Thursday, May 30, 2019

The Crucibles Verbal Irony :: Essay on The Crucible

Arthur Miller, one of Americas greatest playwrights, living or dead, is a master of verbal irony. An examination of three strong examples of verbal irony in Millers play, The Crucible, result prove this out. While Miller started the genre of the tragedy of the common man, and is also know for his thoughtful and decisive plot lines, much of his fame, possibly can be attributed to his brilliant use of language generally, and his use of verbal irony in particular.Amidst the drama of the court scene in Act III, Proctor and Mary warren are being questioned in relation to Elizabeths possession of poppets. Parris is trying to prove the fact that maybe they were unaware of her possession of these, that she could have hidden her poppets. In a response to Proctor, Parris sites that We are here, Your Honor, precisely to founder what no one has ever seen. Parris meaning is very simple he is simply commenting that the court is trying to discover the poppets that supposedly Elizabeth had hidde n at her house, that no one has seen. But to read Miller, one must be more perceptive, and in examining this quote by Parris, on that point is another meaning behind it. As most know of the Salem witch trials, they specifically know the unjust and misled court system that was used to inculpate the witches. The words uttered from Parris mouth at that instance are so contradictory of the court and ironic that from a readers standpoint, one is mixed between the perception of laughter and tears. For the knowledge of the witch trials would allow one to know that they were nothing but a hoax. The court is out to discover what no one has seen. cunning that there are no witches, then Parris is precisely right when he says this. Its just the irony of Parris ignorance that makes this quote affective.The relationship between John and Elizabeth is brought to test throughout this play. The fact that John cheated on his wife and the fact that Elizabeth cannot forgive him for this is the basis of the conflict. In Act II, Reverend Hale comes to visit the Hosek - 2Proctors on his suffer account to alert them that Elizabeths name was mentioned in court. Deep in the conversation, Hale asks John to recite the Commandments with the intent to prove he is a covenanted Christian man.

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