Thursday, July 31, 2014

After Parris begins to believe his daughter to be afflicted by witchcraft, what is Thomas Putnam's advice to him?

Parris is uncertain of what to do in the opening act.  He
is afraid of making a public issue of witchcraft, believing that he will be implicated
in it.  His lack of resolve reflects his own sense of insecurity that is a permanent
part of his character, something that reflects his own lack of firmness in his own sense
of identity.  Putnam recognizes that there is a certain opportunity in this moment. 
Along with Goody Putnam and Abigail, he is able to convince Parris that he must address
the people gathered downstairs and denounce the devil and witchcraft.  Putnam believes
that Parris must do this for a couple of reasons.  The first would be that it would put
the downstairs group at ease, knowing that the devil is the cause of the girls'
affliction.  At the same time, being able to publicly raise the presence of the devil
would be able to defer any potential blame to both Parris' daughter and Putnam's own,
who is in a trance- like state similar to Betty Parris.  From the most ulterior of
motives, Putnam believes that the more accusations and people accused of witchcraft will
enable him to be consolidate his landowning status in Salem, something that Miller tells
us is important as the land charter had been revoked in Salem.  This insight comes out
of the Act I stage directions.

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