At the crescendo of Act III, a furious Proctor tells the town, "I say GOD IS DEAD!"
This is a reference to controversial German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). For a quiz grade (25 points), post your interpretation of Miller's use of the quote. Consider: -Why does he put these words in Proctor's mouth at that moment? What might Miller be trying to get us to notice by referencing Nietzsche, the famous atheist? Does it connect to Miller's life struggle with McCarthyism in the Red Scare, which inspired him to write this play? -What does Proctor mean? Is he accusing Salem of destroying their own religion? Or does his quote have deeper significance? Look at the context for clues. -Finally, do you have any personal insights based on your own experiences or beliefs?
71 Comments
Trinity McQuillan
11/26/2016 06:00:31 pm
I personally believe that Proctor has already separated from the church and Puritanism as a whole. He realizes all of the contradictions and believes that what the people are 'supposed' to do damns them rather than saves them. He doesn't believe in the ideals and wants to speak his mind, but the society he lives in will not permit it. "We're not Quakers here yet, Mr Proctor." He hints at his separation from the church by not going to church every sabbath, not baptizing his last son, and not knowing his commandments. (He either didn't know the last one or he knew and just felt guilty for going against it and hurting his wife). He knows he'll be hanged for going against the church publicly so he stays quiet but once he is accused of working for the devil, he speaks his mind because he knows they can't do anything more than what they already plan to do. That is why he announces to everyone that God is dead and that everyone is already going to Hell. The Puritans try to appease God but they always go against Him. Their paradoxes permits God from existing and forces everyone to sin-leaving them a place in Hell.
Reply
Trinity McQuillan
11/26/2016 06:04:38 pm
I also think that Elizabeth agrees with John but stays in her place out of deer of what might happen. She stays a covenanted Christian woman. She knows her commandments, She does not sin. She stays at home like a good wife should. The only point where she speaks out is when she's pointing out the court's mistake in trusting Abigail and admits to not believing in witches.
Reply
Amira Ibrahim
11/26/2016 08:06:39 pm
When Miller wrote "God is dead" in Act III as one of the most dramatic sayings from John Proctor, he was clearly quoting Nietzsche. When Nietzsche said this, he did not mean it like we actually shot or stabbed God, but instead that we destroyed the faith and belief in God, we destroyed the values that go along with God and religion, like the Ten Commandments, like murder, which definitely expressed in the movie. When Miller quoted Nietzsche, I think he wanted this meaning to be expressed in his writing as well, probably wanted us to notice that we (Christians, Roman Catholics, etc.) are killing the beliefs of God and breaking His rules and basically damaging the meaning of being a Christian, Catholic or other believers of God When John Proctor yells this in the courthouse, he feels that all hope is lost. His wife was accused of witchcraft and will be hanged, he may have the same fate as him, and Mary Warren completely turned on him. At this point, he is probably questioning if God even exists, considering the community is accusing random people of witchcraft, without any support. The whole town becomes a society of murders, "in the name of God". I think Miller also wanted his character, Proctor, to try to show the court of how animalistic they are acting. They are throwing community and fellow church-members "under the bus" simply because they do not want to be the focus of the scapegoating. Proctor lost all faith in his current situation and community overall. I believe the Crucible and Mccarthyism are connected. I believe this because Mccarthyism’s belief that there was a communist threat and paranoia came from it, in the Crucible the Puritans are scared and associated the Devil with the forest, which led to Paranoia. McCarthy made over 200 card carrying claims that there were communist in U.S government with no proof. In the Crucible delusional girls made claims there were witches, with no proof, and the similarities go on. I do have personal insights, what I mean is I know where Proctor is coming form. Some atheists believe there is no god because all the suffering in the world, murder, hunger, disease, rape and many more things. I in a way have questioned God like, for example, when my Grandpa got cancer, it made me think, if there is a God that can do anything why is he dying from cancer. Even though this experience in a way is similar to John Proctor I never have believed there was no god.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 09:48:38 am
So if Miller thinks the Puritans killed their own religion, does that mean McCarthy's witch hunt for communists was an assault on American freedom? If it survived, what made the difference?
Reply
Julia Schneider
11/27/2016 07:23:50 am
Miller wanted to show how their religion was falling apart because of all the innocent people getting murdered for practicing witchcraft. He wanted to show that a lot of people will believe anything someone says and how they would accuse anyone just to display to the community how they were helping the people; but there are still people that can stick up for our community and snap them back to reality, and Proctor was one of those people. When Proctor says "God is dead!", I think he is saying that if he is accused of witchcraft then there is no God because they say that God created there lives and everything happens because of him. So Proctor is saying that if God is watching our lives and making sure that everything is happening the right way, then God wouldn't allow this chaos and absurdity to happen. God would make sure that the right thing is happening and that people aren't getting falsely accused of witchcraft and getting murdered. Proctor also thinks that he is an upright good man, and if he is accused of witchcraft, then anyone can be, so there is no justice and no God.
Reply
Anna Moore
11/27/2016 08:23:56 am
When Miller was writing The Crucilbe, he was trying to draw attention to the Red Scare he was going through. In the Crucilbe Procter says "God is Dead" because he is trying to expose the wrongdoings of the town. He thinks the town has taken Christianity and completely ruined it. The whole point of religion is the give a strict set of rules and morals to follow so you can live a good life. However the characters in the Crucible have started to prosecute women and men unjustly. This could be considered homicide if they were doing it for human religions but they were killing the innocent people in the name of God. By doing this they have killed God because they have forgotten God's true teachings and become hypocritical. The quote does carry more meaning because the crucible was a comparison to Miller and the Red Scare. Procter was similar to Miller because they were both people who were unjustly prosecuted for a scare that barely existed. So by Miller putting those words into Procter mouth then he also believes that to be true in his life. Miller probably felt that way because he was falsely accused in a country based on Christian beliefs. Miller was trying to make a point on the state of America by comparing it to a mass hysteria in the 1600s. Perhaps he was reminding us that humans will always stay the same and repeat our mistakes.
Reply
Sima Vaidya
11/27/2016 09:30:36 am
In The Crucible, Miller uses many literary devices to show the significance of how religion was breaking down in Salem during the witch trials and how people started to lose faith in God. When Proctor says, “God is Dead”, he is trying to say that a person like himself, who has done nothing wrong, is being accused of witchcraft. Anyone who is also innocent can easily be accused. Proctor starts to realize that if there is God, then He would not have allowed for this to happen. He would not have let many innocent citizens of Salem die for something that they have not even done or practiced! If God were in Salem, He would have helped the innocent receive justice from the accusers. This leads to his idea that the value of God and religion in Salem has faded. Miller relates this scene to his view on McCarthyism. Proctor was accused and trialed without any proper evidence, except evidence from people who had faked it. People exaggerated the truth and created lies, giving others the idea that Proctor had condemned with the Devil, along with his wife. People only listened to what the girls had to say, but never considered the good which Elizabeth Proctor had done. She was a firm believer in the religion she practiced and had never done anything bad. Nobody in the play deeply questioned whether someone had actually compacted with the Devil, but rather agreed with the lies the girls told. John Proctor found out the truth and tried to voice it, but ended up being one of the accused. He realized that in Salem, God and religion is actually… dead.
Reply
Lauren Marcolus
11/27/2016 10:12:02 am
To me, the quote "God is dead" is equally frightening, optimistic, and open to interpretation. And that's not even mentioning the Crucible or the Red Scare. Being as I have been to church a total of around 5 times in my entire life, my understanding of religion is extremely limited. To elaborate slightly, since I just realized this is actually part of the prompt, I was baptized, but I never got my communion. I like to think of myself as pretty self-motivated, but I also believe there is some higher power guiding us, though mostly for comfort. (Honestly, I don't think about it much. I'm usually busy writing stuff like this for school.) That being said, I assume religion was first created to answer the questions of the unknown. Of course, as we began to grow curious and make scientific and philosophical discoveries, we began finding answers to these questions that had already been answered through religion (e.g. how was the world created, how were people created). This led to people beginning to question their faith, and therefore question their values, societies, purpose, and the existence of God in the first place. Nietzsche obviously did not mean to say God was once living and is now dead, but rather that mankind has begun to outgrow the idea of an all-knowing power that provides all answers and motivation. We had begun to focus on making our own discoveries and identities in the world without the help of God. And this idea in itself is interesting because it provides us with a way to rise above this previous reliance on God and a way to fall into a place of despair and carelessness, which Nietzsche calls Nihilism. There is also the part of his story where the madman says "I have come to soon." This threw me on a loop. God is dead and we have killed him, but we don't know it yet? How can we be so unaware of something we did ourselves? Maybe because we are still reliant on the morals and values of this religion we no longer trust? We are still holding onto a system we have proven faulty? And, dare I say it, are we to this day? I could ask questions for days, for I am not that familiar with the Catholic faith, but I will contain myself.
Reply
Lauren Marcolus
11/27/2016 10:16:51 am
way to prevent what they feared from taking over. (My favorite connection between the Crucible and MyCarthyism, however, is how Miller was convicted for contempt of court by the HUAC for refusing to name communists he met at a communist writer's meeting, just like Giles Corey in the Crucible.)
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 09:51:19 am
This is such an excellent post, both in its summary of Nietzsche and application of his points to Miller.
Lauren Marcolus
11/28/2016 04:08:01 pm
https://spectator.org/64387_daniel-murphy-leads-mets-nlds-triumph-will-face-cubs-nlcs/
Summer Smith
11/27/2016 11:49:34 am
I think when Procter says "God is dead!" what he means is religion is dead. He no longer has faith in God and religion after the recent events (the witch trials which then lead to the murdering). He also thinks religion, which is supposed to supply hope/answers to one, and God, who decides the outcomes and choices of one, is dead to him because he is being accused of witchcraft even though he is completely innocent; he also questions God because he doesn't understand why God would let people kill other innocent people. This accusation and pondering causes him to loose complete faith in God and then shout out "God is dead". In my opinion this line in the play alludes to McCarthyism in the Red Scare. This was when the house was prosecuting so called "communists" from the department. Miller included the line "God is dead" to allude to recent events (McCarthyism in the red scare) that were affecting him. Miller wants to fight the "madness" around him just like Procter wants to fight the "madness around him. I am Lutheran and am not too holy, but do go to church on occasion. I, have little insight on this but I do remember talking to a relative in Germany about religion. I asked her if she was religious and she said no. "Why?" I asked. She replied by saying how could she have faith in God, someone who supposedly decides the actions of everyone, after the recent events(this was winter of last year, after the Paris tragedy). Although I feel guilty for doing so, this has made me since ponder why God would let people do things that they do.
Reply
Christina Wichmann
11/27/2016 02:45:47 pm
John Proctor says "God is dead", while he stands in water with lying, sinful, and unfaithful girls. The society and government of Salem, Massachusetts begins to believe Abigail Williams lie that she and her friends spoke with the devil. No longer does the town Salem believe John Proctor, a faithful, and Holy man when he says his wife has no inner-devil or evil spirit. As John Proctor stands in the water yelling "God is Dead", Arthur Miller illustrates to the reader how corrupt one's society can get, for John Proctor, a sinful man, stands in the water, representing the only faithful and Holy civilian, amongst all the liars in the town. Therefore, the thought of worshipping God is gone. Through John Proctor, Arthur Miller conveys the message that we become similar to the person we believe in; people who believed and listened to Abigail became liars and sinners themselves. Over all, Salem self-destructed its religion, by ruling out God and killing the innocent, just to save their own reputation. In addition, Arthur Miller, in his play The Crucible, connects how the U.S government is acting as the people of Salem. It's no longer about which religion is the most Holy, its an argument over who is right.
Reply
Christina Wichmann
11/27/2016 03:03:04 pm
Arthur Miller references Nietzsche's ideas when John Proctor says "God is dead", for Nietzsche believed in the philosophy of human equality and down-to-Earth reality, rather than a certain religion such as Christianity. Therefore, through Proctor, Nietzsche's philosophy is referenced, for if there was a God that the towns people of Salem believed so heavily in, their wouldn't be such corruption and lying to begin with. Also, Nietzsche's philosophy shows that Proctor, as an individual was more enhanced then the lying girls among him that were seen as Holy to the towns people. In addition, the play is based off of Miller's experiences of McCarthyism in the Red Scare, for the the Red Scare was based upon the U.S government being concerned over Communism spreading through the country, similar to Salem believing that their was a devil being spread throughout its town.
Reply
Charlotte Jansky
11/27/2016 03:15:26 pm
While Arthur Miller was writing The Crucible and developing the character of John Proctor, he definitely used influence from Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche was a famous Atheist who had immense ideas about society’s interaction with Christianity. Miller wants readers to infer that Proctor is having similar ideas to Nietzsche. Also, he wanted to express his struggle with McCarthyism and the Red Scare. During the Red Scare and the Communist accusations, McCarthyism was widely spread which was also present in the time of the Salem Witch Trials. The courts contained McCarthyism as no evidence was needed when accusing people of ‘witchcraft’. The girls would lie about the spirits to get the case through. By the end of the play, Proctor realizes that the whole of the witch trials were a crock and that all of the girls were lying. When Proctor exclaims, “I say GOD IS DEAD!” he is really saying that the witch trials were no longer a question of belief in God, but an excuse for revenge and lies. The full quote from Nietzsche is “God is dead, and we killed him.” This quote explains further that society is the one responsible for the loss of beliefs. I know from my experiences that arguments for or against religion can be hard to prove because of the lack of evidence. This was how the girls in the jury could easily say that they were seeing evil spirits because there was no evidence for or against it. Once Proctor realized their lies, he tried to convey the court that they were not telling the truth. But, because of the theocratic government, Proctor was outnumbered in opinion. This is when Proctor realizes that “God is dead, and we killed him”(Nietzsche).
Reply
Christina Wichmann
11/28/2016 01:35:32 pm
I agree with you Charlotte. Proctor was trying to show society that the Salem Witch trials were letting Salem's people lie and have the lazy and poor people of the town be killed by stating that there was an evil spirit around them. By saying "God is dead", Proctor explains that there was no longer any thought of God in the town. Everyone, including Governor Danforth was either telling lies to save their name or blaming someone else for the cause of the trials. I also agree that part of the reason why the Salem Witch Trials got so out of hand was because of the lack of evidence from a religious aspect. No one knew besides the girls and John Proctor, in the beginning, that the idea of seeing the devil and people's evil spirits were just lies. Therefore, had the town people had religious evidence to back up their views, John Proctor and many others might have had a good chance in saving their lives.
Reply
Jackie Prestininzi
11/27/2016 03:30:16 pm
When John Proctor says “God is dead” in Act three, he is saying that the truthfulness and the real true qualities of a Puritan person are gone in Salem. Miller puts these words in Proctor's mouth because at the moment the whole town is questioning John Proctor just because Mary Warren said that he was in contact with the devil. The whole town is around him and he can't take the insanity of these trails anymore. When he proclaims that “God is dead” he means the people in Salem can so easily lie and hurt others that their religion is dead. The puritans live a strict truthful lifestyle in which they obey God. However the disobeyment to their values by the girls in the town have caused their religion to mean nothing anymore. For example Mary Warren just made up a whole lie that John Proctor interacted with the devil to save herself and her friends. In Act three, Miller’s meaning behind “God is dead”, has similar ideas to Friedrich Nietzsche's. Nietzsche believed that the death of God came from the people. The unholiness of his followers have represented him in a way that ruined his reputation. This relates to Proctor saying that “God is dead” because at this point in the play many of the townspeople have acted in such ways that would damage the reputation of their religion and God. Proctor believes that in acting in such ways they haved killed the qualities and values that their church and religion stand for. The girls who started the trails have made a mockery of their religion and have ruined the reputation of their church. Based on my beliefs as a Roman Catholic, I do agree with some of the things John Proctor is saying. I do believe that we should represent ourselves in a way that God would be proud of and we should represent our church is a positive manner. However I believe that God is a forgiving person and if you were to act in a way that would negatively impact his reputation, he wouldn’t “ be dead”. John Proctor's quote accurately represents how the Salem Witch Trials have impacted the reputation of God in their town.
Reply
Brendan Loftus
11/27/2016 03:46:05 pm
The proclamation "God is dead!" is in no way literal. When John Proctor denounces the Salem courthouse he means that the Judges and the people of Salem have strayed from the path of righteousness and have been blinded by hatred and avarice. Proctor's words come from the famous philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, whose full quote reads "God is dead and we have killed him". When put into relation with the cast of The Crucible, they have killed God. They have suspended their usual laws and customs in the name of rooting out "witchcraft". This is the definition of a witch hunt, and during the Cold War, they were hunting a different kind of witch- a communist witch. Miller wrote the play during the Second Red Scare in the 1950's and The Crucible acts as an allegorical reference to the period, replete with unfair trials, a few unfair executions, etcetera. The Bill of Rights indicates that “Freedom of Speech” is a fundamental part of American society, but during the McCarthy era, the House Un-American Activities Committee began rounding up those with “leftist” thoughts- and while that may be well and good, it violates the first amendment and Miller writes in Proctor’s line as a kind of epitaph to the dead “God” of the Americans, who had strayed from the path of liberty to be blinded by their hate of socialism and communism (no matter how justified the hatred may be, free speech is free speech). It is with desperation that Proctor lashes against his neighbors and the court. Proctor’s cry to me is the last cornered cry of a wounded and trapped animal before the wolves close in.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 09:57:03 am
Great animal analogy - very apt. And great defense of free speech - the point isn't about your affirmation of the content, it's about forbidding the state from banning particular content. If I'm right about something, I shouldn't need to suppress others' freedom of expression to prove it. While McCarthy didn't set out to attack freedom of speech per se, that was the effect of his witch hunts.
Reply
Brendan Loftus
11/29/2016 04:10:34 pm
Well of course there is a direct connection between McCarthy and Danforth and Parris. They are the embodiment of McCarthy in Salem! They all began with righteous fervor to rid the world of evil, however their missions were terribly misguided from the start. Danforth and Parris did it in the name of God and to suppress witchcraft. McCarthy acted in the name of Freedom, Liberty, and America (and yes those first two are intentionally capitalized), but in doing so actually sacrificed Freedom and Liberty. They are clear parallels. Much like in the way McCarthy killed freedom of speech, Danforth and Parris killed... God. (Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh). This ties back to Nietzsche, for in order to achieve "purity" the Puritans cast out the spirit of what made them "pure" in the first place. It's Nihilism because they unconsciously destroyed their own creeds in search of someone to punish, they rid themselves of God... which also ties back to John Proctor's "God is Dead!", as he's accusing the of getting rid of God, which is Nietzsche's point that one day we will (or have) outgrow(n) God. (english class amirite guys)
Aidan Butler
11/27/2016 05:02:42 pm
In "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller, Miller uses the quote "God is Dead!" The character John Proctor says this quote and it could be interpreted as Proctor having once believed God is alive and well was "killed" by people such as those in Salem, Massachusetts who used his name to kill others. Although it could be thought that Miller used this quote meaning something much deeper. Friedrich Nietzsche famously used the quote "God is Dead!" in some of his writings. This quote could be interpreted that the idea of nihilism is becoming very popular. Nihilism is defined as "the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless" This belief could be seen in "The Crucible" when the people of Salem have not a second thought about killing one another showing that the people of Puritan Massachusetts weren't so holy after all. Miller might have placed this quote in the play to show us that he believes that the world is coming to a point where people no longer believe in God and disregard human life as meaningless or pointless. This could be why we see the people of Salem, Massachusetts plunged into anarchy because their religious morals have been stripped and killing no longer seems wrong. Miller put the quote in the play to show that he believes the ideas and basic morals of religion have been lost implying that "God" is no longer a factor in the lives of these people, showing the ideas of Nietzsche have had a big impact on the way Miller writes.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 09:57:44 am
Do you think Miller is saying the Puritans didn't really believe in their religion? Were they already nihilsts, at least some of them?
Reply
Brendan Loftus
12/1/2016 06:47:53 pm
Well, you could say that Abigail exhibited nihilistic traits. Since she had committed adultery she was already "Hell bound", what difference would murders, lying and of course dalliance in witchcraft make? The dangers of these nihilist qualities are that frankly when you are not given or reject morals, you have no reason to follow any morality other than that which propels yourself further in life. This is precisely what Abigail does, instead of becoming Nietzsche's "Ubermensche" she falls into the pit of absolute well, for lack of a better word, "sin".
Donovan Turner
11/27/2016 05:22:41 pm
I believe when Procter yells "God is Dead!" he means that the Puritans have killed religion and God. By going against Him for so long and committing sins, they have turned their backs on God. By preaching to people about God's wrath, they managed to scare themselves. This fear managed to make everyone blindly believe in the girls' childish accusations and not listen to rationality and intelligence. Procter understands this and it is the reason he has not showed up to church or baptized his son. He tried to distance himself from the Puritan Church because he believes they were going against God and his teachings. When he is accused of Satanism, he knows everything is lost, so he finally feels that he has nothing to lose and can express himself. When he says "God is Dead", he is not exactly saying the people are evil, but that they are doing things that they don't understand, committing acts that they don't realize are evil.The tie in with Procter and the author of "The Crucible", Arthur Miller, is that Miller experiences the Red Scare, which is like a witch hunt for Communists. People are accused randomly, just like in Salem. Miller and Procter are alike in the way that they both want to fight the injustice around them. I would say I am kind of religious, although I don't really go to church regularly. I always have faith in God and I believe if someone does a bad thing, a bad thing will happen to them. I believe in God's plan and that he knows what is right. I know that if I feel like something does not feel right, than it is probably wrong.
Reply
Jacob Swartz
11/27/2016 05:24:16 pm
When John Proctor States "GOD IS DEAD," Miller's use was to send the reader the message that Proctor is willing to say something so irrational, to diminish Abigail's chances of revenge. For Proctor, there are multiple reasons why those throughout Salem think he may have a connection with the devil. For example, not going to church every Sabbath, not baptizing his last son, and now saying god is dead. Friedrich Nietzsche, "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster." What he means by this is indirectly related the reverends who are trying to defeat the demon around them; but ultimately becoming demons themselves. Now of course because they are in the last town that would separate church and government, no one would agree with Nietzsche's philosophies. According to the issues of McCarthyism in the Red Scare, the hunt for communist supporters correlates perfectly for the unnecessary deaths of those who are thought to be affiliated with the devil etc. To me, I agree with the separation of religion and state when it comes to trials like these, and no one should be accused of being a witch; ever. In addition everyone who practices a religion should have every right to do so. However if their is a certain controversy between multiple religions, the worst thing to do is fight about it. A simple argument followed by a peaceful relation, would be much more beneficial.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 09:59:00 am
Your last point is really true! Why, then, do religious arguments seem to often become the bloodiest of all?
Reply
Brendan Loftus
12/1/2016 06:39:58 pm
Hey folks, just making my rounds.
Aislinn Butler
11/27/2016 05:41:51 pm
What Miller means by this quote is that the Puritans are taking the goodness and happiness of religion and turning it into a strict lifestyle of sadness and fear. This quote not only means that Salem is distorting the view of religion, but the Puritan religion is become very extreme in its views. “God is dead” is referring to the corruption of the extremist group and that the religion wasn’t started that way, but the people have warped the culture that is Catholicism. Miller uses this quote at this time because the story had finally reached a point where the people of Salem have gone way too far. People were believing everything they heard about witchcraft and the devil so they were hanging every person who was suspected associating themselves with these things. Miller wants the reader to think about the other perspectives on religion and that Puritanism is an extremist view of something that can or can’t bring people happiness. He wants people to realize that religion is something that you can choose to bring you happiness. Although I believe in God, and I believe that religion can bring you happiness, extremist views can lead to fear, anger, and sadness. The phrase “God is dead” can mean that people don’t see God in the same way they used to. The world is evolving and so are the beliefs of the generations to come.
Reply
Seamus Fields
11/27/2016 05:46:47 pm
In the play, and movie, The Crucible, John Proctor exclaims the Friedrich Nietzsche quote, 'God is dead!" When Proctor is standing before a majority of the town, being accused of witch-craft, he is finally fed up with the fact that not a person in the town, but Proctor, Goody Proctor, and Mr. Hale, believe there are no witches in their town. Nietzsche, the author of the quote, was believer in nihilism. Nihilism is the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless. Seeing that Nietzsche does not believe in religious principles, it would make sense for him to write "God is dead". Arthur Miller, the author of The Crucible, used this quote in his story to portray the fact that John Proctor does not believe there is a god anymore, because the people of Salem have killed him. Proctor is definitely accusing the town of being the main cause to his death, because of Salem's foolish beliefs.
Reply
Ethan Christensen
11/27/2016 05:47:18 pm
John Proctor was always a controversial character. He does a few things that might make you think he has a pact with the devil, at least to the puritans. For example, he didn't attend church every Sabbath day. Saying that "God is dead" is an extremely brave thing to do. He gets so frustrated with Abigail's lying he's willing to say such a thing to end everything. Friedrich Nietzche is also quotes to say that "God is dead". His writings are very related to the idea of nihilism. Being a nihilist means that you believe nothing is out there and essentially that life is meaningless. Then there was the Red Scare. This was a hunt for communists, which led to many being falsely accused and killed. This is exactly what happens in the crucible, people are falsely tried and killed for a crime they didn't commit. All in all, I think that the Salem which trials was extremely wrong, combining church and state was bad enough on its own, but innocent people shouldn't have to lie in front of a court to save themselves from being executed for a crime that doesn't exist.
Reply
Hannah Nishiura
11/27/2016 05:48:59 pm
John Proctor uses the quotation "God is dead" by Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche to emphasize his distaste towards the town's accusations. During the time of the salem witch trials, people used religion to excuse themselves of the lies and sins being spread. John Proctor uses the quote as a realization, not a remark to anger the citizens of the town. Miller uses the words of an atheist to show the corruption of truth. By making the reference to McCarthyism, Proctor is calling the towns people out on their lies. The quotes' significance is related to the loss of faith and beliefs, and he uses the words of an atheist to exaggerate the limits God has of the situation. The statement relates to McCarthyism because of the lack of evidence in the towns accusations and convictions. Based on my own beliefs, I see John Proctor as being the only one who has more than one perspective of the said witches. The people of the town see things very narrowly, while John sees the bigger picture. People were using God as an excuse, instead of a belief. And when John notices the corruption going on, he didn't mean that God had literally dies, he was only stating what he saw. Trouble and hardship when faith and hope were diminished.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:00:22 am
Do you think Proctor is an atheist? Some people take that position. Others think he believes in a more loving version of God than the Puritan one, and he's saying they ruined God with their false image. Any evidence either way?
Reply
Grace Noglows
11/27/2016 06:13:10 pm
When Proctor says “GOD IS DEAD!” in Act III, he is trying to say something deeper. He is trying to show that they are not following their religion because they are doing many things against it. For example, they are murdering people. He thinks that they ruined christianity. He thinks that the people forgot what God has taught them to do. Salem ruined the outlook on religion. I am not very religious but I do know that the church has set rules that they remind the people of very often. The people have stopped listening and are doing whatever they believe is right. Miller puts these words into Proctors mouth to remind the people of their religion and show them what they are doing is wrong. It is giving them a wake up call.
Reply
Grace Noglows
11/27/2016 06:28:59 pm
It does it connect to Miller's life struggle with McCarthyism because it is telling the people what they did wrong
Reply
Mia Conti
11/27/2016 06:22:01 pm
I think when proctor says "god is dead" he isn't exactly referring to god himself, but more the religion. In Salem basically everything chaotic has happened and I think people are willing to believe anything and take a whole new and different interpretation of what religion actually is. Religion isn't suppose to be something created to punish others for what they believe in, or to create laws stopping people from practicing what they believe in. However in this novel, that is the case. When proctor says "god is dead" he means the towns faith and religion is practically gone because everyone basically, besides a select few, have gone absolutely mad. Miller related this into the book probably because he, in some ways, can relate BACK to this, and experiencing through his own life.
Reply
kayleigh Murray
11/27/2016 06:37:31 pm
In the Crucible by Arthur Miller, he has john Proctor say, “God is dead”. Miller wanted to express that religion is starting to fail. It is starting to fail because people that had no part in the witch craft had been starting to get killed. Proctor is trying to tell the community that he doesn’t think god is alive and that he believes in Satan. He doesn’t think god is alive because it is known that god controls everything but all innocent people are being accused including him. If god was alive then he would have been stopping all of this.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:01:32 am
Yeah, I was waiting for someone to point this out. It's not just that the people ruined religion. It's also like, "Where is God? If God is not stopping something this awful, then maybe there IS no God." Have you seen that same reaction to awful events in real life or other literary works?
Reply
Robbie DeMarco
11/27/2016 06:44:52 pm
Miller wanted to show how if Proctor was accused of witchcraft that there is no justice or God. Nietzche means by this quote that society does not have a use for God anymore, and God is not essential for living or belief. Nietzche and Miller both agreed that there is no justice in society anymore that God can assist people with, and how if just anyone could be accused then there is no God looking down and helping out innocent people. a piece of insight is that it is definitely healthy to believe in something, no matter what God it is.
Reply
Patrick Sullivan
11/27/2016 07:01:18 pm
Arthur Miller used the quote "God is dead" in the play the Crucible. He's not saying that God has left them, Arthur is saying that the people in the town of Salem are forgetting God. For example, one of the ten commandments is that "thy shall not kill thy neighbor". In the movie the people in Salem killed many people with no reason that was proven justly. This shows how the people in Salem are forgetting God because they are disobeying him. The idea of the people forgetting God, relates to Friedrich Nietzsche's beliefs of how it is societies fault that God is dead. The Red Scare also caused Arthur Miller to use this quote. Since he grew up during these times he saw that people were forgetting God and that they were making accusations without evidence. Miller related the disloyalty with god of his society and the Puritan society. That is what inspired him to use this powerful quote. In conclusion, Proctor is saying that because of the towns false accusations, it has caused them to lose the message of God. Without the message of God, it is causing God to wither away.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:02:40 am
So talking about God while ignoring the actually message behind God's commandments makes religion hollow. Is there a parallel to the Red Scare here?
Reply
Brendan Loftus
11/29/2016 04:18:05 pm
Hey there... trying to sneak in some extra credit. (sorry Sully but you just got finessed).
Sophia Morales
11/27/2016 07:47:08 pm
When German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche came up with the idea “God is Dead” it was not in anyway meant to be interpreted in a literal way. Instead Nietzsche was trying to express his belief that God was no longer credible because people understood the word of God in different ways. No longer was God someone everyone could look to because in a way God was telling everyone different things. Arthur Miller intended for his audience to make the connection of this philosophical idea when he had Proctor tell the town “I say GOD IS DEAD!” At this moment in time no one in the town necessarily knows what to believe or who to trust because of the devil is all around and can take anyone at anytime. All the people of the town know in this very moment is that if they do not want to be consumed by the devil then they must open their hearts to God and let him in. This is ironic because Goody Proctor is a devoted Christian woman yet she is also considered a witch when Abigail claims the soul of Goody Proctor attacked her in her sleep. Proctor is not there to say God is literally dead because he is also Christian, but he is saying is that Salem has destroyed the word of God. The people of Salem are worshipping God, not because they truly love him or because they want to dedicate their life to the church, but because of fear of the unknown. They are afraid what would happen if they were to separate from the church because of all the threats of the devil occupying their soul. This quote is not just about the people of Salem destroying their religion, it is about their true dedication to the Lord. It is questioning if they know the meaning of God and his grace. If they cannot answer these questions, if they do not know the true meaning or if they have reason to dedicate themselves to him besides fear than they have no business claiming the devil is inside someone since they are not holy themselves. This goes beyond the town and beyond the play itself, this is a real life experience for those who were and still are afraid to take a stand for what they believe in because of fear of rejection. Miller wants people to be more like Proctor and push away the fear and fight for their belief like he had to himself, just like Nietzsche had to, and so many others who questioned their faith no matter the consequences that followed.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:04:21 am
So part of the point is that Proctor is more willing to be an individual and defy the crowd, in the way Nietzsche and Miller did. How does this connect with other works of American literature we've seen, especially in the summer reading? Why does that theme keep coming back?
Reply
Shea Grant
11/27/2016 08:01:59 pm
I think Arthur Miller quoted Nietzsche in that exact spot as an exposure to how the Puritans in the story line had ruined their own religion. By trying to cleanse everything, they destroyed what was once there, and the ‘human-ness’ and raw emotion behind it all. Miller, like many others during the Red Scare, saw the collapse of government and the rise of irrational claims with no evidence take charge, and lost his will, if only for a second. Proctor, though never believing God was truly dead, lost his faith in the people running his religion. Miller lost his faith in those believing McCarthy’s false claims. He put them there in that moment because it’s Proctor’s last say before he’s convicted of a felony he did not commit- it’s a plea stemming directly from desperation that someone needs to take a look at the system, as much as it is out of outrage. I think Proctor is saying that Salem has destroyed the religion, but also stating that everyone, with their own personal sin, has killed him. Lust, pride, greed, etc, the deadly sins have destroyed puritanism through Salem, as destruction for personal gain ran rampant. I am not religious, though I do believe in a higher power or something. I just think that this can’t be it. But I think, in a sense, after being confirmed in a Catholic church, that Catholicism sort of destroys itself with its lack of clarity, and how still personal belief and gain weaves its way into a parish. I have seen many people feel betrayed by religion, and I myself, have questioned how God could watch so many suffering and still do nothing, if they truly love us and and want us to succeed. I also don’t understand how so much hate can stem from a religion that preaches life without sin and some ill-formatted acceptance. So, yes, I have questioned, like Proctor, not only the institution of God, but the establishment of it as well.
Reply
Allie Cohen
11/27/2016 08:08:43 pm
In the midst of all the chaos that John Proctor faced, he was able to gather up all his wits to conclude the undeniable fact that "God was dead," or rather the Puritan movement. Arthur Miller, writer of The Crucible,exemplifies an ideal situation of the ludicrousness that occurred during the Salem Witch Trials. Abigail Williams, one of the main characters and arguably the most controversial, lied about Goody Proctor's use of the “devil’s work” and was able to convince other people of this statement, due to the search for a scapegoat, rather than facts that were backed up with credible evidence. This occurrence demonstrates people’s ability to manipulate and fall into the trap of a rigid way of acceptance, as Abby was able to use religion for her own selfish reasons. After already suffering, amongst many others, John was able to exude the bigger picture that religion doesn’t overrun unjustness and practicality. Millers reference to McCarthyism sums up the slow decline of values and faith of the Puritan movement through John Proctor’s outlived destiny.
Reply
Hailey Chace
11/27/2016 09:18:44 pm
When John Proctor says "GOD IS DEAD" he is trying to say something more. He is lead up to the fact that he thinks his religion has been ruined. He thinks people are going against god because of their acts. An example of this would be hanging people. He wants his people to see that all the fuss over the witch trials is leading them to destroy their own religion. So, yes Proctor is accusing salem of destroying their own religion. The deeper significance of this quote is to show that Proctor's religion is not equal. By referencing Nietzsche, miller shows us how Proctor's religion is contradicting and does not make sense. Also, the play does connect to Miller's life struggle with McCarthyism in the Red Scare. The play and the witch trials are an analogy to Miller's life and the Red Scare. It shows that a religion or form of government can lead to conflict in which people forget the rules. Overall, Miller uses the play to show his struggle and show how people can destroy their own groups of affiliation.
Reply
Craig Scharmann
11/28/2016 03:34:58 am
The saying, God Is Dead, is not meant to be interpreted in such a way where the speaker is viewed as a devil worshiper; Rather he means that god was alive, but the corrupt traditions that the people of Salem fallow, has denounced his representation as an actual being. Procter quotes Friedrich Nietzsche in an attempt to get his point across. Ultimately the attempt fails, and people see him as more insane. By making Procter say that, Miller might be trying to show how Nietzsche once was like Procter. A holy man, and society ran his belief of god into the ground. Throughout the story, McCarthyism has played a large role. The girls in the play unfairly accuse random town members in order to further their own lives. By keeping this sense of power with them, they understand that they are unstoppable. I believe that this idea of McCarthyism in the story directly correlates with the life of Arthur Miller. For example, maybe a situation in Millers life arose where he was unfairly accused for something he didn't do. His actions in life could have inspired him to write the Crucible, in order to demonstrate how peoples morals have been corrupted for centuries before us. Finally, John Procter unfairly accused of communication with the devil, with no evidence. He is hung for suspicion of treason. Should one really die over just suspicion? Ultimately, Arthur Miller conceived this play to demonstrate how corrupt society is, and those in power will do anything possible when their integrity is at risk.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:05:27 am
Does any who researched Miller's life have an example from the Red Scare of him speaking up like Proctor does?
Reply
John Tuohy
11/28/2016 07:20:17 am
At the end of the Crucible, by Arthur Miller, when John Proctor says "GOD IS DEAD!" as he is accused is witchcraft. Miller puts these words in Proctor's mouth to express the loss of good christian feelings in Salem. What he means is that the preconceived notion that God governed the town and the people obeyed his rules is destroyed. Miller is trying to get us to notice that when a group of people use a good cause to justify a wrong doing, in effect they destroy the cause all together. By using God as a justification of a mass killing of many people through false accusations, the townspeople tarnished God's message. By doing these intolerable acts they have banished God from the town. This connects with Miller's struggle with McCarthyism since this play outlines a metaphor for the whole issue. Miller uses the Salem witch trials, an unfair barrage of false accusations against a treat that wasn't even real, to relate to the same game of false claims made in the red scare. Using the setting of 1600s Salem, Miller reveals how primitive this conflict is and how foolish it can be. By making this comparison, it becomes plain to see how the red scare was more of a hoax against a false common enemy that simply didn't exist. The author tries to warn the audience how easily a situation like this can escalate on mob mentality, even if the enemy has no real evidence against it. This relates back to Proctor's cry against God's murder, since in the end these "witch hunts" did more harm than good. These mobs of people looking to exterminate a non existent threat, hurt more lives of people with paranoia and unjust death sentences. These uninformed bandwagons of angry mobs are mostly outgrown today, but some still remain. Some people are still hunting that faux threat down, or sometimes they become what they are trying to hunt. The accusers in effect became more dangerous that what they are hunting. Being able to kill someone with just a few words is a dangerous power, but Miller warns the audience how staying true to your integrity like John proctor may be the only way to stop this, even possibly making the ultimate sacrifice to do so.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:06:35 am
So would you say people have trouble letting go of
Reply
Emily Rothberg
11/28/2016 07:38:28 am
Proctor’s wife lied whom everyone knew to be virtuous and devoted, never wavering from the Commandments and even she lied to Danforth when denying her husband's adultery.
Reply
Galina Gordon
11/28/2016 08:34:20 am
In the film, John Proctor exclaims "God is dead!" just after failing to get Mary Warren, his young house servant, to admit that her "visions" of the Devil and his followers were fake. The women of the church ran out screaming making Mary believe that she was at the Devil's mercy, so by the time the chaos ended and John couldn't persuade Mary any further he was tired of the lies. He knew the truth all along and he only stayed quiet about Abigail William to protect his life at home. He's given up believing that God exist and is he has absolute power for the souls on Earth. His will to the Puritan faith and Christianity has been tampered so far that he said words no one would dare think of, let alone say aloud to the entire town.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:07:58 am
Great post! Does this relate at all to the contradictions in the idea of Predestination?
Reply
Murray Elinson
11/28/2016 09:29:04 am
In "The Crucible", John Proctor yells towards the town, "GOD IS DEAD", and this quote is a reference to German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche once said that "God is dead, and we killed him" around the time that the theory of evolution came around. He suggests that humans through their scientific research destroyed the idea of God after evidence came out that the way the Earth was formed was different from the Bible. Arthur Miller, who wrote "The Crucible", put these words in John Proctor's mouth after he tried to expose the real truth behind the witch trials in the village. Proctor failed and he had given up on the town. He yelled "God is dead" because the town has gone mad and he suggests that the town's madness destroyed the idea of God and Puritanism. Miller might be trying to get us to notice that beliefs can take on big problems and cause a society to destroy itself. This connects with Miller's life in the Red Scare which was the belief that communism would spread and this made everyone afraid and society destroyed itself in the process. I think Proctor means that the belief of God drove the town to madness and that the town lost all the moral values of their religion and they destroyed their religion. I personally think that the idea of God is truly dead due to all the scientific evidence of evolution and such. Religion gave people faith and it gave them rules and values. As time goes on, more and more people are becoming less religious. I think God is an essential idea to mankind and we have destroyed it.
Reply
Biggs
11/28/2016 10:07:23 am
What makes the idea of God essential? Can people not be good without religion? (This is a great topic to debate!)
Reply
Jackie Prestininzi
11/28/2016 05:19:14 pm
The idea of God is a topic that many people have believed it for centuries. People often look to God for
Ethan B
11/28/2016 01:15:26 pm
I honestly believe that during the time leading up to (and maybe even before) John Proctor's exclamation that "God is dead!", he had completely withdrawn from his religion, Puritanism, and the church as a whole. Taking that into consideration, it's quite easy to see why Proctor would make such a controversial claim.
Reply
Emily Rothberg
11/28/2016 03:40:31 pm
Puritanism (and western religion as Nietzsche observed) placed all their on a higher being, every step and word determined by God. But Salem fell to pieces because most of the town committed crimes and killed the innocent in the name of God. (eg; Thomas Putnam accused his neighbors of witchcraft so that he may take their land when they are hanged.) Even Proctor’s wife -- whom everyone knew to be virtuous and devoted, never wavering from the Commandments -- lied to Danforth when denying her husband's adultery.
Reply
Mary Brigid Clanton-Calnan
11/28/2016 06:09:53 pm
Miller wanted to show how if Proctor was accused of witchcraft that there is no justice or God. Nietzche means by this quote that society does not have a use for God anymore, and God is not essential for living or belief. Nietzche and Miller both agreed that there is no justice in society anymore that God can assist people with, and how if just anyone could be accused then there is no God looking down and helping out innocent people. a piece of insight is that it is definitely healthy to believe in something, no matter what God it is.
Reply
Harrison Jones
11/28/2016 07:17:55 pm
Miller used "GOD IS DEAD" to show the breaking point of Proctor. After hearing all of the nonsense by the villagers and girls Proctor saw that hope was lost, and only time would fix this situation. He saw how no matter what people did that they would be punished, and ended up finding himself in this situation. Like the Red Scare, the accused had no chance of claiming themselves innocent; as when they were accused they were already deemed guilty, and no one needed real evidence to condemn them. Seeing as nothing he did could save himself, he exclaimed how their religion was ruined. He knew everyone would probably dismiss it, besides the fact that it proved he was working with the devil; and that whatever he said wouldn't matter, so he said the first thing that came to mind. Proctor doesn't literally mean they killed God, he is saying they killed their perception of God. Everything they do to serve him, worship him, and do what he wants has been skewed. They have turned God into themselves, and now many use it as a tool to better their own lives. Even Reverend Parris, who knows that the girls are lying, would rather lie in court to save his reputation than to be truthful and save lives. Religion gives people hope, and makes them feel better about life after death. The idea of death is so scary people rely on a belief most of the time. However when someone can twist such a strong influence for people it can have major affects, either benefiting or hurting them. Even though this has such strong repercussions, it is very easy to control; as a group of girls desperate for love and revenge are able to destroy an entire town with it.
Reply
Cyntaia
11/29/2016 06:28:17 am
When he said " God is dead", he didn't mean it literally, he was saying God is not a real person. You should not worship God if there is not any proof showing that this "god" ever existed. When he says this quote it, it asks a great question. If this "god" really did exist, how could you convince anyone when it clearly states in the 10 commandments " Thy should not kill", which they seem to so without a problem. If it were really meant for them to die, don't you think god would handle that? I mean why wouldn't Mr.Proctor say god is dead when hes in water with sinful girls who are getting innocent girls killed to seek revenge. The puritans literally killed the religion. They Kept using god to cover up what they did. Basically their reason for killing people was because "God would have wanted this" or " God wanted us to do it". So if "God" is telling you to do this... Its not really God. I don't ever recall God sending others to kill people if one of his commandments are" thy shall not kill".
Reply
Jack Niesz
11/29/2016 07:47:24 am
When John Proctor yells that God is dead, it has many more meanings than just one. He is very upset with the people of his town because of something that has to do with nothing that is real. They are killing their own kind for nothing. This is completely against the religion of most. John is tired of this and wants it to end. When they bring up that his wife may be a witch herself, he completely loses it. Hence him screaming that God is dead.
Reply
Marc Brewer
11/29/2016 08:13:29 am
I think Miller wanted to help show how many of the puritans themselves couldn't make sense of how their religion can and has been pushed aside by many of the higher officials. Morphed to suit their own needs by sacrificing their fellow citizens of salem, their lies have made God fall ill and die of disappointment for a living God would not allow such things to occur. What if one of those damned to death were one of God's chosen?
Reply
Michael Gilson
11/29/2016 08:21:11 am
Proctor lives in a very Holy community that only has one right answer and you can't think outside the box. I think after all these people accusing others as witches he has lost all faith in his religion. He sees the town being destroyed before his eyes he states "God is dead!" Everyone is so shocked and can't believe what he has just said. No one can believe it since no one has really spoke up about there religion in a different way until now. When he says this he has officially given up on his religion and is now a atheist. He truley believes God is dead.
Reply
Michael Dandrea
11/29/2016 08:21:36 am
When John Proctor says "I say GOD IS DEAD," I think he saying that Salem is slowly turning to the devil. By this I mean that they are not following their belief in god. This is because the girls that are accusing people of being witches are doing it for personal gain. For example, Abigail Williams love John Proctor, so she accuses Proctor's wife of being a witch, so she would be either killed of put in jail. And the "judges" are just going along and listening to the girls without any reason.
Reply
Desiree Marshall
11/29/2016 04:53:58 pm
I think that Miller chose to put those words in Proctor's mouth at that point because maybe it's proving to the reader's that maybe Proctor has lost faith in the Puritan way of life or the beliefs. Maybe he has given up that part of his life and moving on. I really think this was the point of no return for Proctor, I think he broke down. I think the reason he quoted Nietzche, a known atheist was to show that the religion had been compromised. The reason you quote someone who doesn't believe in god is to show that Proctor might not believe in the religion that has been such a big part of his life. In a way McCarthyism and the Crucible have similarities. You can easily relate the way McCarthyism accuses the people of being a communist threat with the way that the girls accuse people in their town of being possessed or associated with the devil. In both situations, this leads to a lot of problems. I think that this quote is deeper than it may appear on the surface. When Proctor says "God is Dead", I think he means that Puritanism and his society is dead. The people in the town have gone crazy, using each other as scapegoats to ensure that they don't get hurt themselves, and as Mary Warren did, using the Witch Trials to try and get back at people who have wronged them. Also at this point, I believe Proctor realizes that there are many holes in his religion and it kind of contradicts itself in ways that not many people can see. I personally feel that while I don't believe there is some person in the sky controlling or watching all our lives, that there is a force. I can't explain it, but I feel like there is something there. Also, I think a lot of the things people think god has done himself or created can actually be explained by science. I agree with Lauren that religion was probably originally created to explain the things in life and how they came about, but now that we're finding out the science behind such things I feel that maybe there isn't exactly a dire need for religion anymore.
Reply
Sinead Henderson
11/30/2016 12:28:45 pm
When John Proctor yells that god is dead he says it because that's what he truly believes, he believes that there could be no way for god to be real through all of the witch craft hunts and all the innocent people killed. Through the crucible you can see that John hasn't followed his puritan religion lately which leads me to believe that he doesn't follow it at all. You can tell when John forgot his commandments, his outlook on the situation and when he states that god is dead.
Reply
Colleen Dougan
11/30/2016 03:36:06 pm
In Act III of The Crucible, Arthur Miller wrote the quote, “God is Dead” for John Proctor because at this time in the story, the townspeople were so corrupted in accusing innocent men and women for things they never did. When Proctor says this quote, it had the power and symbolism to show the people that their religion was falling apart because of their false beliefs on witches. They were so focused in getting rid of the witches instead of looking at the whole truth. No one knew the true cause for the witch trials until it was too late for John Proctor to tell. Their problem that started in Salem happened because they believed a rumor from Abigail, a jealous girl who wanted things she could not have. After that, there was a chain reaction of false accusations of innocent people. By saying this, it can easily be assumed that Proctor has fell out of his beliefs and Puritanism. In the end, it was too late for Proctor to voice the truth. Therefore, he believed that since it came down to innocent people dying for their religion. John Proctor not only believes that their religion is falling apart, but the fact that it is leading to death was that God was Dead.
Reply
Quinn Moore
11/30/2016 04:13:33 pm
Through John Proctor's words "God is dead!!!!!" Arthur Miller is actually using the words and expressing the thoughts of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche is known for his idea that God is dead, obviously this means he nor John Proctor physically killed God, but implies that society's ruined the beliefs and religion of god. This idea meant that instead of obeying by God's rules (The Commandments) that they should live their own lives where they are uncharge of keeping their morals and values ethically. Arthur Miller portrayed Nietzsche's idea through the character John Proctor. In the story Proctor battles the townspeople to save his wife that he had wronged from death for being accused of watch craft. He sees the whole town's actions as them turning on God by killing innocent people and lying for the the sake to keep themselves afloat from the mess they've made. As an example Hale was one of the first to inspect the Proctor household for any signs of watch craft. It was there he was told that the Abigail and the girl's claim of witchery was merely a cry for wolf. When it came time for John Proctor to be tried for witchcraft as well Hale didn't stand up and verbally say that he too believed Proctor in that the girl's claim was a hoax. This can be considered defying God by lying and not speaking up for whats right. Combining this betrayal amount many others and the murders of innocents makes for the incorporation of Nietzsche's quote "God is dead!!!!!" very appropriate.
Reply
Bella ybarra
12/12/2016 06:24:26 pm
I believe that John Proctor stated "God is dead!" as a saracastic gesture. John Proctor was a man of the Bible, and the most genuine person out of the handful of characters from The Crucible. Abigail falsely accused John Proctor and his wife of evil witchcraft to give into her own selfish desires. Many of the Puritans did the same thing as Abigail, whether it was for status, wealth, lust or even to seem more intelligent. Easily enough, the Puritans accused many common everyday faults and quirks as works as devilry, and they would even state that some of their own false actions were actions of God. That being said, many of the Puritans felt the need to make explanations for little things that didn't need explanations, universally speaking. But, they also used the ability to make people wander and question their views as a way to gain power. A need for power is a primal instinct of all humans.
Reply
Zoe Zeek
1/21/2017 12:06:44 pm
John Proctor denounces God after what he went though. The God he thought be believed in allowed plenty of victims to get ruthlessly murdered through false accusations. He knew the church didn't believe it but stuck with it just for the sake of not looking like a fool. He must've wondered ''Why would God be so cruel and allow this?'' He hit a point of defeat after his wife even getting accused and with the lies of Abigail.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
January 2017
Categories |