The Crucible Response

The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller is very interesting. It addresses the issue of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The story is an interesting conflict between reason and religion. Two of the characters, John and Elizabeth Proctor are the ones who stand out against the accusations of witchcraft. While all others around them are swept up in accusing their neighbors of ‘sending out their spirits’ or killing others in Satan’s name, the Proctors say that they are not sure if they even believe that witches exist. This shows that they are willing to go against the theocracy of Salem; heresy in those days.
Miller uses language that now may be hard to understand at times. However, it correctly captures the passionate feelings of the speakers. For the readers of the script, it can be challenging and frustrating to read, but this just makes the emotions more potent.
One interesting aspect of the play is the sense of mob mentality that takes over at several keep points. One notable one is the scene in which Betty awakes from her stupor to find Tituba and Abigail accusing many people of Salem of witchcraft and joins in, without being asked to do so. One must assume that she is only doing so because the other women are, not because there was any real witchcraft going on. Also, in court, many women are added to the original list because their name is mentioned in court. This is a prime example of what Miller is trying to point out, that the mobocracy takes hold and governs Salem during this period.
It is clear from the start that John and Elizabeth have their issues in their marriage. Elizabeth has not fully forgiven John for his affair with Abigail, their former servant. So it is somewhat surprising how hard John fights to keep Elizabeth from being taken into custody and sent to jail. He forces the men who come to take her to give him proof of her ‘witchcraft’ and even attempt to physically prevent them from taking her away. John is furious that Abby accused her of this and he is angry with his servant, Mary, for not saying that she will deny Abby’s claims in court. The anger that John displays is evidence of his disbelief in witchcraft and his disillusion in the government of his town.
It is noteworthy to mention the integrity of the girls who name the so-called witches, mostly Abigail Williams. The girls often change their stories from one minute to the next and contradict one another and even themselves. One would think that the adults of the story would notice this and become suspicious, but they seem too eager to believe it. It almost seems as if the people of Salem want there to witches afoot, as if it would make those not accused better in the eyes of God.
At first, the book is reminiscent of The Scarlet Letter, by Hawthorne. The setting and time are similar, as are the circumstances of the story. In the Scarlet Letter, the story is set in 17th century Boston. The main character, Hester Prynne, is an adulteress and is persecuted accordingly. Both this society and the one in Salem are theocratic, that is governed in accordance with religion. The story of The Crucible, however, has to do more directly with religion. While Hester is accused of breaking God’s laws, the accused witches of The Crucible are said to be working with the devil.
Initially, the Reverend Hale seems comparable to Reverend Dimmesdale of The Scarlet Letter. Upon further inspection, however, the two are nothing alike. Hale is a man of strong religious conviction; he will not change his mind about those accused of sorcery even though he has himself proclaimed their goodness. Hale has committed no crime in the eyes of the other characters, or in his own eyes. Dimmesdale is crushed daily under his own guilt of adultery.
Of course, the manuscript of The Crucible can be compared to the movie of its own title. The movie was first released in November 1996 and its screenplay was also written by Arthur Miller.
The Crucible is an important addition to the AP Language curriculum because of its intricate use of an outdated style of English. The dialogue used occasionally requires a trip to the dictionary. It also makes the reader think about what is being said in layman’s terms. This makes it easier to relate to the actual story and accounts from each of the characters.