Accusations Quote by Arthur Miller
““If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers? I'll tell you what's walking Salem—vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!””
About This Quote
Source Play: The Crucible by Arthur Miller, 1953
The quote exposes how accusations become a tool for vengeance, turning moral authority into a weapon in a community driven by fear and hysteria.
In simple terms: Accusations become vengeance in a fearful community.
Key Takeaway
Beware using moral authority to justify revenge.
Themes
hypocrasy
power
mass hysteria
justice
revenge
Mood
anxious
critical
reflective
Type
cautionary
political
social
When to use this quote
- court trials
- political witch hunts
- social media outrage
- organizational blame games
Key Concepts
Moral authority
social control
groupthink
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we differentiate legitimate concerns from manipulative accusations?
- What safeguards prevent moral authority from becoming a tool for revenge?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook genuine wrongdoing, conflating all criticism with malice.
![“(Looking at the letter in his hand) Then what is this if it isn’t telling me? Sure, [Larry] was my son. But I think to him [the pilots killed] were all my sons. And I guess they were, I guess they were” quote by Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e8/arthur-miller-947_killed_looking-at-the-letter-in-his-hand-then-w_55336.jpg)
