Analysis of Fear in The Crucible

In our lifetime all of us have experienced a fear that we were are still being greatly frighting by when it happens. Fear is a normal part of life but when it mixes with control it becomes very serious. It can influence the way we live our life greatly. In the book “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, Abigail Williams uses other people's fear to gain control it took place in Salem Massachusetts, in the spring of 1692. Abigail was accused of which craft and started with one night in the woods. Arthur miller shows how Those in power can exploit others’ to gain control.

Those in power can exploit the fear of others to motivate their position. In act 1 the girls gather near betty’s bed and Marry Warren told mary that we should tell the truth. Abigail says, “Now look at you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge a word, about the other things, and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I can do it; I saw Indians smash my dear parent's heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you never seen the sun go down”(miller20). Abigail does not want to get in trouble for dancing in the woods or conjuring spirits with Tituba because it would put a bad reputation on her name. She motivates her authority over the girls by saying she could and would kill any one of them if they say anything.  Abigail says she has seen her own parents murdered so she uses that to make them even more scared. this way she will not get in trouble because she knows they all fear her and she can tell them exactly what to do without any problems. However, In act 3, marry warren and the proctor tell deputy governor Danforth that Abigail and the rest of the girls are lying about all the witchcraft actuation. None of the spirits or the devil were real Abigail and the girls faked all of the stuff that has happened to her and the girls. Therefore Danforth was questioning her about all that has happened within the last month. Abigal says, “Let you beware, Mr.Danforth. Think you to be so mighty that the power of hell may not turn your wits? Beware of it!”(miller108). Abigail is using the fear of the devil and demons against Mr. Danforth to maintain her position. She also is showing Danforth that she is the one seeing all spirits and all people with the devil so she is the one saying the names  Danforth is just carrying out the people. Abigail was wrapped up in her problems that she did not think about what she was doing to the other she only cared about her reputation and power over others.

Those in power can exploit the fear of others to threaten others. In act 3  Francis nurse’s wife has been accused of witchcraft by Abigail. Francis has barged in to show Mr. Danforth evidence that the girls are frauds but Danforth won’t consider it. Danforth says, “And do you know that near four hundred are in the jails from Marblehead to Lynn, and upon my signature?” (miller87). Miller uses this line to show how powerful and ironic he is Danforth is. He saying this to threaten Francis's nurse to maintain his position in the court. Danforth means that if your evidence is not important and is a waste of my time I can put you in jail in ten minutes if he wants to. This quote is also ironic because he is saying this like it is a good thing but ironically it can make him infamous because he has put all these people in jail for no reason at all. Similarly, Francis has got signatures saying that all the people that are in jail have not been summoned by a demon or have seen the devil. Francis had given them his word that no harm would come to them. Danforth says, “No, old man, you have not hurt these people if they are of good conscience. But you must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between” (miller 94). Danforth is Francis that you can be with this court and live happily without your wife or you can be against the court and be punished like the rest of the prisoners. He maintains his position by using the rules against Francis. Danforth was the head of the country so he had to threaten some people to maintain his power and control over everyone else.

When fear presents itself in a mob mentality it can rob people of their rational thought. In act 1 Mrs. Ann Putnam had lost several babies before they were born or the night of their birth and sent her daughter Betty with Tituba to conjure her dead babies. Mrs.Punam said, “This year, my ruth, my only- I see her turning strange. A secret child she has become this year and shrivels like a shrivels like a sucking mouth were pulling' on her life too.”(millier 15) Mrs.Putnam has lost several babies as said before she feared that she would lose ruth so she sent her out to conjure spirits to find out what was killing all her babies. She was too sad and scared to think normally and think ahead about what was going to happen after Betty came back. Parris says it is a sin to conjure the dead but Mrs. Putnam argues that someone has murdered her babies.Mrs.Putnam says “They were murdered, Mr.Parris!And mark this proof! Mark it! Last night my ruth was ever so close to their little spirits; I know it, sir. For how else is she struck dumb now except some power of darkness would stop her mouth? It is a marvelous sign, Mr.Parris!”(miller16). As said earlier she was not thinking straight because she was so sad and afraid that something or someone was killing all her babies. She also was scared of what they were going to do to her after she told them what happened because it was a sin so she must have just said that to get out of it and make them scared for her dead babies. Parris is scared of the thing that has already happen and now the things that are going happen to her later on that she cannot think straight 

Others in positions of power take advantage of those who are less powerful to acquire control. Abigail uses fear on many different people to motivate her position in the play like that in this world toxic friends, abusers, bullies, etc. All these types of people Can do the same thing to you. We should use this play as a life lesson and lookout for people who use fear to threaten you or others. stand up to them or contact authorities like the police or parents to help you get to stop them.