In Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, many characters make selfish choices that hurt others, even to the extent of their deaths. The most hypocritical and damaging character is Danforth, whose unwillingness to recognize that he was wrong, and his insistence on his way of thinking meant that twenty people were executed unnecessarily. He is a villain.
Danforth begins the trials with the opinion that there are witches in Salem. He does not question the testimony in any way. It's illogical. In today's world there needs to be proof that someone is guilty, but Danforth proceeds with the idea that if someone cannot prove he/she is not a witch, then there is guilt. "In an ordinary crime, how does one defend the accused? One calls up witnesses to prove his innocence. But witchcraft is an invisible crime, is it not? Therefore, who may be witness to it? The witch and the victim. None other." (93) This type of thinking creates a trial where the accused must prove innocence as opposed to the idea that guilt must be proved.
Danforth came into Salem as an outsider. He was a Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and did not know the small Salem community personally. That resulted in him ignoring the townspeople who were reliable and accepting the testimony of those who might have reason to lie. Because the girls were acting out in court, he accepted those experiences as true evidence that there was witchcraft in Salem. His inability to recognize human motivation is another reason he is a villain. He actually says to Francis Nurse, after his wife Rebecca is arrested and charged with the supernatural murders of Goody Putnam's babies, "Indeed! I am amazed to find you in such an uproar. I have only good report of your character, Mr. Nurse." (80) Danforth's lack of understanding is amazing. What husband would not angrily question his wife's arrest? Danforth is certain that he will determine if Rebecca is a witch, so he crazily assumes that everyone else will accept his judgment.
In the play "The Crucible," by Arthur Miller there are many villains. ... Abigail is the worst villain in The Crucible because of how crazy she is. ... These are some of the reasons why Abigail Williams is the worst villain in The Crucible. ... Danforth. ... Abigail is the worst villain in The Crucible....
The Crucible was a very entertaining and educational movie. ... She is clearly the villain of the story; she tells lies, manipulates her friends and the entire town, and eventually sends nineteen innocent people to hang. ... In a sense I think The Crucible is a classic tragedy, John Proctor being the story's tragic hero. ... The Crucible is obviously a fictional retelling of the Salem witch trials of the seventeenth century. ... As Danforth says, "a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it." ...
A crucible is a severe test or trail. In light of this definition, the title of Arthur Miller's The Crucible seem more than appropriate. ... Her presence even goes against the common stereotype of a male villain. ... Abigail reigns victorious in this struggle for control when Danforth, the deputy Governor and chief authority of the trials, believes her and not Proctor. ... She is a unique figure in a commonly male role of villain. ...
In a sense, The Crucible has the structure of a classical tragedy, with John Proctor as the play's tragic hero. ... She is clearly the villain of the play, more so than Parris or Danforth: she tells lies, manipulates her friends and the entire town, and eventually sends nineteen innocent people to their deaths. ... In tragic fashion, his about-face comes too late "the trials are no longer in his hands but rather in those of Danforth and the theocracy, which has no interest in seeing its proceedings exposed as a sham. ... Judge Danforth The deputy governor of Massachusetts and the pr...
Crucible also means a harsh trial or examination. ... In 1953 The Crucible was attacked as a comparison to the current Senate witch hunts. ... The Crucible was included in schools as a modern classic. ... The Crucible made a statement for the subject of the free man's fight against emotional terrorism to put him down. ... To avoid being hanged many people in The Crucible confessed to sins they did not commit. ...
