Throughout the crucible social status is shown as the most important thing to any man or women in the town of Salem, people of the town would go to great lengths to maintain a high status which would technically give them more control over the town. This can work towards someone’s advantage or disadvantage. Due to Salem being such a small and confined town having a higher status can mean a lot and can even pull you out of trouble. At the time The crucible was set if you were not white you would instantly be placed lower than anyone who was white and this would lead to you being shunned by the fellow residents. This is clearly shown in the opening act of The crucible by Abigail when she is being questioned by reverend hale and says “I never called him! Tituba, Tituba…” and by saying this blames Tituba (the black servant/slave) of conjuring with the dead. As Abigail is being questioned she blames Tituba as it is the easy way out. She knows that because Tituba is black people will believe her word against Tituba.
Tituba is also aware of this assumption and habit that people have of blaming black people and miller tells us in the first stage directions “her slavery sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back”. The crucible was set in a time where it was a patriarchal society meaning men were higher than women however there is one exception who is respected by the men in the town because of her high status and that woman is Mrs. Rebecca. Being a women at the time and being respected by the men in the town just shows how high her status is an example of this is shown when Putnam and Proctor are having an argument and Mrs. Rebecca joins in and the stage directions say “he defers to her” which shows he respects her. This shows us that even within a patriarchal society your social status can overcome the system.
Mr Parris is the minister of the town and holds a high status with the town’s people and when rumours start spreading around that his daughters have been partaking in witchcraft. As the minister it is not acceptable of witchcraft being carried out within the same roof so he tries to crush the thought of witchcraft from among the people. This is shown on multiple occasions in the first act. ”his eyes going wide No – no. There be no unnatural cause here” this tells us that he is trying to remove any theory and thought of witchcraft. When questioning Abigail Parris says “Abigail, I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character”. This shows us that he is more concerned about his reputation among the town’s men then his own daughter. A high social status is what everyone in the town of Salem wants especially during the times it is going through were anyone could be convicted of being witch. By having high respect this would make you less likely to be actually convicted of any crime however at the same time makes you more prone to people blaming you.
