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Post by sobener35 on Oct 10, 2011 18:44:21 GMT -5
"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. This is a sharp time, now, a precise time-we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world." (Miller 94) Danforth says this to Francis in act III when Francis is worrying about betraying the people on the list of people who declared their good opinion of Rebecca, Goody Proctor, and Martha Corey. This quote is important because it shows the general attitude of the authority towards the salem witch trials. They believed that the people are either associated with God or with the devil, and those not associated with God are automatically associated with the devil and witchcraft. This is exactly what he is trying to say when he explains, "a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it." Therefore, the general idea that all authorities had was that those who oppose the actions of the courts are not trustworthy people, which is the main reason for why the courts accused the people that they accused.
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Post by rosaiga38 on Oct 10, 2011 18:51:21 GMT -5
"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!" (miller 143) (Proctor) Proctor says this line around the end of act 4 after he has an argument with his conscience. He is trying to decide whether he should confess to witchcraft and save himself. He finally decides this would be immoral and unfair. If he lies and confesses to witchcraft he'll endanger many other lives of those accused of witchcraft. This quote shows Proctor go against the tyranny of consensus and he finally earns self respect. If he didn't renounce his decision to confess, he would be contributing to the tyranny of consensus resulting in even more chaos.
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Post by emhutch38 on Oct 10, 2011 19:01:39 GMT -5
"Beware, Goody Proctor-cleave to no faith when faith brings blood. It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice. Life, woman, life is God's most precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it." (page 132). Hale states this while talking to Elizabeth in order to get her to save her husband's life. He speaks to her after already trying to convince the Danforth and other that imprisoning and hanging all these people is bad for the community. This shows that people are truly realizing the negative affects this hysteria is causing finally.
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Post by rahertz38 on Oct 10, 2011 19:41:52 GMT -5
"Four judges and the King's deputy sat to dinner with us but an hour ago. I- I would have to speak civilly to me, from this out." (60)
Marry Warren tells Proctor that he is to treat her with more respect because she is no longer looked down upon in society. She has gained a position of power in Salem and she will now go to any extreme in order to keep or show the new power she has.
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Post by aarubin35 on Oct 10, 2011 19:58:50 GMT -5
"I'll not hang with you! I love God, I love God" (Miller 118).
This Quote shows a major change of Marry Warren. This quote shifts the whole focus of the play onto John Proctor. For fear of being hanged as a witch, Marry Warren lies that it was Proctor who told her to do all of the crimes she was being accused of. She said this quote to save her self, and in doing so she destroyed what was left of Proctor's reputation. This just shows how much of a role fear plays in this play. Marry Warren was scared and did not know what to do, she was faced in a life or death situation. No one would believe her when she told the truth that Abigail was lying, so she turned to lying herself.
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Post by meshend38 on Oct 10, 2011 20:13:10 GMT -5
"I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!" - Abigail (page 48)
Abigail is a very strong young lady willing to go to any extent to not only save herself, but also to empower herself. In Salem, accusing someone else in place of yourself leaves you safe and respected. Participating in witchcraft goes against God, and defying God is an extreme sin. As Abigail claims to align herself with god and his wishes (by calling out those who met with the Devil) she gains power in Salem.
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Post by alkapad38 on Oct 10, 2011 20:15:46 GMT -5
At the very end of the play, Elizabeth Proctor cries, "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him" (Miller 145).
I understand that she is proud of her husband for not giving in to the consensus. However, isn't it a bit extreme to sacrifice his life? They have children already and one more on the way, it just seems as if Elizabeth would want to save her husband's life above all else.
Also, in the "Echoes Down The Corridor" section it says that Elizabeth Proctor remarried four years after John's death. I suppose she was just being practical. But it is very hard to imagine replacing her husband after such a traumatic death.
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Post by mabohal35 on Oct 10, 2011 20:21:55 GMT -5
"He say Mr. Parris must be kill! Mr. Parris no goodly man, Mr. Parris mean man and no gentle man, and he bid me to rise out of my bed and cut your throat!"- Tituba page 47
When pressured to tell about her experience with the Devil, Tituba shows that she is a quick thinker by displaying the Devil as an enemy to Salem's religious leader, which makes her account very easy to believe. Also, her telling of the devil wanting her to kill Parris insinuates that killing Parris is something that she has thought of on a previous occasion.
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Post by sadejoh35 on Oct 10, 2011 20:46:19 GMT -5
"If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers?" (Miller 77)
Here, Proctor makes a statement that shows what I think is the main theme that Miller was trying to display. Proctor says that the first one to accuse is always the innocent one in Salem. The best way to get yourself out of trouble is to accuse someone of being a witch. Miller tried to explain that the accuser was always holy and the person being accused was evil.
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Post by alkapad38 on Oct 10, 2011 20:46:43 GMT -5
On page 94, Proctor is trying to help Mary Warren be strong. He whispers, "Remember what the angel Raphael said to the boy Tobias... 'Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee."' He quotes the Bible, showing that he is a truly religious man. The reason he is not more outwardly religious is because of his dislike of Parris.
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Post by adlupic35 on Oct 10, 2011 20:54:04 GMT -5
"If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers?" (Miller 77) Here, Proctor makes a statement that shows what I think is the main theme that Miller was trying to display. Proctor says that the first one to accuse is always the innocent one in Salem. The best way to get yourself out of trouble is to accuse someone of being a witch. Miller tried to explain that the accuser was always holy and the person being accused was evil. Adding on to what Sam said, I believe that his quote directly links with McCarthyism, as in McCarthyism the accuser's accusations of someone being a communist were always assumed to be true and the accused were then stuck with an accusation that could rarely be disproved, those who accused anyone of being witches were never questioned about their accusations, but rather those accusations were instantly taken as the truth.
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Post by daubush35 on Oct 10, 2011 21:22:48 GMT -5
"John, I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, no honest love could come to me! Suspicion kissed you when I did; I never knew how I should say my love. It were a cold house i kept! In fright, she swerves, as Hathorne enters." (Miller 137) Elizabeth apologetically admits her wrongs to Proctor and takes blame for them. Proctor assures her the fault is his in agony.
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Post by daubush35 on Oct 10, 2011 21:33:57 GMT -5
"I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. Crying out, with hatred: I have no tongue for it." (Miller 141) Proctor speaks out to Danforth in court, confessing himself then signing the papers for his confession. This quote symbolizes Proctor's confession to his wrongs in front of the antagonists of this play (Paris and Danforth).
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