Essay Sample: Power in The Crucible

In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, there are many arguments about who started the Salem witch trials. Most people think it’s Abigail. Others think it was Judge Danforth and others think it was Hale! But what about all the other girls? Mary Warren, Mercy Lewis, Betty Parris, Ruth Putnam, and Susanna Walcott. These girls were also a large part of the start of the Salem witch trials. But two of these girls are the real starters of the Salem witch trials. Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam. They both have “fallen ill” after the night of dancing. Most people believed that they were witches and that evil has stolen over their bodies. Betty is lying on a bed, not able to walk, talk, or even open her eyes. Ruth can walk but she doesn’t talk or eat. They are both almost like zombies. Both Betty and Ruth use their power over people because they did not want to get in trouble for dancing, being born into high families made them have more power over the other girls, and they acted like they were ill to make everyone believe in witchcraft. 

First, both Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam don’t want to get in trouble for dancing so they act ill. The day after the girls were found in the woods dancing, both Betty and Ruth have fallen ill which is a little suspicious to everyone. The illness is not found in any books but they believe that they have been bewitched by the Devil. One side of the argument could say that Betty and Ruth were ill and that they were really bewitched. My evidence is, “ABIGAIL: ‘She heard you singin’ and suddenly she’s up and screamin’. MRS PUTNAM: ‘The psalm! The psalm! She cannot bear to hear the Lord’s name!” (Miller ACT I) “MRS. PUTNAM: ‘Her soul, her soul seems flown away. She sleeps and yet she walks…’” (Miller ACT I) This shows that the people, even only a few hours after dancing, think that Betty and Ruth are really bewitched. The other side of the argument would say that Betty and Ruth are most definitely faking it. My evidence is, “REBECCA: sitting, ‘I think she’ll wake in time. Pray calm yourselves. I have eleven children, and I am twenty-six times a grandma, and I have seen them all through their silly seasons, and when it comes on them they will run the Devil bowlegged keeping up with their mischief. I think she’ll wake when she tires of it. A child’s spirit is like a child, you can never catch it by running after it…’” (Miller ACT I) This shows the two different sides of the story. Mrs. Putnam believes fully that Betty and her daughter are bewitched by the Devil. People like Rebecca Nurse believe that it is all fake. 

Second, both girls come from high families. Betty Parris is the daughter of Reverend Parris. Ruth Putnam is the daughter of Mrs. Ann Putnam and Thomas Putnam. They both used authority to start the Salem witch trials by falling ill and making their mothers and fathers believe in witchcraft. Reverend Parris was the priest of the town so many people listened to what he had to say. Thomas Putnam was a very respectable man that the town also listened to very often. If both of these men were to believe in witchcraft and go tell other people, the girls thought they would get out of the punishment. But they were incorrect. They got punished in a different way. Because the girls are born into high families, they thought that they could make everyone believe in witchcraft. They also thought that they could accuse certain people of witchcraft. One side of the argument could say that they did see spirits and that they were bewitched. My evidence is, “MARY WARREN: pleading, ‘Abby, you mustn’t!’ ABIGAIL AND ALL THE GIRLS: all transfixed, ‘Abby, you mustn’t!’” (Miller ACT III) This scene only starts with Abigail saying she is seeing things but all of the girls follow suit because they know that they can accuse whomever they want. The other side of the argument would say that this is illogical and that most of these trials were unfair. My evidence is, “DANFORTH: ‘Mr. Putnam, I have here an accusation by Mr. Corey against you. He states that you coldy prompted your daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs that is now in jail.’... GILES: ‘My proof is there!’ pointing to the paper, ‘If Jacobs hangs for a witch he forfeits up his property - that’s law! And there is none but Putnam with the coin to buy so great a piece. This man is killing his neighbors for their land!’” (Miller ACT III) This shows that Putnam started to believe his daughter in witchcraft and started making her do his bidding so he could win over people’s land. This is clearly illogical because how can an old man of eighty-three climb through a window and bewitch a child? 

Third, the girls really got everyone believing in witchcraft. Even though Abigail was the first one to blame Tituba for witchcraft, Betty and Ruth followed suit, as well as all of the other girls. Most of the girls didn’t even know who most of the people they convicted were. They just wanted to do what everyone else was doing. One side of the argument could say that this is, again, illogical because most of the people that they convicted were barely known by the girls. My evidence is, “ABIGAIL rises, staring as though inspired, and cries out. ‘I want to open myself!’ They turn to her, startled. ‘I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him; I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!’ As she is speaking, BETTY is rising from the bed, a fever in her eyes, and picks up the chant. BETTY: staring too, ‘I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the Devil!’” (Miller ACT I) Betty again follows Abigail’s actions so that everyone will believe they actually saw people with the Devil. The other side of the argument would say that it is true because if they are yelling out random names, it must be true for at least some of them. They must be telling the truth about most of the people with the Devil. My evidence is, “BETTY: calling out hysterically and with great relief. ‘I saw Martha Bellows with the Devil!’” This shows that Betty is relieved that her punishment is forgotten and that everyone believes in witchcraft now. Also, Betty is the only girl to accuse Martha Bellows of witchcraft until they are on trial. 

In conclusion, the real people who started the Salem witch trials weren't Abigail or the judges. Overall, they were a very large part of the witch trials but I don’t think they really started it. Yes, Abigail accused the first person but Betty and Ruth were the ones who faked an illness to make their families believe in witchcraft and start accusing people. Which then lead to them telling the whole town to be wary of witches which then lead to the actual hangings of the Salem witch trials. Betty and Ruth had a lot of power because they did not want to get in trouble for dancing, they were born into high families which made them have more power over the other girls, and they acted like they were ill to make everyone believe in witchcraft.