Examples Of Justice In The Crucible

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While justice should be fair and equal, The Crucible demonstrates that equal justice is not always the case. In nearly all circumstances, the innocent side does not get justice in The Crucible. The rights of the people of Salem were ignored throughout the play even though the defendants should have had every right to a fair trial. The trials were based on opinions and lies instead of facts or logic in a time of hysteria over witchcraft. Having the right for an attorney, the right to plea or the right of an unbiased jury was not an option during this time. In The Crucible, the main social justice issue centers on the unfairness of the court system.
Having a witness during court cases can have a major impact on the defendant, but not during the …show more content…
Not only are lawyers good at using evidence to prove innocence, they can also make agreements such as a plea bargain if necessary. During the era of witchcraft, Salem was a theocracy. The Pilgrims believed that God was their highest ruler. Their system of justice, was based more on the beliefs of religion than the law. “The pure in heart need no lawyers. Proceed as you will” (42). In The Crucible, the only defendant that had an attorney was John Proctor, and even his attorney was ignored throughout most of the trial. Reverend Hale was the only man that tried to stand up for John Proctor with logic and reasoning, the only man that defined him. Hale attempted to change the judge's opinions, that there must be a reasonable explanation rather than witchcraft, but he had failed. People of Salem had been brainwashed with the idea of witchcraft, not realizing that they had been toyed by bunch of …show more content…
A judge must always be equal and impartial, but unfortunately during the trials in The Crucial, this was not the case. Judge Danforth's only responsibility as a judge was to appeal to the public's eye. He was using the power given to him wrongfully. The only goal he had in his mind was to remove witchcraft from Salem, no matter how many people had to be hanged. “ Near to four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature...and seventy-two condemned to hang by that signature" (46). Judge Danforth is touting the power given to him over people's lives. If justice means to have the right to take away someone’s live without real evidence and reasoning, then the world has lost its
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