In the play “The Crucible” by Aurther Miller the character Judge Danforth is a misguided fool who perverts justice. Mr Danforth is completely convinced from the start that satan himself is in Salem. He beleives the guilty and accuses the innocent. Danforth states that the crime of witchcraft is in ipso facto crime, meaning that the only evidence on the case is the accuser and the accused. The judge perverts justice through his jurisdictions. When Abigail acts out her suffering and fear of imaginary things, he does’nt doubt her for a second.
He instead calls for Cheever to go and arrest all the people she and he other girls accuse. Mr Danforth beleives every word Abigail says and actually thinks that goody Proctor stabbed her with a voodoo doll. Danforth has over 70 people thrown in jail based on the girls accusations alone. The judge goes on with his cases completely mislead. Mr Danforth does’nt doubt a bit that Lucifer has cast his minions into the town of Salem. He steadily beleives any accusation he hears and doubts any evidence against them due to his ignorant belief that witchcraft is an ipso facto crime.
The only time he listenens to someones evidence is when Jon Proctor explains his affair with Abigail. However when he questioned Mrs Proctor she is unaware that her husband has confessed his sin so she covers for him by lying. So unfortunatley the only person Danforth listened to was convicted due to plain out bad luck. In the eyes of Mr Danforth the crime of witchcraft is an ipso facto crime. So because he thinks this he will not accept any evidence proving the accuseed innocence. If a person can’t present evidence defending innocent poeple there is no hope of anyone being proved not guilty.
The entire idea of an ipso facto crime is complete ignorance, wich seemed to be a very popular quality with the puritans. Even when the accuser Abigail fled town stealing her uncle’s money, Danforth did’nt realize it was all lies. For a person to be so blind of the truth and completely oblviouse to hard evidence is astounding. To think such a mislead person could hold such a high position in the puritan society is frightening. Mr Danforth’s outright stupidity results in multiple people’s deaths. He is an ignorant person who’s so full of himself he can’t see the truth right there in front of him.