Justice In The Crucible

Power Over Justice All throughout history, people have been driven by power. Power has the influence to drive man to do the most treacherous things. Those who are power driven often seek control or wish to have influence over others. In the play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the town of Salem erupts in a mass hysteria that essentially endangers many innocent lives. The girls who are the primary suspects of witchcraft are given the authority to condemn their fellow civilians of a crime that they alone have conspired. Under these young girls’ jurisdiction, few attempt to counter them, unfortunately their powerlessness stands in their way. The characters John Proctor, Mary Warren, and Reverend John Hale seek righteousness, and exhibit powerlessness …show more content…
When it becomes clear that the court officials will not be convinced, that their argument will not persuade them, he proclaims that “[Abigail] is a whore!” (Miller 1309). With this confession of having been an adulterer, Proctor becomes relieved. He has been ashamed of the sins that he has committed, but since he confesses lechery, she can no longer use it against him in the court, taking her power momentarily. After Proctor’s confession, Elizabeth Proctor is brought for interrogation and confirms that John is not a lecher—contradicting John’s statement. The opposition of the two statements deplete the legitimacy of all that they have said prior. Despite all John Proctor’s efforts to restore the justice in the court and release all who have been convicted, for they are all innocent, he remains unsuccessful, he is powerless. John Proctor fails to rid the court of its injustices, allowing the injustice to prevail. In Act 4, John Proctor is scheduled to hang at sunrise and given one last opportunity to confess for witchery and save his life. He goes forth to do so until he needs to sign the written document acknowledging that he has …show more content…
She participates in the convicting of others, and in an effort to educate the court officials, has insight on the girls’ scheme. After, she, herself, was being prosecuted by her own companions, she feels powerless, her efforts to counter the girls’ jurisdiction seems pointless. Instead of convincing the court officials of all convicts’ innocence, by influence of young girls whom she associates with she prosecutes John Proctor of being the “Devil’s man” (Miller 1314). In the article, “Discovering What Drives Members of Your Team” Elizabeth Eyre states that people who are power driven enjoy “status and recognition” (Eyre). Because Mary Warren is amongst her friends, she driven to conform. Having fallen victim of Abigail Williams, whom she is powerless to, she cowards. Mary Warren lacks the self-confidence that may empower her. In opposition of the stance that Mary Warren is driven by power, some may suggest that she is instead motivated by fear. It can be seen that she fears being convicted or fears Abigail herself. One cannot deny that she expresses some degree of fear, however it is powerlessness that drives her to convict John Proctor of witchcraft. Seeing no way around the accusations she refers to John Proctor as her scapegoat. To her, the girls, unified under the direction and influence of Abigail, are her superiors. They are powerful, she is powerless. Mary Warren fails

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Examples Of Justice In The Crucible

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