Question

Who is Danforth in The Crucible?

Answer 1

In Arthur Miller's 1953 play The Crucible, Danforth is depicted as the leading judicial figure overseeing the Salem trials. William Stoughton is not a character in the play, and Miller portrays Danforth as an honest but domineering and selfish judge, under whose authority many are imprisoned and sentenced to hang.

Answer 2

Danforth in 'The Crucible' is the Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge at the witchcraft trials, representing the dangers of unchecked authority and flawed justice.

Step-by-step explanation:

Danforth is a character in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. He served as the Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge at the witch trials. Danforth is depicted as a stern, authoritative figure who is steadfast in his belief that the court is infallible, making him central to the play's theme of the peril of absolute power and the miscarriage of justice during the Salem witch trials. His character is a composite character based on historical figures involved in the actual trials, which parallels the mass hysteria mentioned in the context provided.