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  • Essay / Puritan Beliefs Related to Women in the Crucible by Arthur Miller

    As individuals we all come from different aspects of society, we are all distinguished by different experiences and this causes us all to have different understandings of certain situations. These contrasting viewpoints allow everyone to see the world in different ways, which in turn changes the way the truth is told. The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, discusses the events of the Salem witch trials and how the Salem residents' unfair views toward women shape the truth by allowing prejudice to take control of the play's decisions. The men in the play are faced with the expectations of a strong and tough character who plays a role in the decisions made. Women are forced into a delicate victim role due to the male power that oppresses them, which prevents them from getting the full respect they deserve in court, causing tragedy to occur. The religious beliefs of the people of Salem are the main factor behind gender inequality and the existence of witchcraft in Salem. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Puritans held traditional beliefs about male and female roles. Men held all positions of power and worked on farms to support their families. They were the only ones who could be elected leaders or ministers. However, women depend on men. They were expected to take care of the children and the house. They had no reason to leave their homes except to go to church. Additionally, the religion of the people of Salem has taught them that witches exist, and they believe that it is possible that a witch exists among them and that they are unaware of her true identity and allegiance to the Devil. The Bible says, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,” and that is why they believe not only in the existence of witches, but also in their own religious obligation to hunt and hang them. These witches could theoretically come anywhere and to anyone, no matter how pious they may appear. For example, people would automatically think of witchcraft when no one could explain the condition of two sick children. Overall, it is clear that women were not afforded the same rights, respect and status as men in Salem society, which clearly explains why people were so sure of the existence of witchcraft, rather than sorcerers, which took place in Salem. The way women are mistreated in "The Crucible" is a reflection of the puritanical beliefs of that era. This can be seen when Parris said, "You will confess or I will take you out and whip you to death, Tituba!." " Putnam then also declared: "This woman must be hanged! She must be taken away and hanged! Tituba, terrified, falls to her knees: “No, no, don’t hang Tituba! …”. This quote shows female oppression because Reverend Parris threatens to hurt Tituba. Tituba is just a woman from another society. When Tituba falls to the ground, she lowers herself, which symbolizes that women will always be inferior to men in this society, because men literary look down on her. Many men believe they have the right to impose obedience on women. An example of physical violence is when Proctor shouts, "I will whip you if you dare leave this house again!" » to his wife. Then Elizabeth became calm and submissive to her husband, in other words her personal slave. This clearly shows that this woman is controlled by a man in this case and he does not.