Examples Of False Consciousness In The Crucible

1. How does false consciousness perpetuated by the bourgeoisie (Parris, Danforth, ect.) of Salem manifest itself in key proletariat characters, leading to their downfalls and deaths?

False consciousness is ever present in Salem in the form of religion, the opiate of the people, and in the form of undeserved trust in the court system, preserved and protected by the bourgeoisie characters to further their own ends.

Religion is often the standard used throughout the text to judge people, Proctor is judged for ploughing on Sunday, others are judged on their seeming lack of morality or lack of theological prowess. The bourgeoisie maintain their power through their authority on all matters of religion which they gained through advanced means of …show more content…
Salem in a way is democracy of sorts, they vote on the choice of a Reverend, whom stands as a leader in the town. Putnam’s choice has been continuously rejected, and he is filled with a cold vengeful anger towards those whom, in his mind have disrespected him and his family. His vindictive nature was demonstrated long before the witch-craft began as seen in his treatment of a “another former Salem minister, George Burroughs, had had to borrow money to pay for his wife’s funeral, and, since the parish was remiss in his salary, he was soon bankrupt. Thomas and his brother John had Burroughs jailed for debts the man did not owe.” Thomas Putnam proves himself, and the Bourgeoisie, terrible in their …show more content…
Reading about his relationship with the McCarthy Trials and all that came around that era, I see parallels between himself and those on trial throughout the play. Miller lived in a time where people were losing their minds, giving into the anti-communist hysteria, turning on one another. It was a time of fear, a time of madness, a time much like the witch hunts of Salem. Miller became accused of being pro-Communist, as his work was viewed as controversial and counteractive to the cause McCarthy was pushing. Miller refused to sign an anti-Communist statement, and this brought him into the sights of the HUAC (House committee on Un-American Activities), where much like Proctor he was urged confess, to sign, to give up names. Miller refused, much like the hero of the story, to give names, citing he could not bring trouble upon another man. Giles Corey says the same thing, and is pressed, a fate Elizabeth Proctor describes as “laying great stones upon his chest until he plead aye or nay” (Miller, Act Four, 125). While Corey and Proctor are tortured physically, crushed and hanged in reality, Miller endured another kind of torture. His reputation was destroyed, his passport stripped, allowing for him to never see his play debut in Europe, and much like Proctor his faith in his government was annihilated by the injustice done. However, he stood against it, he refused to become another confessor, stand idle, enable like some of his fellow playwrights

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Examples Of False Consciousness In The Crucible

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Examples Of False Consciousness In The Crucible

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