Saturday, December 3, 2011

How are the "little crazy children jangling the keys of the kindom"?

This line is spoken by John Proctor in Act II, Scene 4.  At this point, Cheever and Herrick have come to take Elizabeth Proctor away because of Abigail's claim that Elizabeth has bewitched her using the poppet.


The point of the quote is that Abigail and her gang of friends (the little crazy children) are in control of all of Salem.  People who were otherwise well respected can now be brought in front of the Court, and eventually executed on the basis of the testimony of these young people.


So, the phrase "jangling the keys of the kingdom" refers to the idea that they are in control.  And the "crazy little children" part of the quote refers to the idea that they are just young people acting in a way that makes no sense.

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