The play, The Crucible written by Arthur Miller in 1953 is about the Salem witch trials. Characters in the book plant the idea of certain individuals being witches, these ideas of witches’ set’s the mind of the church and the state thinking, which in turn leads to the death of innocent people. The truth later comes out when “hard” questions are asked of the accuser’s that make them think about their own personnel views and beliefs
The Salem witch trials are initiated by the lies and fears of common folk. These lies causing more Hysteria and Intolerance, which is then fueled by people like John Proctor, Reverend Hale and Judge Danforth who want to gain good standing in the city and build their reputation, only to realize in the end it was all lies. The questions asked throughout the play causes the characters to think about their beliefs and in the end causes them try to regain their respect and reputation. As is the human nature when facing fear.
Thesis statement with conflicts: “It is rare for people to be asked the question which puts them squarely in front of themselves” Arthur Miller, The Crucible. Hysteria, lies, respect, intolerance and reputations links all the characters, John Proctor, Reverend Hale, and Judge Danforth together in different ways.
John Proctor: ”Abby, you’ll put it out of mind. I’ll not be comin’ for you more. You know me better.” (Miller, 2016). John Proctor is a main character in the play. He is seen to be a strong man of good character, although he has his weakness, but in the end makes the right choice. This is seen when he has the Affair with Abigail but shows his strength in character when he confesses his affair to his wife Elizabeth “No more! I should have roared you down when first you told me your suspicion. But I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed. Confessed! Some dream I had must have mistaken you for God that day. But you’re not, you’re not, and let you remember it! Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me; and judge me not” (Miller, 2016). John Proctor is pleading with Elizabeth for forgiveness. However, Elizabeth can’t fully forgive him because she believes what Abigail said about the affair which Elizabeth will always remember their affair.
“On the last night of my joy, some eight months past. She used to serve me in my house, sir. A man may think God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now. I beg you, sir, I beg you—see her what she is. My wife, my dear good wife, took this girl soon after, sir, and put her out on the highroad. And being what she is, a lump of vanity, sir—Excellency, forgive me, forgive me. She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it now.” (Miller, 2016). John realizes that Elizabeth means everything to him. He shows this by admitting to the affair in court. He tells the truth about his adultery to the whole court during his trial rebuilding his reputation as a good man and showing his wife he loves her. “for now; I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor “(Miller, 2016). He refuses to lie about his friends and neighbors being witches even though he is facing death, again showing that he is a good person. This is seen when John makes the statement just before his death. John finally realizes although too late that he wants a clear conscience and to maintain his reputation even death.
Reverend Hale: “Always do what is Right” (Miller, 2016). In the Crucible, Reverend John Hale is a minister with the main focus of destroying all witches and witch craft practices in Salem. He is intelligent and approaches his task of dealing with the vanquishing of the so-called witches with precision. He is also a fair man who wants to have all the facts correct and form his own opinion. He wants to do the right thing, he is a man with a conscience. “Excellency, I have signed seventy-two death warrants; I am a minister of the Lord, and I dare not take a life without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of conscience may doubt it “(Miller, 2016).
Although Reverend Hale has a reputation of being fair, he also insights a little hysteria unwittingly while trying to get to the truth behind the real story about the witches.
Reverend Hale wants to regain his good reputation he has worked so hard to build. He had lost faith in himself to always do the right thing. In the end, he realizes the truth started by Abigail about witches and witch craft was a lie. Reverend Hale has to deal with the guilt of the deaths of all the people he caused by signing the death warrants. “What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth” (Miller, 2016). Reverend Hale makes this plea to Elizabeth Proctor; the wife of John Proctor who is about to be hanged for two reasons; one, to decrease his feelings of guilt over all the other deaths he caused, and secondly; to restore his reputation of being a fair man who always strives to get to the truth in any situation.
Judge Danforth: “I judge nothing, I tell you straight, Mister. I have seen marvels in court. I have seen people choked by spirits before my eyes; I have seen the stuck by pins and slashed by daggers. I have until this moment not the slightest reason to suspect that the children may be deceiving me. Do you understand my meaning” (Miller, 2016). Judge Danforth is proud of his standing in the community and believes that when people give him information it is always the truth. Judge Danforth builds his reputation on this, and hangs innocent people to keep up is reputation. He builds hysteria by telling the court what he has seen the spirits do, in sighting more hysteria; because when a Judge of such stature makes a statement it has to be the truth. “What are you? You are combined with antichrist, are you not? I have seen your power; you will not deny it! What say you Mister?” (Miller, 2016). Here again you see Judge Danforth raising hysteria by trying to make the court believe that John proctor is in league with the devil as well as letting the court remember his strict reputation which he has to uphold.
In closing, the crucible has many conflicts, each individual has their conflict’s but Hysteria, lies, respect, intolerance and reputations links all the characters.
