The Role Of Morality In The Crucible

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Morality In the United States today, there is an average of forty five murders per day according to a 2002 study conducted by the CIA. That’s almost one person from every state, everyday, dying. What did these people do to deserve to die? Lie? Wrong their neighbor? Was someone seeking revenge? Or were they just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In 1692, there were wrongful hangings of people because their community lied and their neighbors were seeking revenge against them. During the Salem witch trials, 20 people died because of the public crying “witch” on them. This chapter of history was recreated into Arthur Miller’s play, ‘The Crucible’ to show society just how immorally we once behaved. The quote by Hale supports the point the…show more content…
John was one of the few people that stood up for what he believed in. He didn’t like Reverend Parris’ sermons, so he didn’t go to church but once a month. He believed the girls were lying, so he started a commotion to prove them wrong. John Proctor was still not the most moral individual, however. It’d take a lot of nerve to be lusting over a young girl, Abigail Williams, while she’s living in your home, doing work for your family. But how Proctor portrayed himself at the end of the play was what Miller really saw as valiant. John died a man with a good name rather than live with a muddied name he lied to keep. For theatrical purposes, the author had to make his death grand, but I think it was also out of respect for John since he had stuck to his guns and did the right thing; the moral thing. Arthur Miller makes today’s people think- why are we allowing so many people to die every day? Sure, the United States as a whole is certainly bigger than 1692 Salem Massachusetts, but there has to be another explanation. Have society’s morals lowered? Are we living in a time where it is okay to kill your neighbor just because you can? Are we just a group of immoral beings? ‘The Crucible’ has proven that we really aren’t all that different from the people of the Salem Witch Trials. We can be just a closed-minded, immoral, and ready to lie and murder as they were. Is there really a moral standard

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