Essay on ‘The Crucible’ Essay

The Crucible was written by the great play writing legend Sir Arthur Miller. He created many ingenious plays. In particular I would like to focus on the play (The Crucible) is based on a true story. The Crucible is set in America in the state of Massachusetts within the small village of Salem in the late seventeenth century. In this period of time, witch hunting was at it’s peak. In addition, religion was regarded as the law it was powerful over everyone and no one could question its authority. No one would dare speak against it or the consequences could be lethal. For many hundreds of years throughout Europe there was a belief in witchcraft. At times the principle turned into historical fear, leading into campaigns or persecution against suspected witches. It was thought that witches were agents of the devil. In 1692 there was an outbreak of accusations of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts (USA). The colonists there were Puritans who followed a particular form of Protestant Christianity and would tolerate no other. They felt surrounded by ungodly people and they associated the forest with savages and with evil. Salem was a puritan community their lives were ruled by religion. The role pf religion is very powerful and id used to control the community within the courts of Salem, religion is referred to throughout the play. ‘The Crucible’ criticises the effects of the Cold War America experienced in the 1950’s. McCarthy felt his power threatened by his people’s interest in communism. It was feared that Russia take over the world. This links to ‘The Crucible’ because the people in the play are craving for freedom, they don’t want to be tied to religion and the Bible. ‘The Crucible’ begins with the village girls cleaning and making something in a pot, which is against the laws of Salem. This action leads to a whole plot of jealousy, betrayal and ends up in hangings. Miller tries to display the act of the girls dancing in the forest as a form of plea, a cry for help. Throughout the play there are many characters with a variety of strong agendas that display their notions by insinuating them in ways, which cause arguments and ‘stir the pot’. After both reading and watching ‘The Crucible’ I noticed that there were four main categories in which the characters fell into. The powerful, the righteous, the weak and the jealous. Most of the characters or the main characters rather entered the powerful and jealous categories. Judge Danforth for example, a powerful man with extreme authority, he turns a ‘blind eye’ to the truth to keep his position and stay in power. He is bought and biased, looks more for his own benefit rather than helping others which should be the case. He abuses his position magnificently to stay in power. Reverend Paris, also has a considerable amount of power in the village of Salem. His main concern seems to be keeping his reputation and he’s bent on doing anything and everything to keep his authority and be feared. He has controlling power yet refuses to shift position for the right cause. John Proctor is an honest man who isn’t easily led. He is a hardworking farmer in his mid-thirties with logical thought. He is married, even tempered but is powerful of mind and body. Proctor is feared and respected in Salem, however he is no saint he has committed adultery with Abigail Williams who worked for Proctor as a servant but was subsequently fired when Proctor realized his mistake. He’s a good-hearted man who wants to make his wrongs right. An honourable man, who stands up for what is right and uses his wisdom against that which is wrong. Abigail, a very cunning young woman, she has committed adultery with John Proctor and uses this to her advantage by blackmailing and threatening him. She blames lies on other to save herself, she plays innocent and acts nai ve when in reality she is the cause of the disputes. She is evil and spiteful, cares for nobody but herself – she is simply selfish. Mary Warren, one of the weak and afraid characters, who can be moulded through threatening, as she is easily intimidated. She sides with Proctor when he threatens her and then sides with Abigail when she blackmails her. She is very controlled as though she doesn’t have a mind of her own nor any opinions. Because her worth is less than a slave she grew up with no honour, respect, honesty or independence, this is why she is unable to see the wrong as well as Proctor and in the end sides with the wrong people out of pure fear. Unfortunately, Mary Warren is a timid and gullible character who plays an unwitting role in the outcome of the trial. The audience will see the tension build up when they see such a combination of characters who all have very different agendas and are extremely volatile arguing in this type of situation. In this essay, I will focus mainly on act 3. It begins in the courtroom the witch trial has commenced. There are of course two parties, those accused of being witches (John Proctor, his wife etc) and the accusers (Rev. Parris etc). Proctor has a tough job defending himself because he has to prove that the court is wrong, Danforth questions Proctor and finds out what kind of a man he is before he hears the case. Giles Corey testifies for his wife (she was accused of being a witch). Giles feels guilty since it was he who told the court that his wife, Martha, had been reading some books. The court believes that she was reading them books to learn how to curse people. Francis Nurse testifies and defends his wife, Judge Hathorne supposes they are the bad ones and is angered by their blatant denial so consequently orders Corey and Nurse to be arrested. Proctor forces Mary Warren to testify for the defence and she complies by saying she lied in the court before. John says the girls are lying about the witchcraft. This makes the judges very nervous because if Proctor is correct then they have killed many innocent people. Proctor presents his case, he has three depositions to offer for evidence, the first being a signed petition proving the innocence of the three men’s wives. The second statement comes from Giles Corey, he tells the judges that Thomas Putnam is a ravenous and greedy man who is obsessed with attaining land through any means. However, Putnam denies this and Corey refuses to tell the court who gave him this information on Putnam in fear of being arrested. Unfortunately, he is still arrested for contempt of court. From here we are taken back to Rev. Hale who has realised his mistake and has changed sides, now supporting Proctor. Mary is the third final element of John’s defence. John tells her what to say and that he is supporting her. But Mary Warren is afraid no one will believe her (that the witchery was all untrue and the girls had been lying all along) because she lied earlier. Danforth brings in the accusers led by Abigail. Williams says that Mary is lying, the judges begin to wonder how Mary could be ‘pretending’ to be a witch earlier. She is asked to demonstrate this ‘pretending’ for the court. She can’t. Abigail and Danforth argue when Williams is questioned and then pretends to be seeing Mary as a bird in the air from the devil. The rest of the girls on Abigail’s side mimic her for their act to look believable. Proctor having no options left reveals his affair with Abigail. The men are horrified, John and Abigail are instructed to turn their backs while Elizabeth Proctor is bought in. She is asked if her husband has committed lechery. Not knowing he has confessed and thinking of his protection, her loyalty to John gets the better of her and she denies it. As she is led out John tells her he has confessed and they both realize that have lost completely. Abigail and the girls continue to act as though afflicted Mary Warren until she finally cracks. She accuses Proctor for having used her for the devil’s work and runs into the now welcoming arms of Abigail. Proctor and Giles Corey are led to the prison.