rtunity to reveal its nefarious power when the town is occupied with the witchcraft trials. When the town and its citizens are consumed by confusion and disorder, several characters discover the opportunity to take advantage of the situation and acquire as much wealth as possible. Such is the case with Thomas Putnam, who had supposedly requested his daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs, a man who owned a large quantity of land, to send him to jail. If Jacobs hangs as a witch, his land is to be forfeited, and Thomas Putnam would be the only one with enough money to purchase the land. As a result of the pandemonium brought about by the trials, Jacobs was accused, and soon after he was arrested without questioning or proper evidence. Greed can drive men to do anything to meet their desires, but it can also destroy a reputation and alienate even friends and family members who trust them. When Proctor is questioned by Hale as to why he has occasionally absent from church, he explains his discontent with the Reverend Parris. He claims that he prefers to avoid the Reverend and gives an example of the greed he senses in the man. Since we built the church there were pewter candlesticks upon the altar But Parris came and for twenty week he preach nothin but golden candlesticks until he had them. I labor the earth from dawn of day to the blink of night, and I tell you true, when I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbowsit hurt my prayer, sir, it hurt my prayer. I think sometimes, the man dreams cathedrals, not clapboard meetin houses. (65) Proctor shows his adversity toward greed by avoiding his Reverend and Church because of his repulsion for the man. Greed has never been looked highly upon, and when it has beset any soul, any effect is certain to be detrimental.Ou 5Vengeance, punishment in retaliation for injury or offense, in the case of the Salem Witchcraft trials, was the predominant cause of this mishap. When...
