Salem witches
The theatrical work Las Brujas de Salem was written by Arthur Miller who an American author who wrote plays, essays and stories and has published works dating from 1936 to 2004. That said, the work has a great influence on his life for events that happened to him. Through the acts, you can find the use of topics in different ways.
On May 31, 1957, Miller had a similar experience that can be related to some of the events that occur in the work. That day, he was accused of being a communist for simple rumors that people had against him about his life and the actions he took, his passport was denied and was also very close to being sentenced to jail. Then, the supreme trial finally saw that Miller was an innocent man who had nothing to do with communism.
Miller wrote this work as an analogy of his life and the events that happened around him and the unnecessary violence that was happening in the town of Salem. The false rumors that traveled in the town for the fear of people, the use of power against people who did nothing and the reputation that people must have to feel powerful or respected.
This means that the author different topics to represent how much of his life he and events that spent around him can relate to a fictional work he wrote. Therefore, the most seen and important issues that are used to be able to relate is the use of power against innocent people, the reputation that some lose and lack of justice.
One of the most present issues in the work is power, this can be seen in all acts. The desire to acquire and preserve power for the rumors that were witches among the townspeople, this causes dramatic changes in which the characters have the greatest control over the course of the events that occurred. The character that has more control and power is abigail.
Long before Abigail becomes the main witness to the internal functioning of a satanic image, she was an orphan who worked for Proctor, after they voted for her, she went to live with her uncle, Parris. She is offered the chance of completely destroying the lives of people with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior of witchcraft. I want to confess!… I danced for the devil;I saw it;I wrote in his book;I return to Jesus;I kissed your hand.
I saw Sarah Good with the devil! I saw Mrs. Osborn with the devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the devil! This was her first step to achieve her goal to acquire power against her enemies. The first person she accuses is Calaba because she is the only person under her on the staircase of power. If he was allowed to explain what really happened, the resulting tragedy could have been avoided.
Unfortunately nobody will listen to Palaba until they accept to confirm the version of the events that people in traditional authorities have already decided that it is true. In act three, it can be seen that Abigail’s power has increased in the court that is on display. She has the opportunity to openly threaten Danforth of Mary and John’s fraud accusations against her. Although Danforth is the most powerful official figure in court, Abigail easily manipulates him with his performance as a victim of witchcraft. He already accepted his testimony as evidence, so he is happy for any excuse to believe it for John and Mary.
Reputation is another main theme associated in this dramatic work. The main fear that Salem’s inhabitants have is to lose their reputation, since rumors circulate very quickly in that city. Reverend Parris is one of the first characters that is interested in gaining reputation. When Parris demands Abigail, Abigail, I have fought here for three long years for these stubborn people to submit and now, … you compromise nothing less than my reputation. I have given you a home, creature, I have covered you with clothes …;Give me an honest answer.
In the town … is your name completely immaculate?, The reader can see how he is more concerned with losing his name and position than for the well -being of his daughter. Another character that fights for his reputation is John Proctor. When they took John’s wife to Salem due to Abigail’s accusation, he doubts the Court to expose the truth, since their relationship with Abigail must be said.
The justice system is used by the author as a tool to conve. When the vice governor, Danforth, believes that he is making correct decisions leading to witches to justice and hunging them, while in reality he is killing innocent people who had nothing to do with witchcraft.
For this reason, the person who should lead to Justice is Danforth for their illogical reasons. Those who are accused of witchcraft are automatically guilty and their only option is to be hanged and must admit the actions and follow -ups that they never had. John Proctor is hanged by witchcraft because he refuses to admit it. Mary Warren accuses him of trying to sign the book of demons because Abigail threaten her and did not give her any other option. Abigail takes control over the corruption of the justice system and instills people who do not want.
conclusion
Specifically, Arthur Miller has its ways to imply specific issues in his work Las Brujas de Salem. As said before, Miller uses the corrupt justice system as a warning to the government, which, in desperate times, irrational decisions are made and many innocent people are accused and assumed as guilty of actions that did not commit. This shows the results of an extreme version of government paranoia and the judicial system.
In which reputation is the way other people perceive you and integrity is the way you perceive yourself. In rigid communities such as Salem, a bad reputation can result in social or even physical punishment. Finally, power is used by many characters who have a fierce desire for power, although not all seek power in the traditional sense. In opposition to this, there are those who favor integrity by admitting errors and refusing to lie just to save their own lives to help challenge the hysteria of the events that happened. Willing to die for what they believe, they put an end to the unfounded fear that hosts hysteria.
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