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The Crucible remains a staple of high school English because it is rich in themes that are consistently relevant to human beings regardless of time period. But these themes aren't always easy to explain or dissect in the context of the play, and they can be even harder to develop into essays. Read on for an overview of what a theme is, a list of important themes in The Crucible with specific act-by-act details, and a summary of how to use this information in your essays and other assignments.  

What’s a Theme? Why Are Themes Important?

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of how  The Crucible  themes are expressed, let's do a quick overview of what themes are and why they matter. A theme is a central topic that is addressed by a work of literature. Themes can be expressed in many different ways. In the case of a play like The Crucible , themes are revealed mainly through the dialogue of the characters. They're also revealed though events in the plot. 

Themes tell us what the purpose of the work is. What is the writer attempting to convey to the viewer? The Crucible 's themes have lent the play artistic longevity because they're more or less universal to the human experience across time.  If you hope to write an awesome essay on  The Crucible , you should have extensive knowledge of its themes. If you can show that you understand the themes of a work of literature, you've clearly mastered the material on a deeper level.  In the next few sections, I'll take a look at a group of broad themes in  The Crucible , including irony, hysteria, reputation, and power.

Theme 1: Irony

First off, what is irony? Many people are under the impression that irony is just when something happens that you don't expect (or that you really hoped wouldn't happen). In reality, true irony only happens when a situation is the exact opposite of what you would expect.  The classic example of an incorrect use of irony is in Alanis Morisette's song "Ironic" when she says that "rain on your wedding day" is an example of irony. Well, it's not. Sure, you don't expect or want rain, but it's not the polar opposite of getting married. A real example of irony would be if two married guests got into a fight about going to your wedding that ended in their divorce.

Irony abounds throughout The Crucible  as  characters who believe they are combating the Devil’s handiwork actually perform it themselves.   The ruthlessness with which the suspected witches are treated is aimed at purifying Salem, but it achieves the opposite outcome. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation.  As Reverend Hale says to Danforth, “Excellency, there are orphans wandering from house to house; abandoned cattle bellow on the highroads, the stink of rotting crops hangs everywhere, and no man knows when the harlots’ cry will end his life - and you wonder yet if rebellion’s spoke?” (Act 4, pg. 121).

The court's attempts to preserve Puritan morality by arresting and executing accused witches ironically lead to the removal of the most virtuous people from society. These people are the only ones who refuse to throw out false accusations or lie about involvement in witchcraft, so they find themselves condemned (this is the fate of Rebecca Nurse). This means that much of the population that remains is comprised of the power-hungry, the selfish, and the cowardly. 

There are several ironies in Act 1 that center around Abigail Williams. In her conversation with John, Abigail claims that he helped her realize all the lies she was told by two-faced people in Salem who only publicly adhere to the conventions of respectable society (pg. 22).  The irony is that, in the face of John’s rejection, Abigail turns around and creates her own lies soon after that give her increased control over the society she resents.  She puts on a fake front to get what she wants, ultimately creating a persona that’s even worse than that of the hypocrites she criticizes.   Abigail’s many deceptions are sometimes laughably ironic as she chastises others for lying even as she is spinning falsehoods.  In this act, she yells “Don’t lie!” at Tituba immediately before she tells some of the most damning lies of the play accusing Tituba of witchcraft (“ She comes to me while I sleep; she’s always making me dream corruptions!” pg. 41).

Hale also makes some unintentionally ironic statements in Act 1 when he begins his investigation.  He claims that they must not jump to conclusions based on superstition in their investigation of Betty’s affliction.  Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. This is ironic because   searching for "the Devil's marks" as the potential cause of an ailment is inherently superstitious.

Once the accusations begin, Parris initiates an ironic thought process that persists throughout The Crucible: “You will confess yourself or I will take you out and whip you to your death, Tituba!” (pg. 42).  This “confess or die” mindset is one of the central ironies of the play.  The whole purpose of a trial is to hear both sides of the story before a verdict is reached.  In telling people they must confess to their crimes or be hanged, the officials show that they have already decided the person is guilty no matter what evidence is provided in their defense.

In Act 2, John Proctor’s guilt over his affair with Abigail is demonstrated through an ironic exchange with Reverend Hale. When Hale asks him to recite his commandments, the only one he forgets is adultery.  This is also the commandment that he has violated most explicitly , so you’d think it would be the first one to spring to mind.  The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt.

This act also sees the irony of Hale discussing the “powers of the dark” that are attacking Salem (pg. 61).  This is irony of the same type that I discussed in the overview of this theme.  Hale doesn’t realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark.   Salem is under attack from the hysteria that is encouraged by the same people who seek to keep imaginary supernatural demons at bay.

In Act 3, Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for the accusations of witchcraft.  While touting his holy credentials, he claims that he “dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of my conscience may doubt it” (pg. 91).  This “immaculate proof” that has led him to sign numerous death warrants is nothing but the fabrications of teenage girls and other townspeople seeking petty revenge.  These types of statements made by Hale earlier in the play become even more ironic in Act 4 when he realizes he made a horrible mistake by trusting the “evidence” that was presented to him.

Abigail’s presence is always rife with irony in The Crucible , as she constantly chastises others for sins she herself has committed.  When she is brought in for questioning and claims to see Mary’s familiar spirit, she says “Envy is a deadly sin, Mary.” Abigail herself has acted out of envy for the entire play.  Her jealousy of Elizabeth Proctor’s position as John’s wife has led her to attempted murder, first by the charm in the woods and now by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. 

Elizabeth is a victim of cruel irony in this Act when she is summoned to testify on the reasons why she dismissed Abigail from her household.  John has already confessed that the affair was the reason for Abigail’s dismissal.  John tells the judge to summon Elizabeth to back him up because he knows she always tells the truth.  Ironically, though she is normally honest to a fault, in this situation Elizabeth decides to lie to preserve John’s reputation, not knowing he has already confessed.  This well-intentioned mistake seals both of their fates. 

Act 4 is Danforth’s turn to shine in the irony department.  He is appalled by Elizabeth’s lack of emotion when he asks her to help the court get a confession out of her husband (pg. 123).  This attitude comes from a man who has shown no remorse for condemning people to death throughout the play.  He refers to John’s refusal to confess as “a calamity,” looking past his own involvement in the larger calamity of the conviction that led John to this point.   

Later in Act 4, Danforth becomes angry at the implication that John’s confession may not be the truth. He insists,  “I am not empowered to trade your life for a lie” (pg. 130). Of course, we know that Danforth has been trading people’s lives for lies this whole time.  He has sentenced people to death based on lies about their dealings in black magic, and he has accepted other false confessions from those who would rather lie than be executed.  To Danforth, anything that doesn’t confirm that he was right all along is a lie. 

Discussion Questions

Here are a few questions related to this theme that you can use to test your grasp of irony and its significance as a theme in The Crucible : 

• How is Parris’ fate in act 4 ironic when considering his role in the events of the play?
• Why do certain characters seem to be blind to the irony of their actions (Abigail, Danforth)?
• Why is hypocrisy so common in repressive communities like Salem?
• Explain the irony of Hale’s position at the end of the play as compared to his actions at the beginning.   

Theme 2: Hysteria

The thematic significance of hysteria builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft proliferate throughout Salem.  The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. The seeds are planted in Act 1, when Abigail is questioned about her activities in the woods and ends up accusing Tituba of witchcraft to avoid punishment.  The town, already primed with rumors of black magic, is quickly willing to accept that the first few women who are accused are involved in black magic because they’re beggars and slaves.  No one considers that the accusers are lying, partially because they’re seen as innocent children and partially because many “witches” confess to avoid the death penalty.

Armed with the false proof of these coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is accused.  Hysteria blinds the people of Salem to reason as they become convinced that there is a grand Satanic plot brewing in town, and they must not hesitate to condemn anyone who could be involved.   This is a lesson in how fear can twist perceptions of reality even for those who consider themselves reasonable under normal circumstances.   

Even before Abigail makes accusations, rumors of witchcraft have morphed into accepted truths in the minds of the more superstitious members of the community.   Ann Putnam jumps at any opportunity to blame supernatural forces for the deaths of her children.  Ann’s extreme conclusions are gradually accepted because rational people are too afraid to challenge the consensus and risk bringing accusations upon themselves.  Hale’s involvement is taken to mean that there must be a supernatural element to Betty’s illness.  Rational explanations are ground up by the drama of the rumor mill, and people see only what they want to see (whatever keeps them in the good graces of society and  makes them feel the best about themselves ) in situations that don't appear to have easy explanations.

The madness begins in earnest with Abigail’s claim that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods.  Parris is extremely dismayed by this revelation because of the damage it will do to his reputation.  Thomas Putnam tells him to “Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.”  Parris must rush to be the first accuser so he can place himself beyond reproach. It's a toxic strategy that causes panic to spread quickly and fear for one’s life to take the place of rationality.  Tituba is pressured to confess and name the names of other “witches” to avoid execution, which leads to Abigail and Betty’s accusations, now validated by a coerced confession.  This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses.

By Act 2, there are nearly 40 people in jail accused of witchcraft.  Many people confess when threatened with execution, and this only heightens the paranoid atmosphere.  The authorities ignore any inconvenient logical objections to the proceedings because they, too, are swept up in the madness. The hysterical atmosphere and the dramatic performances of some of the accusers cause people to believe they have seen genuine proof of witchcraft.  Each new false confession is thrown onto the pile of “evidence” of a grand Satanic plot, and as the pile grows larger, the hysteria surrounding it is fed generously.

This hysteria-based “evidence” of witchcraft includes the discovery of the poppet in the Proctor household with a needle in it.  Elizabeth's side of the story is disregarded because Abigail’s testimony is far more dramatic.  "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that a bull would weep to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he draw a needle out." (Cheever pg. 71). The idea that a witch's familiar spirit is capable of stabbing people is too scary for the superstitious and now hysterical people of Salem to give Elizabeth the benefit of the doubt. No one even considers Mary's statement about sticking the needle in herself. In this environment, whoever yells the loudest seems to get the most credibility.

The depths of the hysteria that has gripped Salem are revealed in Act 3 when John finally confronts the court. Danforth makes a shocking argument defending the way the trials have been conducted, insisting that only the victim’s testimony can serve as reliable evidence in this type of trial.   He is completely oblivious to the fact that the “victims” might be lying.  The court refuses to challenge anyone who claims to have been afflicted. 

When the petition testifying to the good character of the accused women is presented, the reaction from Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris is to arrest the people who signed it rather than considering that this might indicate that the women are innocent.   Danforth is convinced that “there is a moving plot to topple Christ in the country!” and anyone who doubts the decisions of the court is potentially involved.  They so fear the devilish consequences of challenging the accusers that they’re willing to take them at their word and ignore any defenses the accused have to offer.  Nowhere is there any consideration of ulterior motives.  

The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment.  She believed she had seen spirits earlier because she was caught up in the delusions of those around her.  Abigail distracts the judges from any rational investigation in this act by playing into this hysteria.  Danforth, who has the most authority, is also the most sold on her act, and it only takes a few screams to persuade him that he’s in the presence of witchcraft.  This leads to Mary’s hysterical accusation of Proctor after she finds herself targeted by the other girls and about to be consumed by the hysteria herself if she doesn’t contribute to it. 

Danforth continues to demonstrate the effects of hysteria in act 4 even after things have died down a bit in Salem and there have been rumblings of discontent about the court’s actions.  As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse “Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin’ to keep this conspiracy any further. Will you confess yourself with him?” (pg. 129)  He is still convinced that all the prisoners are guilty and is determined to force them to admit their guilt. 

Danforth also becomes frustrated with Proctor when he won’t name names in his confession : “Mr. Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw [Rebecca Nurse] with the Devil” (pg. 130).  Danforth insists that John must know more about the Devil's dealings than he has revealed.  Though Rebecca Nurse's involvement has already been corroborated by other confessors, Danforth demands to hear it from John to confirm that John is fully committed to renouncing his supposed ties to Satan.

Here are a few questions about hysteria to consider now that you've read a summary of how this theme was expressed throughout the plot of the play:

• How does the hysteria in the play get started?
• What are some of the factors that feed the panic and suspicion in Salem, and why are officials (like Danforth) unable or unwilling to listen to reason?
• Is there any character besides John Proctor that represents the voice of common sense amidst the madness?
• Why is Cheever both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? Why is everyone so quick to believe Abigail’s story?
• Danforth explains that witchcraft is an invisible crime and that only the victims are reliable. How does this philosophy perpetuate hysteria?

Theme 3: Reputation

Concern for reputation is a theme that looms large over most of the events in The Crucible.  Though actions are often motivated by fear and desires for power and revenge, they are also propped up by underlying worries about how a loss of reputation will negatively affect characters' lives.   John’s concern for his reputation is strong throughout the play, and his hesitation to reveal Abigail’s true nature is a product of his own fears of being labeled an adulterer. 

Once there have been enough convictions, the reputations of the judges also become factors. They are extremely biased towards believing they have made the correct sentencing decisions in court thus far, so they are reluctant to accept new evidence that may prove them wrong.  The importance placed on reputation helps perpetuate hysteria because it leads to inaction, inflexibility, and, in many cases, active sabotage of the reputations of others for selfish purposes. The overall message is that when a person's actions are driven by desires to preserve favorable public opinion rather than do the morally right thing, there can be extremely dire consequences.

Reverend Parris' concerns about his reputation are immediately evident in Act 1. Parris initially insists that there are “no unnatural causes” for Betty’s illness because he fears that he will lose favor with the townspeople if witchcraft is discovered under his roof.  He questions Abigail aggressively because he’s worried his enemies will learn the full story of what happened in the woods first and use it to discredit him.  Parris is very quick to position himself on the side of the accusers as soon as Abigail throws the first punch, and he immediately threatens violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. 42).  He appears to have no governing system of morality. His only goal is to get on the good side of the community as a whole, even in the midst of this bout of collective hysteria.  

Abigail also shows concern for her reputation.  She is enraged when Parris questions her suspicious dismissal from the Proctor household.  Abigail insists that she did nothing to deserve it and tries to put all the blame on Elizabeth Proctor.  She says, "My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!" (pg. 12) The fi rst act of The Crucible  clearly establishes the fact that a bad reputation can damage a person’s position in this society severely and irreparably.

In this act, we learn more details about the accused that paint a clearer picture of the influence of reputation and social standing on the patterns of accusations.  Goody Good, an old beggar woman, is one of the first to be named a witch. I t’s easy for more respectable citizens to accept that she’s in league with the Devil because she is an "other" in Salem, just like Tituba.   When Abigail accuses Elizabeth, a respected farmer’s wife, it shows that she is willing to take big risks to remove Elizabeth from the picture.  She’s not a traditionally accepted target like the others (except in her susceptibility as a woman to the misogyny that runs rampant in the play).

In Act 2, the value of reputation in Salem starts to butt heads with the power of hysteria and fear to sway people’s opinions (and vengeance to dictate their actions).  Rebecca Nurse, a woman whose character was previously thought to be unimpeachable, is accused and arrested.  This is taken as evidence that things are really getting out of control ("if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothing's left to stop the whole green world from burning." Hale pg. 67).  People in power continue to believe the accusers out of fear for their own safety, taking the hysteria to a point where no one is above condemnation.

At the end this act, John Proctor delivers a short monologue anticipating the imminent loss of the disguises of propriety worn by himself and other members of the Salem community.  The faces that people present to the public are designed to garner respect in the community, but the witch trials have thrown this system into disarray.   Proctor’s good reputation is almost a burden for him at this point because he knows that he doesn’t deserve it. In a way,   John welcomes the loss of his reputation because he feels so guilty about the disconnect between how he is perceived by others and the sins he has committed. 

John Proctor sabotages his own reputation in Act 3 after realizing it's the only way he can discredit Abigail.  This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows.  Elizabeth doesn’t realize that John is willing to sacrifice his reputation to save her life.   She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. This lie essentially condemns both of them.    

Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. He  references the many sentencing decisions he has already made in the trials of the accused. If Danforth accepts Mary’s testimony, it would mean that he wrongly convicted numerous people already. This fact could destroy his credibility , so he is biased towards continuing to trust Abigail.  Danforth has extensive pride in his intelligence and perceptiveness. This makes him particularly averse to accepting that he's been fooled by a teenage girl. 

Though hysteria overpowered the reputations of the accused in the past two acts, in act 4 the sticking power of their original reputations becomes apparent.  John and Rebecca’s solid reputations lead to pushback against their executions even though people were too scared to stand up for them in the midst of the trials.   Parris begs Danforth to postpone their hangings because he fears for his life if the executions proceed as planned.  He says, “I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the town” (pg. 118).

However, this runs up against Danforth’s desire to preserve his reputation as a strong judge.  He believes that “Postponement now speaks a floundering on my part; reprieve or pardon must cast doubt upon the guilt of them that died till now. While I speak God’s law, I will not crack its voice with whimpering” (pg. 119).  Danforth’s image is extremely valuable to him, and he refuses to allow Parris’ concerns to disrupt his belief in the validity of his decisions.

In the final events of Act 4, John Proctor has a tough choice to make between losing his dignity and losing his life. The price he has to pay in reputation to save his own life is ultimately too high.  He chooses to die instead of providing a false confession because he doesn’t think life will be worth living after he is so disgraced. As he says,  “How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (pg. 133)

Here are a few discussion questions to consider after you've read my summary of how the theme of reputation motivates characters and plot developments in The Crucible :

• How are characters’ behaviors affected by concern for their reputations? Is reputation more important than truth?
• Why doesn’t John immediately tell the court that he knows Abigail is faking?
• How does Parris’ pride prevent him from doing anything to stop the progression of events in the play?
• Why does Mary Warren warn John about testifying against Abigail? Why does he decide to do so anyways?
• Why does John decide to ruin his reputation in Act 3 by confessing to the affair?
• How is the arrest of  Rebecca Nurse a sign that the hysteria in Salem has gotten out of control?
• How does reputation influence who is first accused of witchcraft?

Theme #4: Power and Authority

The desire to preserve and gain power pervades  The Crucible as the witch trials lead to dramatic changes in which characters hold the greatest control over the course of events.  Abigail’s power skyrockets as the hysteria grows more severe.  Where before she was just an orphaned teenager, now, in the midst of the trials, she becomes the main witness to the inner workings of a Satanic plot.  She has the power to utterly destroy people’s lives with a single accusation because she is seen as a victim and a savior.

The main pillars of traditional power are represented by the law and the church.  These two institutions fuse together in The Crucible to actively encourage accusers and discourage rational explanations of events. The girls are essentially given permission by authority figures to continue their act because they are made to feel special and important for their participation.  The people in charge are so eager to hold onto their power that if anyone disagrees with them in the way the trials are conducted, it is taken as a personal affront and challenge to their authority. Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack.  

As mentioned in the overview, religion holds significant power over the people of Salem.  Reverend Parris is in a position of power as the town's spiritual leader, but he is insecure about his authority.   He believes there is a group of people in town determined to remove him from this position, and he will say and do whatever it takes to retain control.   This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. 

Abigail, on the other hand, faces an uphill battle towards more power over her situation.  She is clearly outspoken and dominant, but her initial position in society is one of very little influence and authority.  One path to higher standing and greater control would be in becoming John Proctor’s wife.  When she can’t get John to abandon Elizabeth for her, she decides to take matters into her own hands and gain control through manipulating the fears of others. 

Abigail accuses Tituba first because Tituba is the one person below her on the ladder of power, so she makes an easy scapegoat. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the ensuing tragedy might have been prevented.  No one will listen to Tituba until she agrees to confirm the version of events that the people in traditional positions of authority have already decided is true, a pattern which continues throughout the play.   Tituba is forced to accept her role as a pawn for those with greater authority and a stepping stone for Abigail’s ascent to power.

By Act 2, there have been notable changes in the power structure in Salem as a result of the ongoing trials.  Mary Warren’s sense of self-importance has increased as a result of the perceived value of her participation in court.   Elizabeth notes that Mary's demeanor is now like that of “the daughter of a prince” (pg. 50).  This new power is exciting and very dangerous because it encourages the girls to make additional accusations in order to preserve their value in the eyes of the court. 

Abigail, in particular, has quickly risen from a nobody to one of the most influential people in Salem.  Abigail’s low status and perceived innocence under normal circumstances allow her to claim even greater power in her current situation.  No one thinks a teenage orphan girl is capable of such extensive deception (or delusion), so she is consistently trusted.  In one of the most well-known quotes in the play, John Proctor angrily insists that “the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom” (pg. 73), meaning the girls are testing out the extent of the chaos they can create with their newfound power.

In Act 3, Abigail’s power in the courthouse is on display.  She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Though Danforth is the most powerful official figure in court, Abigail manipulates him easily with her performance as a victim of witchcraft. He's already accepted her testimony as evidence, so he is happy for any excuse to believe her over John and Mary. John finally comes to the realization that Mary's truthful testimony cannot compete with the hysteria that has taken hold of the court.  The petition he presents to Danforth is used as a weapon against the signers rather than a proof of the innocence of Elizabeth, Martha, and Rebecca. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her.  Logic has no power to combat paranoia and superstition even when the claims of the girls are clearly fraudulent.  John Proctor surrenders his agency at the end of Act 3 in despair at the determination of the court to pursue the accusations of witchcraft and ignore all evidence of their falsehood.

By Act 4, many of the power structures that were firmly in place earlier in the play have disintegrated.  Reverend Parris has fallen from his position of authority as a result of the outcomes of the trials.   He is weak and vulnerable after Abigail's theft of his life's savings, and he’s even facing death threats from the townspeople as a result of John and Rebecca's imminent executions.  In Act 1 he jumped on board with the hysteria to preserve his power, but he ended up losing what little authority he had in the first place (and, according to Miller's afterward, was voted out of office soon after the end of the play). 

The prisoners have lost all faith in earthly authority figures and look towards the judgment of God.  The only power they have left is in refusing to confess and preserving their integrity. I n steadfastly refusing to confess, Rebecca Nurse holds onto a great deal of power.   The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople.

Here are some discussion questions to consider after reading about the thematic role of the concepts of power and authority in the events of the play:

• How do the witch trials empower individuals who were previously powerless?
• How does Reverend Hale make Tituba feel important?
• Compare and contrast three authority figures in this drama: Hale, Danforth, and Parris. What motivates their attitudes and responses toward the witch trials?
• What makes Danforth so unwilling to consider that the girls could be pretending?
• Why does Mary Warren behave differently when she becomes involved in the trials?  
• How do the actions of authority figures encourage the girls to continue their accusations and even genuinely believe the lies they’re telling?

A Quick Look at Some Other The Crucible  Themes 

These are themes that could be considered subsets of the topics detailed in the previous sections, but there's also room to discuss them as topics in their own right. I'll give a short summary of how each plays a role in the events of The Crucible .

The theme of guilt is one that is deeply relevant to John Proctor's character development throughout the play. John feels incredibly ashamed of his affair with Abigail, so he tries to bury it and pretend it never happened. His guilt leads to great tension in interactions with Elizabeth because he projects his feelings onto her, accusing her of being judgmental and dwelling on his mistakes. In reality, he is constantly judging himself, and this leads to outbursts of anger against others who remind him of what he did (he already feels guilty enough!). Hale also contends with his guilt in act 4 for his role in condemning the accused witches , who he now believes are innocent.

There's a message here about the choices we have in dealing with guilt. John attempts to crush his guilt instead of facing it, which only ends up making it an even more destructive factor in his life. Hale tries to combat his guilt by persuading the prisoners to confess, refusing to accept that the damage has already been done. Both Hale and Proctor don't want to live with the consequences of their mistakes, so they try to ignore or undo their past actions. 

Misogyny and Portrayal of Women 

Miller's portrayal of women in The Crucible is a much-discussed topic. The attitudes towards women in the 1950s, when the play was written, are evident in the roles they're given. The most substantial female character is Abigail, who is portrayed as a devious and highly sexualized young woman. She is cast as a villain. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, we have Rebecca Nurse. She is a sensible, saintly old woman who chooses to martyr herself rather than lie and confess to witchcraft. The other two main female characters, Elizabeth and Mary Warren, are somewhat bland. Elizabeth is defined by her relationship to John, and Mary is pushed around by other characters (mostly men) throughout the play. The Crucible presents a view of women that essentially reduces them to caricatures of human beings that are defined by their roles as mothers, wives, and servants to men . Abigail, the one character who breaks from this mold slightly, is portrayed extremely unsympathetically despite the fact that the power dynamic between her and John makes him far more culpable in their illicit relationship.   

Deception is a major driving force in  The Crucible . This includes not only accusatory lies about the involvement of others in witchcraft but also the lies that people consistently tell about their own virtuousness and purity in such a repressive society. The turmoil in Salem is propelled forward by desires for revenge and power that have been simmering beneath the town's placid exterior.  There is a culture of keeping up appearances already in place, which makes it natural for people to lie about witnessing their neighbors partaking in Satanic rituals when the opportunity arises (especially if it means insulating themselves from similar accusations and even achieving personal gain). The Crucible provides an example of how convenient lies can build on one another to create a universally accepted truth even in the absence of any real evidence. 

How to Write About  The Crucible  Themes

It's one thing to understand the major themes in The Crucible , and it's another thing completely to write about them yourself. Essay prompts will ask about these themes in a variety of different ways. Some will be very direct. An example would be something like:

" How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? Choose a single character and discuss how this person embodies one of the themes. How is Miller’s underlying message revealed in one of these themes and through the character?"  

In a case like this, you'd be writing directly about a specific theme in connection to one of the characters. Essay questions that ask about themes in this straightforward way can be tricky because there's a temptation to speak in vague terms about the theme's significance. Always include specific details, including direct quotes, to support your argument about how the theme is expressed in the play.  

Other essay questions may not ask you directly about the themes listed in this article, but that doesn't mean that the themes are irrelevant to your writing. Here's another example of a potential essay question for The Crucible that's less explicit in its request for you to discuss themes of the play:  

" Most of the main characters in the play have personal flaws and either contribute to or end up in tragedy. Explain who you believe is the central tragic character in the play. What are their strengths and personal flaws? How does the central tragic character change throughout the play, and how does this relate to the play's title? How do outside forces contribute to the character's flaws and eventual downfall?"  

In this case, you're asked to discuss the concept of a tragic character, explaining who fits that mold in The Crucible and why. There are numerous connections between the flaws of individual characters and the overarching themes of the play that could be brought into this discussion. This is especially true with the reputation and hysteria themes. If you argued that John Proctor was the central tragic character, you could say that his flaws were an excessive concern for his reputation and overconfidence in the power of reason to overcome hysteria. Both flaws led him to delay telling the truth about Abigail's fraudulent claims and their previous relationship, thus dooming himself and many others to death or imprisonment. Even with prompts that ask you to discuss a specific character or plot point, you can find ways to connect your answer to major themes. These connections will bolster your responses by positioning them in relation to the most important concepts discussed throughout the play.    

What's Next? 

Now that you've read about the most important themes in The Crucible , check out our  list of every single character in the play , including brief analyses of their relationships and motivations. 

You can also read my full summary of The Crucible here for a review of exactly what happens in the plot in each act.

The Crucible is commonly viewed as an allegorical representation of the communist "witch hunts" conducted in the 1950s. Take a look at this article for details on the history and thematic parallels behind this connection . 

Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students adopt a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is also passionate about art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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Themes and Analysis

The crucible, by arthur miller.

Through 'The Crucible,' Miller explores several important themes, such as the power of fear and superstition and the dangers of religious extremism.

Article written by Emma Baldwin

B.A. in English, B.F.A. in Fine Art, and B.A. in Art Histories from East Carolina University.

Arthur Miller’s ‘ The Crucible ‘ is one of the most powerful and poignant plays ever written . Set in the Puritan town of Salem during the 1690s, the play focuses on a series of trials that ultimately reveal the dangers of fear and ignorance. The play is filled with important symbols and themes that drive the narrative, many of which are highly relatable, even today.

The Corruption of Power

In the story of ‘ The Crucible ,’ power corrupts absolutely. In the village of Salem, the court proceedings are directed by those in authority, such as Reverend Parris and Deputy Governor Danforth. They misuse their power to further their own personal agendas, leading to false accusations and wrongful executions. The corruption of power serves as a warning against allowing authority figures to control everyday life without consequence.

The Dangers of Hysteria

‘ The Crucible ‘ demonstrates how quickly hysteria can spread and affect a community. With the accusations of witchcraft, fear and paranoia spread like wildfire among the citizens of Salem. This leads to even more accusations and further isolation of those thought to be guilty. The play warns readers against succumbing to hysteria and shows the real danger it can pose when left unchecked; this relates directly to McCarthyism in the 1950s in the United States.

Ignorance and Intolerance

Many of the characters in ‘ The Crucible ‘ are ignorant and intolerant of others, especially those they view as outsiders. This is demonstrated through the character of Reverend Parris, who is deeply suspicious of anyone who is different or opposes him. Similarly, intolerance is shown when those accused of witchcraft are assumed to be guilty despite a lack of evidence. The play emphasizes the need for tolerance and understanding in order to prevent further strife.

Key Moments

• Reverend Parris discovers his daughter and niece dancing in the woods with Tituba, his slave, and other girls from the village. Betty falls into a coma.
• Parris questions the girls about witchcraft.
• It’s revealed that Abigail had an affair with her former employer John Proctor. She still wants to be with him.
• Betty wakes up screaming.
• Tituba confesses to witchcraft. Abigail joins her.
• Abigail and the other girls begin to accuse various citizens of Salem of witchcraft.
• Mary Warren, now a court official, testifies against John Proctor in court. 
• Elizabeth urges John to go to town and convince them that Abigail is not telling the truth. She is suspicious of their relationship.
• Mary gives Elizabeth a poppet.
• John is questioned by Reverend Hale.
• The town marshal arrests Elizabeth and finds the poppet, which has a needle in it.
• Mary admits she made the poppet in court, and Elizabeth claims she’s pregnant.
• The girls start screaming in court, saying that Mary is sending her spirit to them.
• Elizabeth convinces John to admit to witchcraft.
• John Proctor signs a confession but then rips it up before it can be used as evidence against him. 
• John Proctor is put to death after refusing to lie about being a witch.

Tone and Style

The tone of Arthur Miller’s ‘ The Crucible ‘ is serious and intense due to the subject matter of the Salem Witch Trials. Miller captures a sense of urgency and fear that pervaded the small town of Salem at the time, which amplifies the drama and tension between the characters. This serves as a reminder of the underlying paranoia that can quickly infect a community.

The writing style of Miller’s play is direct and succinct. Miller deliberately focuses on dialogue and action, allowing for a natural flow to the story as it unfolds. He also uses strong language to draw attention to the ways in which fear and paranoia can lead to injustice. Through this approach, Miller effectively conveys the consequences of these events. In part, this is due to the format of the story. It’s a drama, meaning that it is almost entirely composed of only dialogue.

Witchcraft is the most obvious symbol in ‘ The Crucible ‘, representing the fear and paranoia of the characters during the Salem Witch Trials. Miller uses it to reflect the rampant hysteria of the time and how quickly false accusations spread throughout Salem. Witchcraft can also be seen as a metaphor for the powerlessness of individuals in the face of a repressive and superstitious society. 

Proctor’s House

John Proctor’s house serves as a symbol of both the struggles and the strength of his marriage to Elizabeth. It is not only a physical representation of their relationship but also an example of their commitment to one another. As their relationship unravels, so does their home, until it is eventually burned down by the townspeople. This symbolizes the breakdown of their marriage and the ultimate downfall of their relationship. 

The forest is a symbol of freedom in ‘ The Crucible .’ It represents the escape from repression, control, and oppression in Salem. By venturing out into the woods, characters like Tituba, Abigail, and Parris are able to reject societal norms and restrictions, allowing them to find their own paths. It is also a sign of hope for those who are struggling against the unjust and oppressive nature of Salem society.

What is the most important theme in The Crucible by Arthur Miller?

The most important theme in “The Crucible” is the power of public opinion and hysteria. It demonstrates how an environment of fear and superstition can be manipulated to create a situation of paranoia and distrust. 

Why is The Crucible by Arthur Miller important?

‘ The Crucible ‘ is important because it explores themes of morality, justice, and personal responsibility. It also examines the effects of unchecked hysteria and paranoia on individuals and society as a whole.

Why did Arthur Miller write The Crucible ?

Arthur Miller wrote ‘ The Crucible ‘ as a metaphor for McCarthyism, which was a period of intense anti-communist sentiment in the United States during the 1950s. He wanted to illustrate how similar events could happen again if unchecked fear and paranoia were allowed to spread.

Who are some of the main characters in The Crucible ?

Some of the main characters in The Crucible include John Proctor, Abigail Williams, Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Parris, Reverend Hale, and Judge Danforth.

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The Crucible

72 pages • 2 hours read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

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Discussion Questions

From the infectious groupthink of accusers to the fear-mongering speeches of Reverend Parris and Judge Danforth, the Salem witch trials in The Crucible mirror Arthur Miller’s lived experiences as a named “communist” (called before Joseph McCarthy’s Committee on Un-American Activities). Analyze at least three specific moments in The Crucible that gesture toward the actions, attitudes, and rhetoric of McCarthyism.

The word “crucible” has two meanings. The term can either refer to a large (witch’s) cauldron wherein substances boil together, or a challenging test of character (a “trial by fire”). Considering both definitions, how does the title of The Crucible function as a metaphor for the events and developments in Miller’s play?

The Crucible uses the Salem witch trials to closely examine intersecting hierarchies of class, gender, and power in a conservative Puritan community. The least powerful members of society—a slave, a homeless woman, and a sexual deviant—are the first to stand accused, and the accusers themselves are young servant girls (who do not possess a great deal of political power prior to the witch trials). What messages does this play send about obtaining and maintaining power? How do power dynamics fluctuate throughout the play?

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The Crucible by Arthur Miller Essay

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Introduction

What issues are being adressed, how the issues are handled, works cited.

The crucible is a play written in the McCarthyism era by Arthur Miller. McCarthyism was a movement in the nineteen-fifties led by Senator Joe McCarthy in search for communists in the government of the United States. A crucible as defined is a vessel whereby heating and melting of metal using high temperatures take place for sole purposes of casting.

Metaphorically, a crucible can also refer to an era in history where the society seems to be melted down and remolded into a new castby the forces of great cultural, social, and political changes. The same word has remarkable similarities with crucifixion, which is the major intention of Miller by choosing it to be the title of his play.

The plays interweaves Christ’s crucifixion with the picture of a bubbling crucible in it a man and a society: the predicament of arriving to the right choice of morality and the inevitability of attaining redemption through sacrifice. These two themes, certainly, occur in the amplified struggle between good and evil.

The crucible puts to lime light countless enduring issue that affects our society at large. These issues include honor and integrity, power issues and its abounding corruption, the characteristics of excellence and wickedness, and the likelihood to evade all sorts of problems by creation of scapegoats. This paper aims at showing how the crucible exposes the above named issues in a dramatic fashion.

The issues of honor and integrity are depicted very well in the Crucible. Conscience is an inward sense of decency which propels most people towards what we term as being right(Miller 1). Nevertheless, in moment of public discord, we end up give our consciousness the rear seat which is naturally expected of us.

For one to stand up for the right thing even in the most challenging opposition, it asks for a strong will of conscience(Miller 2). Although taking such an action is perceived as noble and honorable in retrospection, it is rarely received well by the majority in real and actual events. Miller handles the issue of integrity and honor by bring the character of proctor.

The reason as to why proctor was hanged, it was because he chose to uphold his integrity at the end. If proctor had chosen to compromise his integrity by confessing thus lying, he would not have been blamed by the audience. Proctor realized that by compromising he would betray his close friends therefore he chose to sacrifice his life for his conscience.

By following his conscience, and sacrificing his life, proctor became a real martyr before the audience eyes (Miller 3). This trend repeats itself even in our day to day life. We are very quick at applauding those who chose to uphold their integrity but we do not have enough strength of moral fiber to do so. The death of proctor turns out to be a moral exclamation point, and the modern audiences would be affected profoundly(Archer 5).

A large part of the play is dominated by the issues of power. Domineering criminals in the play have power possession and this prompt Miller to sound a warning on the corrupting qualities behind power. This is depicted clearly when Abigail and the other group of girls after realizing that they posses great power, they seek to use it for their own benefits.

Danforth possessesthe greatest power in the play, and he had the capacity to declare the proceedings at any one given time for the irrationality they were in (Archer 7). However, even at the final point when his actions were plainly and clearly not upright he preferred to proceed with his judgment.

The crucible playdisplayed how excess power is harmful and dangerous, since the temptation is ready waiting to be abused. The individuals in power in Salem, when scrutinized under theocratic government justification are found to absolutely abuse power, and in process destroying innocent people. This gives a clear illustration of how the law is not always correct, and if that is the case, we are supposed to stand up to it(Bly 2).

Proctor did exactly that by challenging the court. Power does not usually land on the principled or the prudent, but rather in the control of self centered individuals. Today In our very democratic governments, the authorities are responsible to the entire society for the things they decide to do, and therefore, are under control to a given degree. From the play, we can see clearly that a position assuming excess power and having no oneto be responsible to tends to be corrupted by that power.

It has always been noted that,numerous societies come up with some sort of scapegoat for any atrocity that they face. At that particular time,Salem was notan exception (Bly 5).

At that period, the population was becoming uncomfortable with the extreme measures taken by the government to ascertain that they never deviated, and this caused general crisis. Danforth desire to control this crisis could have led him to execute the condemned ‘witches’ to a point far beyond any comprehension of therational mind would know that the actions were not right(Miller 2).

Danforth might have desired to show the population how rebels like Proctor were punished and the execution through hangings could have acted as warning to anyone planning to carry out a social upheaval. As a matter of fact, the devil has always served as a very easy scapegoat. Thebehavior to always find a scapegoats goes on even today, and there is always someone who takes the blame on our behalf.

Much had to be offered to the audience by the play Crucible in 1996. The issues addressed by the play are very much similar to the issues facing our modern world. There is much the modern audience canidentify with the issue of corruption and power, integrity and honor,the issue of rule governing the society and the methods used to condemn those people who deviate from the rulestogether with our burning desires to blame others by creating a scapegoat.

Important issues to the Americans were addressed by the Crucible. The crucible exposed what the world in general is facing in real sense, people in power are manipulating powers bestowed on them to control other people and impose ideologies which are not sensible. Hunger for power and control have led to people committing crimes against humanity.

Also, the inability of people to withhold their integrity has caused innocent people to suffer in the place of those guilty for committing an atrocity. People in power hide under the shadow of authority to oppress the weak and vulnerable. The crucible has played a very important role in addressing what is actually happening in the world.

Archer. The Crucible : Theme. Web.

Bly, William. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible . USA: Barron’s Educational Series, 1984.

Bradford, Wade. The Crucible – A Challenging Masterpiece . 2011. Web.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible . A&C Black, 2010.

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Abuse of Power and Manipulation in "The Crucible"

Table of contents, introduction, abigail's manipulation and deception, the influence of fear, the destruction of innocence, impact of power and manipulation, lessons for modern society, works cited:.

• Miller, Arthur. ""The Crucible."" Penguin Classics, 197
• Miller, A. (1953). The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts. Viking Press.
• Bigsby, C. W. E. (2005). The Crucible: A Play of Power. Literature and Theology, 19(4), 328-344.
• Bloom, H. (Ed.). (2008). Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Infobase Publishing.
• Smith, A. (2019). The Abuse of Power and Manipulation in ""The Crucible."" Literary Devices. https://literarydevices.net/the-crucible/
• Jones, M. R. (2007). Power and Manipulation in Arthur Miller's ""The Crucible."" Critical Insights: Arthur Miller, 145-162.
• Williams, L. J. (2010). Authority and Manipulation in Arthur Miller's ""The Crucible."" (Master's thesis). University of Massachusetts Amherst.
• Nichols, M. (Director). (1996). The Crucible [Film]. 20th Century Fox.

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Abigail’s Obsession for Power in The Crucible Essay Example

Frederick Lenz once wrote “Most people abuse power. They use power to dominate others. They use powers to destroy others. Ultimately when you do this, you lose it.” That’s what Abigail does in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. In the play, Abigail is a 17-year-old girl who lives in Salem in 1692. Abigail accuses innocent people in Salem of witchcraft to gain power and get what she desires, causing mass hysteria in the town. In the play, Abigail chases power through dishonesty, abuses the power she gained, and ends up powerless.  

In Act 1, Abigail shows characteristics of becoming a villain by being dishonest and selfish. When Parris questions Abigail about her situation with the Proctors, Abigail gets defensive. Abigail says with a temper, “My name is good in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!” (12). Here Abigail explains to Parris that Elizabeth is blackening her name in the village, Abigail claims that she is a good soul and Elizabeth is full of lies. If Abigail valued honesty, she would have told the truth and accepted what Elizabeth was saying about her. With Abigail being selfish and only caring about personal gain, she lies and accuses Elizabeth of being a gossiping liar. This shows that Abigail is developing characteristics of becoming a villain. Later in the day, Abigail wakes up Betty after speaking with Parris. Betty says in shock, “You did, you did! You drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!”(19). Here Betty realizes that Abigail did not tell Parris about the charm that she drank to try and kill Elizabeth. Abigail claims that she told Parris about everything that happened in the forest. Abigail does not tell Parris because she knows that she will be in trouble and hung for witchcraft. She is selfish considering that she attempted to try and kill Elizabeth for her benefit, to get with John. This shows that Abigail is further lying for personal gain. Later in Betty’s bedroom, Abigail is questioned by Hale, one of the ministers. Abigail says, “She made me drink blood”(43). Here Abigail explains to Hale that Tituba made her drink blood, she lies and puts the blame on her friend. Abigail changes her story of no witchcraft taking place, to saying that Tituba made her drink blood. This portrays the selfishness Abigail has developed, she lies to keep her reputation safe, even though she was the one who drank blood in an attempt to kill Elizabeth. Abigail continues to make up lies throughout the act. 

In Act 2, Abigail goes from having some power to abusing it for her own personal gain.

When Proctor asks Elizabeth about what’s happening in court, Elizabeth talks about the girls. Elizabeth explains, “Abigail brings the other girls into the court, where she walks the crowd will part like the sea for Israel. And folks are brought before them, and if they scream and howl and fall to the floor–the person’s clapped in the jail for bewitchin’ them”(52-53). Here Elizabeth explains what Abigail and her friends are doing in court, she describes them screaming and acting bewitched. Abigail’s willingness to bring innocent people to court and have them jailed shows how she is abusing her power to benefit herself. She benefits herself by getting the court to believe her lies, which is helping her gain more power. From the court's perspective, Abigail is helping them get rid of witches. Later in Proctor’s house, Cheever is talking with Hale and Proctor about the poppet. Cheever says, “Tis hard proof! I find here a poppet Goody Proctor keeps. I have found it, sir. And in the belly of the poppet a needles stuck. I never warranted to see such proof of hell”(75). Cheever finds a poppet with a needle in its belly and uses it as evidence. He explains to Proctor that Elizabeth is guilty of stabbing Abigail with a needle. Abigail is aware that she is gaining the trust of the court and people in Salem, so she stabs herself with a needle and blames it on Elizabeth. She abuses her power by accusing Elizabeth of stabbing her with a needle, because she is jealous of Elizabeth’s relationship with John. She is attempting to get rid of Elizabeth so she can be with John. If Abigail did not care about personal gain, she would not have accused Elizabeth. A moment later in the same conversation, when Cheever walks in with the warrant, Proctor rips the paper. Proctor says in anger, “If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers? I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem–vengeance is walking Salem. We are always what we were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! This warrant’s vengeance! I’ll not give my wife to vengeance!” (77). Here Proctor explains to Hale that the people in Salem are being controlled by Abigail and her friends. He is frustrated because the warrant is Abigail trying to get revenge on Elizabeth. Proctor refuses to give his wife up to a warrant that is vengeance. Proctor shows his anger towards Cheever and Hale because they are believing Abigail’s lies. Abigail has gained enough control over the people in Salem where she can abuse her power by accusing innocent people and get away with it. If Abigail valued honesty, she would have told the truth about Elizabeth and the warrant would not exist. But, she only values power and personal gain.

In Acts 3 and 4, Abigail continues to abuse her power, but then loses her power. After Mary is told to faint but cannot, Abigail sees the opportunity to turn on her. Abigail says, “A wind, a cold wind has come”(108). Here Abigail is pretending that Mary is sending a cold wind onto her. The moment Abigail is questioned by Danforth, she gets defensive and does not hesitate to turn on Mary. Abigail avoids Danforth questioning her because it could ruin her reputation, so she abuses her power by putting the spotlight on Mary and pretending to be bewitched. Abigail’s actions portray that she only cares about her own power and personal gain. A minute later, after Abigail accuses Mary of sending a cold wind, Proctor speaks up. Proctor says, “On the last night of my joy, some eight months past. She used to serve me in my house, sir. A man think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir, I beg you, see her what she is”(110). Here Proctor admits to the court that he had an affair with Abigail in an attempt to damage her reputation. He wants the court to see Abigail as the real person she is, a manipulative liar. Hale is the only person in court who agrees that Abigail is abusing her power and accusing others of witchcraft. With the people in the court having this new information about her after John Proctor admits the truth, Abigail begins to lose power. Three months later, Parris goes to Hawthorne after being robbed and tells him important information. Parris says, “I cannot think they would run off except they fear to keep in Salem”(127). Here Parris explains that Abigail and Mercy feared staying in town, so they ran off. Abigail lost all of the power she gained through accusing innocent people in her community. In addition, all of the power she gained was worthless to her since she was scared that the rebellions happening in Andover would also happen in Salem. Abigail and Mercy fled Salem after losing the control and power that they once had.

Abigail begins by chasing power, abuses the power she gained, and ends up losing everything. In the beginning, she lies and accuses her friends of witchcraft to keep her reputation safe and gain power. She continues to abuse her power by accusing people of Salem for crimes that they did not commit. Finally, she runs away from Salem in fear and after losing all of her power. All it takes is one false accusation to ruin someone’s life. People often believe what they hear even if it’s not true, and it’s hard to repair a person’s reputation after it’s been damaged. That’s what we learn in The Crucible.

Works Cited

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York City, Penguin Books, 1985.

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The Crucible of Fate: Reimagining the Battle of Gettysburg

This essay about the Battle of Gettysburg offers a reimagining of the pivotal event in American history. It presents a vivid portrayal of the strategic landscape, focusing on the key figures of Generals Robert E. Lee and George G. Meade. Through this reimagining, the essay highlights the human stories of courage, sacrifice, and resilience that unfolded on the battlefield. It emphasizes the significance of Gettysburg beyond its military outcomes, showcasing its enduring legacy as a symbol of the American spirit and the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality.

How it works

In the annals of American history, few battles loom as large as the clash at Gettysburg. Nestled in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, this three-day conflagration in July 1863 became a crucible where the fate of a nation hung in the balance. However, let us embark on a journey of reimagining, where the echoes of cannon fire and the cries of fallen soldiers take on new meaning, revealing the untold stories and hidden truths of this momentous event.

Imagine, if you will, the strategic landscape of Gettysburg not as mere topography, but as a tapestry woven with threads of ambition, desperation, and resilience.

The fields and ridges that witnessed the clash of arms were not just battlegrounds, but stages upon which the human drama of war unfolded. Here, amidst the smoke and chaos, individuals grappled with their destinies, their actions shaping the course of history in ways both grand and intimate.

At the heart of this reimagining lies the enigmatic figure of General Robert E. Lee, whose audacious gamble to invade the North ignited the flames of conflict at Gettysburg. Picture him not as a mere commander, but as a man burdened by the weight of expectations, torn between loyalty to his cause and the toll of war upon his soul. Lee’s decision to confront the Union Army head-on was not just a strategic calculation, but a gambit born of desperation—a last-ditch effort to seize victory from the jaws of defeat.

Opposing Lee stood General George G. Meade, a figure often overshadowed by the larger-than-life personas of his contemporaries. Yet, in this reimagining, Meade emerges as a steady hand guiding the fate of the Union with quiet resolve. His leadership on the field of battle was not marked by flashy heroics, but by steadfast determination and tactical acumen. It was Meade’s ability to harness the collective strength of his army that ultimately tipped the scales in favor of the Union.

But the true essence of Gettysburg lies not in the clash of generals, but in the stories of the men who fought and died on its blood-soaked fields. Imagine the faces of soldiers—North and South alike—etched with fear, courage, and the grim acceptance of fate. Each one a protagonist in their own right, their voices lost to history’s relentless march. Yet, in this reimagining, their stories are brought to the forefront, illuminating the human cost of war and the bonds forged in the crucible of combat.

Among these voices, let us pause to hear the stories of the marginalized and forgotten. Picture the faces of African American soldiers, fighting not just for the Union cause, but for their own liberation from the shackles of slavery. In this reimagining, their presence at Gettysburg is not relegated to the sidelines, but woven into the fabric of the battle itself—a testament to the unfinished struggle for freedom and equality that defined the Civil War era.

As the smoke of battle clears and the echoes of gunfire fade into the distance, what remains is not just a victory or defeat, but a legacy forged in the crucible of fate. The significance of Gettysburg extends beyond its immediate military outcomes, resonating through the corridors of history to shape the destiny of a nation. It is a reminder of the sacrifices made and the price paid for liberty, and a testament to the enduring spirit of resilience that defines the American experience.

In this reimagining, the Battle of Gettysburg transcends its historical confines to become a timeless tableau—a reflection of the human condition in all its complexity. It is a story of courage in the face of adversity, of sacrifice for a cause greater than oneself, and of the enduring power of the human spirit to rise above the ravages of war. And though the fields of Gettysburg may lie silent now, their echoes continue to reverberate through the corridors of time, reminding us of the enduring legacy of those who fought and died there.

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What Sealed Trump’s Fate

I n H.G. Wells’ science-fiction classic The War of the Worlds , aliens from Mars invade Earth. The military resists, but human technology is no match for Martian tripods and death rays. Within weeks, the aliens have routed the defenders and seem poised to conquer the planet. And then, mysteriously, they die. It turns out they had no resistance to the ubiquitous bacteria of our world. They were slain, Wells writes, “after all man’s devices had failed, by the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon this earth.”

That’s what came to mind when I heard that a New York jury had convicted Donald Trump of 34 felonies. What seemed like an unstoppable force was brought low by the humblest of state laws. And while 34 felony convictions may in fact not stop Trump, the trial does tell us something important about the strengths and weaknesses of America’s constitutional structure.

Read More: Trump Is Now a Felon. What Voters Do With That Information Will Write This Era’s History

Back in 2016, some people hoped the Electoral College would stop Trump. Hamilton Electors , they were called. Didn’t happen. Then impeachment was going to do it, not once, but twice. Again, no dice. And finally, Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, written to protect us from oath-breaking insurrectionists, came riding to the rescue only to be rejected by a unanimous vote of the Supreme Court.

These attempts to stop Trump all had a couple of things in common. The first is that they used the tools that the Constitution gives us to prevent bad people from occupying the office of the President. These tools are the heavy artillery, the sophisticated devices painstakingly crafted to protect us from crooks, demagogues, and would-be tyrants. The second is that they all failed—ignominiously.

That’s not because they weren’t built correctly or designed for these circumstances. Historians and constitutional scholars who weighed in on Section 3 and the impeachment tended to agree that Trump presented exactly the threat they were to counter. (The Hamilton electors scheme was a bit more fringe, but some experts supported it too.) The problem is that safeguards built into the political system are only as good as the politicians who apply them. The Constitution is no better than the Court that interprets it. The black smoke of partisanship and self-interest (perhaps all too similar to Wells’ War of the Worlds ) only has to corrupt a few of the governing  elite for our constitutional defenses to fail.

Trump benefited from that failure, but he didn’t cause it. Our constitutional system did. The electoral college, gave us Trump as President even though nearly 3 million more Americans chose Hillary Clinton. The Senate didn’t just refuse to convict in the Trump impeachments; it blocked Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland and gave us the Trump supermajority Supreme Court. And if you think the Supreme Court is a defender of democracy, think again. Our noble Senate, our hallowed Supreme Court, our sacred Constitution—none of these things protected us from Trump. On the whole, they enabled him.

The reason Trump was finally held accountable was not that he ran afoul of the special rules that govern the highest reaches of our political system, the sorts of things that ordinary Americans are not subject to. (Ordinary citizens, for example, don’t have to worry about impeachment, or section three, or faithless electors.) It was not that the enlightened members of our government stood up against him. It was, however, that he couldn’t handle the obligations that law-abiding citizens shoulder as a matter of course in their day-to-day lives. It was that 12 ordinary Americans in an unglamorous trial courtroom ruled that he had broken the laws that everyone else has to follow.

We often think of our system of governance as defined by things the Constitution creates, structures like the Senate, the Supreme Court, or the electoral college, and processes like impeachment. But the negative space matters too—and that is the background of state law. State law, not federal law or the Constitution, is the primary regulator for most Americans. State law creates the environment in which we all live; it is, you could say, in the air we breathe.

When campaigning for the Republican nomination in 2016, Trump said that he could shoot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue and not lose any votes. Not for the shooting, maybe. But most people would go to jail for that, and it’s possible that 34 felony counts will drive home a point that some have missed. Most Americans are not involved in more than 4,000 lawsuits . They do not overstate their net worth, market questionable training programs as their own university , or run businesses that engage in tax fraud . That the most ordinary of laws finally caught up to Trump may drive home how distant the divide is between him and the regular Americans he claims to champion. State law that applies equally to all did what the special rules of the Constitution could not.

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Crucible of Doubt

Posted 29/05/2024 by NURPRT Forum

The following post by Austin Benedetto, an undergraduate student at Northwestern University, is the sixth in the series of posts highlighting exemplary work by undergraduates with interests in Russian Philosophy, Literature,  and Religious Thought. The NURPRT Forum welcomes any undergraduate student to  submit academic writing related to these fields to be considered for publication.

In Capitalism in America , Alan Greenspan attempts to explain the United States’ fading dynamism. He provides a few reasons, but the most important is rising entitlements (e.g., Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid). [1] These programs, to simplify, lower domestic savings and thus put at risk forward-looking investments that may yield long-term rewards. The more foundational problem, however, is that entitlements are hard to roll back. Once someone has something, it is really difficult to take it away. Economists Richard Thaler and Daniel Kahneman have extensively studied the “endowment effect,” but the idea can be traced back to Aristotle. In Nicomachean Ethics , he writes:

For most things are differently valued by those who have them and by those who wish to get them: what belongs to us, and what we give away, always seems very precious to us. [2]

This tendency, I submit, applies to more than just material goods. People similarly feel entitled to their respective ideologies. Consequently, they often leave their opinions unexamined.  When someone steps into a college classroom and vehemently declares that their political or economic system is the correct one, there is rarely any doubt in their voice. It is even more troublesome when these same people equate criticism with personal disrespect. They see other viewpoints as not only incorrect but morally inferior. In such cases, pedagogy morphs into fundamentalism and indoctrination.

All of this goes back to the idea of entitlement. People often feel that, simply by existing, they have the “right” to hold strong opinions on all subjects. While this is not necessarily consequential when it comes to something like rating movies, ideology is a different matter. We should be very careful with what philosophies we adopt. This is not to say all entitlements are bad – people have the right to their own opinions – but social and political philosophies ought to be open to careful examination and reconsideration, rather than treated as an inviolable personal possession.

Russian literature helps us to better understand this feeling of entitlement, whether economic or ideological. Surrounded by Russian utopists and nihilists, Dostoevsky observed hotheaded people who never suspected their own philosophies. Dostoevsky, on the other hand, was filled with doubt over even his most essential belief: God. In one of his letters, he wrote: “the main question is the very one I have struggled with consciously and unconsciously all my life—the existence of God.” [3] Despite proclaiming his faith, he greatly struggled with it. This conflict is best exemplified in the Brothers Karamazov where, through Ivan and the Grand Inquisitor, he gives one of the best rebuttals to Christianity. This makes clear that he did not believe in Christ “like a child”; instead, his belief “passed through a great furnace of doubt.” [4]

But is doubt really edifying? Surely it is – and this is where the power of the realist novel comes into play. In the essay “Art as Device,” Viktor Shklovsky describes the purpose of art as the “’enstrangement’ of things and the complication of the form.” [5] In other words, art interrupts thoughtless habit and allows the reader to see objectively as a third party. Shklovsky commends Tolstoy as the master of this form. His method, Shklovsky continues, “consists in not calling a thing or event by its name but describing it as if seen for the first time, as if happening for the first time.” [6]

Shklovsky gives many examples, but a relevant one comes from Stiva in Anna Karenina . Stiva is inattentive, and while “science, art, and politics had no special interest for him, he firmly held those views on all these subjects which were held by the majority and by his paper.” [7] This seems ridiculous to anyone who reads it, of course, but people habitually do this every day. I have read countless Op-Eds nodding in agreement without ever considering the other side. It is only when I read passages like this one from Tolstoy that the routine appears as foolish as it truly is.

Given the obvious absurdity of thoughtless agreement and oversimplification, why do we do it? Joseph Schumpeter, a famous economist, describes this phenomenon in relation to Karl Marx’s appeal. Much of economics is about individual technical insights, while Marx gives a fully packaged synthesis. On this, Schumpeter writes:

From the students who are taught to see only individual trees we hear discontented clamor for the forest. They fail to realize however… that the synthetic forest may look uncommonly like an intellectual concentration camp. [8]

We desire philosophies that purport to explain everything, but life is far more complicated than these theories can capture. By trying to limit the richness and endless variety of experience, we indirectly imprison ourselves. Moreover, in explaining everything simply through environmental or economic conditions, we may “solve” the issue but only tautologically.

To elucidate this point, Gary Saul Morson tells a story about two kids playing around on a sunny day. One child asks: “why is the sky blue?” The other responds: “because God wills it.” This certainly is an answer, but by explaining every phenomenon it in fact explains nothing. This type of totalistic explanation is also what creates that dangerous certitude which so reviles all other possible viewpoints.

We might find a better approach by starting with Berlin’s essay The Hedgehog and the Fox . Investigating Archilochus’s proverb, “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing,” Berlin imagines two types of thinkers. Hedgehogs, like Karl Marx and Plato, have one big idea through which they view the world. Foxes, on the other hand, believe that recognizing life’s infinite complexity is truer to reality than any one “big idea.” This dichotomy may seem unfair to hedgehogs, but it is important to remember that hedgehogs have had a profound (sometimes baneful) impact on intellectual history.

The question now becomes: what does a “fox” look like? Evidently, we need to consciously criticize our habits and ideologies – but is there something more? I submit there is: dutiful and active awareness. This can be best understood by looking at the three Karamazov brothers.

Alyosha, the youngest of the brothers, is religious and arguably dutiful from the beginning – but he believes like a hedgehog. His faith is built upon his respect for the Elder Zosima (a spiritual man) and his belief in miracles. When Alyosha examines his brother Ivan’s motivations, he does not actually stop and think; instead, he merely copies Zosima’s diagnosis. To which his interlocuter interjects, “That’s plagiarism.” [9] Alyosha’s credulity, like Stiva’s, is exactly what needs to be avoided.

Yet, Alyosha soon experiences a reckoning. The miracle he expected doesn’t happen, and great doubt disrupts his religious base. Feeling aimless, he is goaded into the den of a women whom many see as debauched. But this woman, Grushenka, does not act as expected. She is warm and tells a story about a wicked woman who has the possibility for redemption solely because she did one good act: giving an onion to a poor beggar. These small deeds, both the onion and the telling of the story, are not miracles in the conventional sense. They are mundane acts which anyone can do. Yet, they offer a much stronger basis for belief because they are at once ordinary and extraordinary. No longer does Alyosha’s religious faith rest on an oversimplified belief in divine interventions. In other words, like a fox, he becomes aware of the individual trees that compose the forest of faith.

No one explains this phenomenon better than the Elder Zosima. When a woman confides to him that she is troubled by a crisis of faith, he does not dissimulate or give a ready-made proof for God. All the Elder does is prescribe a dutiful way of life: “there’s no proving it, though you can be convinced of it… By the experience of active love. Strive to love your neighbor actively and indefatigably” [10] This is hard-earned belief. Instead of blind faith or simplified ideology, one works for their principles and is thus better prepared to face the world’s contingencies.

Ivan, the middle Karamazov brother, undergoes a transformation like Alyosha, but one that, in its ambiguity, is possibly more revealing. From the onset, Ivan is described as “paradoxical.” [11] He struggles to square the possibility of a caring God in a cruel world. The Elder assesses Ivan’s anguish, saying the “idea [of morality] is still unresolved in [Ivan’s] heart and torments it.” [12] While Ivan is commendable for examining his belief system, he does so with detachment. By signing his writings as “The Observer,” he impersonally remains a step away from truly working through his ideas. In this way, he fails in the active part of ideological examination.

Unlike Alyosha, Ivan does not find definitive redemption. Still, by the end, it can be said that he takes a step in the right direction. After slowly grappling with his guilt over a crime of passivity, Ivan realizes that though contemplation is necessary, reflection, by itself, is not sufficient for assessing value systems.

This change can be seen through Ivan’s encounter with a peasant. Running over to see Smerdyakov, his quasi-accomplice in crime, Ivan overhears a peasant singing a song that is eerily reminiscent of his transgression. He knocks the peasant over and runs away, once again hiding and neglecting active duty. But after conversing with Smerdyakov for the third and final time, Ivan fully realizes his guilt – and on his return, Ivan goes over to the peasant and brings him to the hospital. For the first time, “something like a joy was springing in” the almost always gloomy Ivan. [13]

By taking action, Ivan begins to reconcile with the irreducible complexity of life he had abandoned for solipsistic thinking. All of this leads to a final encounter with his interior demon – an actual devil. Ivan’s devil famously exemplifies the ordinariness of evil, but more interestingly for this discussion, he elucidates the necessity of opposing viewpoints:

Without criticism, it would be nothing but one ‘hosannah.’ But nothing but hosannah is not enough for life, the hosannah must be tried in the crucible of doubt. [14]

Not only would life be less interesting were everything clear, but would belief even mean anything if it was so easily begotten? No, people value something more when it is achieved than when it is freely obtained.

Doubting your core beliefs is not easy, however. As Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich wrote: “Courage in war and courage of thought are two different things. I used to think they were the same.” [15] (WSJ). It requires immense personal suffering to speak against the prevailing ideology – maybe even more than when fighting in battle. All of this raises the question: how does one endure throughout the discovery process? Dmitri, the eldest Karamazov, provides a good resolution. After being arrested for a crime he did not commit, Dmitri exclaims he “could stand anything, any suffering, only to be able to say and to repeat to myself every moment, ‘I exist’” [16] By cultivating respect and perhaps even love for life’s complexity, one can better withstand its indispensable uncertainties.

Image: Aleksandr Ivanov, Study: Two Heads, Turning of the Head of the Doubter 1835-39

[1] Alan Greenspan and Adrian Wooldridge, Capitalism in America: A History . (New York: Random House, 2008), 404.

[2] Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics , Translated by F.H. Peters. (London: Kegal Paul, Trench, Truebner &Co, 1983), 206.

[3] Fyodor Dostoevsky and Susan Reynolds, The Brothers Karamazov: A Revised Translation . Translated by Constance Garnett. (New York: W.W. Norton & Co: 2011), 654.

[4] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 667.

[5] Viktor Sklovsky, Art as Device , Translated by Alexandra Berlina. (Duke University Press, 2015): https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/english/currentstudents/undergraduate/modules/fulllist/first/en122/lecturelist2017-18/art_as_device_2015.pdf

[6] Shklovsky, Art as Device .

[7] Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina , Translated by Constance Garnett. (New York: Modern Library, 1950), 9.

[8] Joseph Schumpeter, Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy . (New York: Harper & Row, 1962), 46.

[9] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 75.

[10] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 54.

[11] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 65.

[12] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 65.

[13] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 532.

[14] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 539.

[15] Gary Saul Morson, “What Pilate Learns.” First Things , March 2023, https://www.firstthings.com/article/2023/03/what-pilate-learns

[16] Dostoevsky, Brothers Karamazov , 500.

Categories: Forum of Ideas , General , Undergraduate

Tags: Dostoevsky , Russian literature , Undergraduate

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Crucible — Theocracy in The Crucible: Analysis & Relevance

Theocracy in The Crucible: Analysis & Relevance

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Published: Mar 6, 2024

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The Power of Individual Conscience

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OpenAI starts training a new AI model while forming a safety committee

Amid turmoil, the company also announced it is forming a new committee to evaluate the safety and security of its artificial intelligence products.

Artificial intelligence company OpenAI said Tuesday that it has started training its newest AI model that will fuel the popular ChatGPT chatbot.

In a statement released on its website, OpenAI said this new model, which would replace GPT-4 technology, will bring the company closer to achieving “AGI,” or artificial general intelligence, a hotly contested idea that refers to computers matching the power of human brains.

OpenAI also announced that it is forming a new committee, including CEO Sam Altman, to evaluate the safety and security of its products, and pledged to release recommendations sometime after a 90-day review of its technology.

“We welcome a robust debate at this important moment,” the company said.

The San Francisco-based company is one of the leading players in artificial intelligence, with widely used tools such as ChatGPT and image creator Dall-E. The technology behind them has been adopted by large companies such as Microsoft, one of OpenAI’s biggest financial backers.

Tuesday’s announcements come amid turmoil for the San Francisco-based company as it faces mounting lawsuits, high-profile staff departures and concerns that AI technology will spread election disinformation, eliminate jobs and infringe on copyrights.

Earlier this month, the company released an update to its latest AI technology, called GPT-4o or “GPT-4 omni,” that enhances ChatGPT’s ability to listen and respond by voice. Actress Scarlett Johansson said one of the voices OpenAI released, called “Sky,” was “ eerily similar ” to hers, and that after declining overtures by Altman to voice the assistant, she was “shocked, angered and in disbelief” to find it sounding nearly identical to her speech.

OpenAI said the voice was not hers, and documents shared with The Washington Post show the company hired a voice actor. Johansson has threatened to file legal action against OpenAI.

The company already faces lawsuits from news organizations , including local papers and the New York Times , saying that the way OpenAI trains its chatbot technology — by ingesting vast amounts of online data such as news stories, Wikipedia articles and even Reddit forums — is infringing on the copyrights of news organizations.

OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, who co-led a team focused on the societal threats of AI, resigned from the company in May amid concern from critics that OpenAI was dismissing the dangers of its technology while chasing profit. His team co-lead, Jan Leike, also departed this month.

Sutskever was one of the board members who voted to oust co-founder Altman in November. Altman was reinstated a few days later, and Sutskever and the other directors who voted against him resigned from the board.

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The new safety committee will be led by board Chairman Bret Taylor, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, former Sony Entertainment executive Nicole Seligman and Altman, OpenAI said.

The announcement of its formation comes just days after two former OpenAI board members said in an Economist article Sunday that more regulation of AI is needed because companies like OpenAI can’t be trusted to govern themselves.

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N.C.A.A. Athletes’ Pay Deal Raises Questions About Future of College Sports

The landmark settlement made many wonder what the reality — and impact — of revenue-sharing plans with college athletes would look like.

By David W. Chen ,  Jacey Fortin and Anna Betts

Brent Jacquette knows a thing or two about college sports. A former collegiate soccer player and coach in Pennsylvania who is now an executive at a consulting firm for athletic recruiting, he’s well aware of issues surrounding pay for college athletes.

But even for an industry veteran like Mr. Jacquette, the news of the N.C.A.A.’s staggering settlement in a class-action antitrust lawsuit on Thursday came as a surprise, with more than a little anxiety. The first words that came to mind, he said, were “trepidation” and “confusion.”

And he was not alone in feeling unsettled. Interviews, statements and social media posts mere hours after the settlement was announced showed that many were uncertain and concerned about what the future of collegiate sports holds.

“These are unprecedented times, and these decisions will have a seismic effect on the permanent landscape of collegiate athletics,” Phil DiStefano, chancellor of the University of Colorado Boulder, and Rick George, the school’s athletic director, said in a statement .

If the $2.8 billion settlement is approved by a judge, it would allow for a revenue-sharing plan through which Division I athletes can be paid directly by their schools for playing sports — a first in the nearly 120-year history of the N.C.A.A. Division 1 schools would be allowed to use about $20 million a year to pay their athletes as soon as the 2025 football season.

Mr. Jacquette thought of the word “trepidation” because of the impact that the settlement, shaped by the biggest and wealthiest universities with robust football programs, could have on coaches and athletes at smaller institutions and in low-profile sports.

And “confusion," because families of college athletes might soon be overwhelmed by all the possible ways for a student to get paid. In past years, the only form of compensation that students could get was athletic scholarships. But now, with the possibility of a revenue-sharing plan and pay arrangements involving students’ name, image and likeness , they have a lot more to consider when planning their collegiate sports careers.

“As this makes big news, people see this pot of gold at the end of the tunnel,” Mr. Jacquette said.

Many questioned what the financial burdens stemming from a revenue-sharing plan would look like.

Smaller conferences, such as the Big East — which includes Georgetown, Villanova and the University of Connecticut — have voiced “strong objections ” to the settlement, worried about shouldering an unfair burden of costs involved in revenue sharing. They said schools that have higher-profile sports teams and are part of bigger conferences, which often have TV contracts and much higher revenues, should be responsible for covering more of the costs.

Even coaches at powerful athletic programs, such as the University of Florida, which is part of the Southeastern Conference, had qualms. Tim Walton, the school’s softball coach, wondered in an interview with The Associated Press what this would mean for smaller sports programs on campus, and how the university would handle sharing revenues with athletes.

Another concern from critics of the settlement was whether female athletes would be compensated fairly. The settlement did not address how they would be paid compared to men, but Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational settings.

“Oftentimes, we put all of our eggs in the revenue-generating sports, which is comprised of mostly male sports,” said Jasher Cox, athletic director of Allen University, a historically Black and Division II school in South Carolina.

But many still questioned how the settlement would pan out in practice. Terry Connor, the athletic director at Thomas More University in Kentucky, said in an interview that the reality of revenue sharing felt somewhat distant. Although his school is Division II and would not necessarily be part of a revenue-sharing plan, Mr. Connor said that this still affects college sports as a whole.

The settlement is only the latest in a series of big changes at the N.C.A.A. in recent years, Mr. Connor said, and “how we’ll have to adapt to that is going to be the big question.”

Mr. Jacquette cautioned that it was still “premature” to assess the full impact of the settlement, since the details had not been released. And Sam C. Ehrlich, a professor at Boise State University who has written extensively about college athletes, said that while the settlement was a milestone, it should not be seen as the be-all and end-all of college sports.

Pointing to the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in 2021 that the N.C.A.A. could not bar payments to college athletes, Mr. Ehrlich said the college sports landscape has been ever-changing. That decision paved the way for N.I.L. arrangements, or payments based on an athlete’s name, image and likeness. He also cited Johnson v. N.C.A.A. , a pending case over whether college athletes should be classified as employees, which could have profound labor and tax implications.

“This is a big moment, for sure, but it’s not like we have reached the finish line,” Mr. Ehrlich said. “I wouldn’t even necessarily go as far to say, ‘this is the climax here.’ This is still going to be ongoing for several years.”

Billy Witz contributed reporting.

David W. Chen reports on state legislatures, state level policymaking and the political forces behind them. More about David W. Chen

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