of power in that society. The Queen is described as a ‘seeming-virtuous queen’ , and this suggests that she acts like a good queen but isn’t grieving enough for her deceased husband; as she has quickly re-married to his brother. This is seen as disrespectful from Hamlets point of view throughout the play, as he never accepts Claudius to be a replacement to his father, and never really approves of his mother’s re-marriage.
Each character portrays a specific example that brings out their honorable ways. Proctor is a very honorable character, despite the few mistakes he made in the past. The main mistake he made was he committed adultery with his housekeeper Abigail. As the play goes on, his wife Elizabeth gets falsely accused for witchcraft and Proctor does not agree with this. Elizabeth is still mad at Proctor for what he did, but Proctor knows that he should fight for his wife because he loves her.
She was not declared innocent until Benedick and the friar discover what happened and told everyone (4.1.186-255 and 4.2.50). This proves that men are believed over women. The women also could not defend themselves. They could not defend themselves with words but also with actions. After Hero was accused and fainted at the wedding, Beatrice wanted to avenge Hero’s integrity and honor.
Is Macbeth Responsible For His Downfall? Who is responsible for the downfall of Macbeth? He is manipulated by the witches, encouraged by his wife, but ultimately he chooses to act. His first conference with the witches, Macbeth’s ambition was planted and his mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of murder and betrayal. It fair to say, in addition, that if his betrayal caused this extensive pain that clouded him after he murders Duncan, Banquo and the Macduff’s that it wasn’t a case of fate and was his own doing.
In Act One of The Crucible, Arthur Miller uses an omniscient overture to reinforce the secrecy of something “no hint of [which] has yet appeared on the surface” – that John Proctor, “respected and even feared in Salem, has come to regard himself as a fraud.” The next scene reveals the source of this dramatic loss of self-respect – Proctor has committed adultery with Abigail Williams, his former servant girl. This infidelity has resulted in Proctor no longer identifying with the honest reputation of his former self, a man who had a “sharp and biting way with hypocrites”, having effectively become one himself by violating the moral code impressed and instilled in him by his upbringing and surrounding culture. With no judgment coming from the ignorant Salem, and grudging forgiveness from his wife Elizabeth, Proctor is left to judge himself, as described by Elizabeth in Act II – “The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you.” Thus the Proctor first introduced to the audience possesses an extremely limited, if not
He would end up losing all his belongings while destroying his once real and open relationship with the King. Orgon blindly believes Tartuffe until the very end. Orgon’s wife, Elmire, is able to get Tartuffe to reveal his true intentions as he attempts to seduce Elmire into committing adultery. Tartuffe’s character is revealed and it’s nothing short of ugly. Orgon is able to finally see Tartuffe’s lies and hypocrisy, but it is too late as Tartuffe has accused Orgon of wrongdoings to the King.