Table of contentsJean-Marie Bonnet « Society versus the individual in The Crucible by Arthur MillerRobert WarshowLiberal conscience in the CrucibleReflectionJean- Marie Bonnet “Society against. the individual in The Crucible by Arthur Miller Jean-Marie Bonnet's literary criticism, "Society versus the individual in The Crucible by Arthur Miller" was published in February 1982. Bonnet focuses on two linked poles in the piece, asking whether the main centers of conflict are self versus self or self versus society. In this way, Bonnet questions the emphasis on "individuals purged separately so that the community as a whole can be preserved." Rather, Bonnet questions whether the play is about "an individual's discovery of his true self or an entire community's loss of control." In addition to his analysis, Bonnet criticizes the way Arthur Miller presents a clear thesis by claiming that Miller himself is of no help because he makes two completely contradictory statements. For example, in his Collected Plays, Arthur Miller writes: "The central impulse of the writing was not the social question at all but the inner psychological question of the guilt residing in Salem," he goes on to say , a few years later, in an interview with Richard I. Evans, "...the predominant emphasis in writing the play was on the conflict between people rather than the conflict within someone. " Bonnet still praises The Crucible as a "very successful play" but comments that it is "not easily classified into the traditional categories of drama". Subsequently, she puts forward an understandable and clear thesis that "The Crucible is a play about the individual and society is evident, if only by the wide range of characters presented to the audience: they range from farmers and servants to ministers and court officials. One cannot categorize this play into a specific theme, therefore the feuds presented are primarily due to personal greed, but can also be affected by external social forces. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Examining the causes of each problem that resides in the city of Salem, Miller hypothesizes that each is caused by personal motivations rather than societal forces. In The Crucible, Abigail Williams is easily described as a girl who has an “infinite capacity for concealment” (Miller 18). Abigail Williams begins to become angry as she acts out of jealousy for Elizabeth and lust for John Proctor. She accuses a number of citizens of being bewitched which leads to public executions and this malignancy spreads and becomes a social phenomenon. Miller points out that "the general tragedy can be seen as an amplification of petty and selfish quarrels caused by the repression of the desires of the individual by the authoritarian state." Examples of personal greed throughout the book are evident, but not limited to: the Putnams' greed for land, a desire for revenge directed against Martha Corey over a sick pig, the debate between the overseers regarding the timber and property, and Mrs. Putnam's "cantankerous bitterness" at being able to keep only one of her many children alive. Bonnet notes the way Miller uses language in the play, considering it to have a great influence among the characters for whom we see how language is used by one of them. to manipulate another. Bonnet remarks that “language is the demonic force of the play” and thatcharacters are able to use it to directly or indirectly control the situation. Abigail uses language when she accuses innocent citizens of witchcraft to fulfill her desires and gain protection before being accused of being a liar. She seduces not only the girls, but also Danforth and the entire community, as we see how the social phenomenon, i.e. witchcraft, plays out in the community rooted in personal greed. Bonnet reveals that "it is through Abigail's use of perverse language that she ignites the fire of hysteria and maintains power over the group of deceived girls." Often the language of the play contrasts with that of society's values, which are theocratic and focused on unity and honesty. Bonnet points out how "Proctor's speech is too frank and honest", almost deviating from what the Salem justice system is depicted in the play, and that "all communications (and understanding) between the individual and society through this media are blocked.” Other characters, however, are still able to use language to, in some way, manipulate the circumstances in which their position is vulnerable. Citizens accused of witchcraft can save themselves if they confess to the accusation, but they can still be subject to prosecution. Language plays an important role in the play and in the community itself, as it serves as a vehicle to control the flow of events, altering the situation to protect itself. As Bonnet previously stated, the piece cannot be easily classified within the traditional framework. categories of drama, and in this sense, she concludes that “individuals who try to assert their individuality are strangled by the network of social constraints. » Robert WarshowThe Liberal Conscience in the Crucible "The Liberal Conscience in the Crucible" was written by Robert Warshow in 1953. In his essay, Warshow harshly criticizes Arthur Miller's The Crucible, calling it "insubstantial and simplistic" because it links the main ideas of the play to the real world, even shedding light on contemporary and historical American politics and philosophy. It continues deeper by exploring the consciousness on which the trials are based and what motivated Miller to allegorize this or that to the real witch trials. Warshow advises us first on how we should "hold Mr. Miller responsible neither for the inadequacies of his presentation of the Salem Trials nor for the many undeniable and significant differences between those trials and the "witch trials" which are currently taking place. " Regarding American tradition, Warshow questions whether this event in American history represents the "very cradle of Americanism" and asks where these witch trials fit into "tradition." It gives us insight into how America mostly handles historical moments and what comes out of them, going even further, in my opinion, to criticize its own culture. Warshow admits that in trying to resolve this problem, America is torn only between two paths: “one is to treat the trials as a historical curiosity; a curiosity by definition requires no explanation” and the most usual: “equate them with the history of the progress of civil rights”. He criticizes his own culture by asserting that "the Salem trials were not political and had nothing to do with civil rights." Warshow admits that in the process of categorizing historical moments in American history, they can only categorize the event for which it benefits America and does not sully its history. Warshow criticizes Miller for the way he chooses to write the characters and theirmotivations as “both simple and clear.” » After discovering the girls' suspicious behavior in the forest, they were inclined to lie and "file charges of witchcraft...to cover up their own bad behavior." Reverend Samuel Parris chooses to ignore the truth, or rather to investigate witchcraft, because he sees fit to use the accusations as a scapegoat in an attempt to "consolidate his fragile position in a parish that murmured against his conduct." antidemocratic” of the Church. .” Warshow examines Miller's writing style as Miller presents predictable, non-complex thinking to his characters. Warshow then describes how Miller easily makes Proctor an "ordinary man", even describing him as a trope-like character: "Proctor hesitates a lot, doesn't understand what's going on, only wants to be alone with his wife and his farm, considers to make a false confession, but ends up dying for reasons that he finds difficult to define but they are obviously good reasons: it seems above all that he does not want to complicate the others. Warshow takes on Miller as he explains and questions why The Crucible appeals to the masses: "Mr. Miller's unwavering, one might almost say altruistic, refusal of complexity, the assured simplicity of his vision of human behavior , are perhaps the main source of its ability to captivate the educated public. He is a strangely depersonalized writer; one tries in vain to define its particular quality, only to discover that it is perhaps not a quality at all, but something like a method, and even like a strangely naked method: its pieces are also carefully assembled and essentially as empty as this one. skeleton of a house that made Death of a Salesman so impressive and confusing. Warshow states that The Crucible is praised not because of the quality of its play, but because “we agree with Arthur Miller; he exposed with brilliance and courage what weighed on all our minds; finally someone had the courage to respond to Senator McCarthy. Although described as a literary classic, Warshow defines The Crucible not as a masterpiece but rather as a simplistic way to gain a brief understanding of what was, on American soil, a troubling moment in history . Warshow believes that in analyzing this piece we have moved away from thinking about what is actually considered a respected work; we focus on the content and its symbolism rather than the complexity and richness of the writing. Warshow goes even further by castigating liberals and their values: “All it takes is for someone to have said something, anything, to dissipate for a few hours this indefinite but very real feeling of frustration which oppresses these “liberals” - - who believe in their deepest being. being that salvation comes from saying something, and yet somehow finding themselves without anything very relevant to say. They say, of course, that Senator McCarthy has made it “impossible” to speak; but it is difficult to believe that they are satisfied with this explanation. and personal motivations. Bonnet explores in depth the consequences that can arise from societies that are unstable and based solely on immorality and lack of logic, giving examples of how the community of Salem acts on their impulses of personal greed. Bonnet also discusses the stigmatization of "individuality" itself, insisting that if an individual does not confess to the accusations, they will be hanged. So, to explain, an individual, if accused, has two options: confess and go to prison, or not confess and be executed. If we choose the latter option, we are not conforming to the valuessocial expectations of oneself, in which these values ​​derive from theocratic society, thus causing the collapse of the social structure. Bonnet explains that “such a rigid and inflexible society of course means that any form of individuality will be considered subversive and dangerous.” The play is set in the 17th century, which means that women's rights are virtually non-existent; However, Bonnet presents an idea, very new to how I have analyzed the play, which briefly addresses the character of Abigail. Bonnet states that "for women, like Abigail, witchcraft can be a way to assert their will and power in a male-centered and male-dominated system." The play includes characters in which the women are mostly slaves and powerless, but with Abigail we see how she is characterized by her "infinite capacity for concealment" and uses this characteristic to assert power where it It’s rare for women to do it. Abigail uses her power to manipulate how the town should react and she does it for her own personal reasons. It goes even further by influencing the way judges think, making them believe that witchcraft is real and that it resides easily among citizens, convincing them that the accusations are accurate, even persuading them that investigations or logical thinking is not necessary. . Abigail is a young woman without power and in which she is the servant of her family, but her character deviates from that of the norms because her character does not completely conform to what is expected of her, and c 'may be the only way for her. is able to assert his power given the period where he is dominated by men. At the end of the play, John Proctor is given the choice of whether or not to admit the accusation of being bewitched. Proctor admits it at first but denies it the second time when he learns that his name will be displayed for the entire town to see. Bonnet analyzes the theme of the word "name" and how it contributes to one of the major themes of the play, individuality and connection with that of the values ​​of this period. Bonnet explains that “the word “name” means both something personal, but also something social, because it has a value to the extent that it distinguishes each individuality in society. If Proctor had admitted the charge, he would be confessing a lie but he would also have survived, but "it also underlines the victory of the social authorities over him." Proctor is torn between choosing his own individuality and choosing his own life. This also ties in with Bonnet's thesis that the characters' motivations are decided by themselves or whether society has an influence on their decisions. To summarize, Bonnet put into words what I understand throughout the piece, a notion particular to one character but which applies to others: "individuals who try to assert their individuality are strangled by the fabric social constraints. The structure seems to point to the personal victory of a character, who has gained increased self-awareness and prefers to preserve his own dignity rather than live in a society where lying has acquired the status of an institution. “Society versus the Individual in Arthur Miller's The Crucible” by Jean-Marie Bonnet and “The Liberal Conscience in The Crucible” by Robert Warshow, although different in their main ideas and concepts, have certain similarities in which they relate to the book giving an extension to the exploration of the themes of the play. Bonnet primarily explores individuality and the idea that the play is centered between conflicts of self versus self and self versus identity, while Warshow analyzes inaccuracies and.”