The Face of Power in Salem
By jack
The motivations behind the higher ups in Salem are corrupt. Are the courts a status symbol or a justice system? The Crucible by Arthur Miller is the play of Salem, a town riddled with dishonesty, mistrust and false intentions, which leads to a hysterical hunt where people's true intentions are revealed. During the court proceedings, the insecurities of the officials in the Salem courts and church prevent them from hearing any kind of rebuttal because they fear tarnishing their names. Because if someone can make an argument then they did something wrong and their decision might be questioned.
An example of the judges using their power move is when Judge Danforth says that he had 72 people hanged and 400 more put in jail, feeding his feeling of power and thinking that he can't be wrong as he has already done so much good. He claims, “And do you know that near four hundred are in jails from Marblehead to Lynn upon my signature? And seventy two condemned to hang”(p 81). Why would he say that if not to prove how much power he has and how right he must be? He is reminding everyone in the room that he has such an influence over the court proceedings in that land and reminding them that his decision is always right.
With the refusal to accept any type of criticism or thought of failure in fear of his power leaving him, Danforth decides to hang Proctor instead of making a more thought out decision. Stating ”Now hear me, and beguile yourselves no more. I will not receive a single plea for pardon or postponement. Them that will not confess will hang. Twelve are already executed: the names of these seven are given out, and the village expects to see them die this morning. Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of those that died till now. While I speak God’s law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering. If retaliation is your fear, know this—I should hang ten thousand that dared to rise against the law, and an ocean of salt tears could not melt the resolution of the statutes. Now draw yourselves up like men and help me, as you are bound by Heaven to do. Have you spoken with them all, Mr. Hale?”(p 119). Bringing up how many people he hanged his decision must be right because he hanged so many people before trying to reassure himself as well as others and keep power rather than keep an innocent person's life. He also speaks as if he were to change his mind and not hang proctor that the townsfolk would start to mistrust himself and God as he is a speaker of God's law.
But the flaw of insecurity is not just in the judges. Anyone that lives in Salem bases their life off of the pureness of their name no matter the situation. As proctor starts to confess he loses will in the lie and realizes what will become of him if he is branded a witch. Proctor exclaims, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign. myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”(p 133). This shows how the town is so focused on power and purity. In this specific case he decided that keeping his name pure and telling the truth no matter the consequence was the best thing for him. But the way he talks makes us question, was it because he didn't want to lie or because he didn't want his name to be tarnished in the thought of a satanism. This culture of blame and the ruining of life through small means could be the reason why the people and judges fear any kind of thought of a mistake on their part. They feel one mistake could make their life unlivable.
People in Salem are too focused on power and appearance; they will give the lives of others to preserve their images as good people. The judges would rather hide behind the veil of power and false righteousness than be an honest and fair jurist. The people would rather surround their soul in lies and deceit to gain their neighbors property and to hide their own wrongdoings. Are the citizens of Salem well meaning, or are they just very careful about what they appear to be?
