Power In The Crucible

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The Power of The Devil “The Crucible” shows how a society with people who have no power will grab the opportunity to get some when there is a chance, even if it means harming others in the way. Modern societies have not changed that much since Puritan times, power is still something almost everyone craves and many people forget to look out for others when they are given the opportunity of power. Although one may argue that the men in a Puritan society typically hold the most power. Ironically, young women and an enslaved woman who claimed they were “touched” or “infected” by the devil hold the most power because they can “speak” for the devil to identify witches, ultimately launching the Salem Witch Trials. Tituba, the enslaved…show more content…
Parris must be kill! Mr Parris no goodly man, Mr. Parris mean man and no gentle man, and he bid me rise out of bed and cut your throat...I don’t want to kill that man but he say you work for me Tituba.” Since Tituba’s mind was influenced by the thoughts and words of the devil she could say what she wanted to say. In most situations Tituba, the enslaved woman, would have been killed for saying those thoughts about her master but since she was really speaking for the devil she was unpunished. Tituba scapegoats the devil for her horrible thoughts about killing him. Tituba holds power as a woman in Puritan times which is rare especially because she was a woman of color and had different religious beliefs. This is her one chance at gaining power. “...and he say, “look I have white people belong to me.” and I say look and there was Goody Good...Aye Sir and Goody Osburn.” Tituba claims that the devil has taken over her mind and she can name the women who are witches that work for the devil. This is an advantage for both Tituba and Reverend Parris. Tituba decide who is working for the devil and who is not. Tituba was an enslaved woman who had absolutely no power in her community, but she saw an opportunity to gain some. Tituba was one of the biggest instigators of the Salem witch trials because she was the one who claimed she could speak for the devil and knew who the bewitched women…show more content…
Abigail starts shouting the names of young girls and women she has “seen with the devil” which awakens Betty from her pretend sleep and then Betty joins in on the accusations.Abigail told her Uncle earlier that there was no witchcraft in the woods that they were simply dancing and having fun. Suddenly she realizes the power she can gain if she gave the names of women who were seen with the devil. “I want to open myself. I want the light of God, 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! After seeing Tituba gain so much power ,from simply saying she interacted with the devil and giving the names of a few women, Abigail realized she too could gain power that way. Earlier she claimed she had no interaction with the devil and that “it were sport,” in the woods but she quickly changed her statement. Betty had been pretending to be asleep and bewitched for the whole first act because she was scared of the consequences that would occur if her father found her in the woods with Tituba and the other girls. “ I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the devil! Once Betty heard the accusations being made against people she realized she could get away
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