Danforth is speaking to the judges and magistrates who are presiding over the witchcraft trials. He is demanding that they continue to execute those who have been accused of witchcraft, regardless of whether or not they confess. He is also threatening those who might try to stop the trials, saying that he would hang them as well.
This passage can be seen as an allegory for the McCarthy trials, which took place in the United States in the 1950s. During the McCarthy trials, Senator Joseph McCarthy accused many people of being communists, and many of these people were blacklisted from their jobs or even imprisoned. Like Danforth, McCarthy was determined to root out communism, even if it meant sacrificing innocent people.
In both the Salem witch trials and the McCarthy trials, people were accused of crimes based on flimsy evidence, and they were often forced to confess to crimes they did not commit. In both cases, the trials were used to silence dissent and to promote a particular political agenda.
By using Danforth's statement to further the allegory of the McCarthy trials, Miller is showing how the dangers of religious extremism and political witch hunts are timeless. He is also warning us about the dangers of blindly following authority, and the importance of speaking out against injustice.
Here are some additional points that can be made about how Danforth's statement furthers the allegory of the McCarthy trials:
- Danforth's insistence on executing those who do not confess is similar to McCarthy's insistence on blacklisting those who were accused of communism.
- Danforth's threat to hang those who try to stop the trials is similar to McCarthy's threats to those who spoke out against him.
- Both Danforth and McCarthy were motivated by a fear of communism, and they both used their power to silence dissent.
- The Salem witch trials and the McCarthy trials were both periods of great fear and paranoia, and they both had a devastating impact on the lives of many innocent people.