The Effects Of Theocracy

When you read a play write, such as The Crucible by Arthur Miller, it makes you wonder the different themes it manifests. It shows, betrayal, love, jealousy, etc. The theme that I believe is the most important is the effects of theocracy; because in Salem, religion was the only unity they had for their community. It was also their way of judgment. Religion was the communities' mandatory law of life. This was their only way of protection and their way of making a good reputation.

In the beginning of the story it was mentioned that, simply it was, "for good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material or ideological enemies." (7 Miller) The purpose of religion is to make the community unite and to make it unbreakable to other thoughts, as if though to understand these views are unable to be done. Any other ideological thoughts would be considered as enemies. In other words, any other ideas that are not involved with their religion are enemies.

Even the idea of dancing in the rain would be considered as a sin to everyone in the town. "Abigail: Uncle, the rumor of witchcraft is all about; I think you'd best go down and deny it yourself... Parris, pressed, turns on her: And what shall I say to them? That my daughter and my niece I discovered dancing like heathen in the forest?" (10 Miller) The small things that can be out of the ordinary can be seen as "going against the system," in this case against Puritanism. Of course in the bible it has no words of "dancing in the rain", so the conclusion to this would be that, words that don't come from the bible, or through the mouth of a priest, should not to be done. It would also be considered odd if the child did not awake from her sleep, and even after such an event has happened.

Even with out explanations, the people of the town would still have the assumption of the situation that occur like these out "worst". "Mrs. Putnam, glancing at Betty: How high did she fly, how high? Parris: No, no, she never flew--" (13 Miller) Mrs. Putnam didn't have any evidence of this being true, besides the words of a neighbor. She lacked support on this story being true, and also with out the consideration of how the person might feel about the situation. Once again it shows how people, who are underneath the government of religion, can substitute themselves to be "fragile" humans; they lack the ability to understand these situations