Arthur Miller presents the theme of tyranny within the crucible, through his use of the girls manipulating the courts to extract revenge. For example Abigail creates the ‘bird’ that wants to ‘tear’ her ‘face’ as well as stating that Mary is using a ‘black art’. The phrase ‘black art’ connotes the idea of dark magic and witchcraft, but also the use of subduction and manipulation to control peoples will. These connotations show that Abigail is manipulating the court to cover her tracks when Mary accuses her of lying and to extract revenge on Mary for betraying her. Miller uses the connotations of ‘black art’ to present how tyrannical Abigail’s rule in the court is. While in court figures of authority and reasoning, such as Danforth, are following the word of one person blindly. Danforth is following Abigail’ sword blindly as she is using a ‘black art’ to manipulate and bend the court to carry out her binding. Miller does this to show how tyranny can be manipulate to force people to, without knowing it to do your binding.