Question

In Act II, there are numerous examples of Irony that build tension. Cite five prominent examples and how they tie to miller’s purpose for writing the crucible.

Answer 1

Five prominent examples of irony that builds tension in the story are:

• Elizabeth wants Proctor to testify that the accusations are false, but she is unaware of his role in the situation.
• Elizabeth gets mad at Proctor because he says he was alone in a room with Abigail. However, she does not know that the two were in fact having an affair.
• When asked to say the Ten Commandments, Proctor forgets the one that forbids adultery. This is ironic as this is the commandment he violated.
• Mary brags about the fact that she is keeping Elizabeth out of jail. However, Elizabeth is charged because of the doll that Mary gives her.
• Even though Mary works for Proctor, and he is more powerful than her in every way, she is able to defy him by accusing him of lechery.

All of these examples tie to Miller's purpose for writing The Crucible. In these examples, we see that Miller wants to highlight the power that the girls were able to achieve in a community that does not respect them or takes them seriously. This leads to irony because it is a situation that neither the readers nor the characters were expecting. Moreover, Miller is able to show how the web of lies and deceit that the characters are weaving will eventually lead to tragedy for all of them.