Arthur Miller’s 1953 play The Crucible, take’s place during The Salem Witch Trails of 1692. The characters in this play are Puritans. They believe that after death, comes judgment, and judgment determines if eternity awaits in heaven or hell. With that side, this play portrays many conflicts; lying, cheating, jealousy, and lust. Characters throughout this play accuse one another of witchcraft, in which the only punishment is death unless you confess. The actions that lead to the death of Giles Corey and Rebecca Nurse took courage, but both faced death knowing that heaven was waiting.
John Proctor is the protagonist of this play, he is portrayed as a man of god, a good and honest fellow. However, people aren’t always who they seem to be. With that said, throughout this play John Proctor well have to make a great moral and ethical decision, to lie and save his life, or to speak the truth and be hang. In the beginning of the play, John Proctor had an affair with his servant Abigail Williams, who is also the leader of the accusers. During that time, Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth was very ill. But knowingly both committed a terrible sin.
After Elizabeth find outs, Abigail is kicked out of the house until about seven months later Proctor see’s her in town and they catch up. Which is when Abigail states; “John-I am waitin’ for you every night…. I know how you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near! Or did I dream that? It’s she put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now! “. In the statement above, Abigail kept saying “she”, well by “she”, Abigail was referring to Elizabeth Proctor.
Even though time has passed Abigail still believes that Proctor is in love with her, which is why throughout the play she will try to get rid of Elizabeth, in order to get Proctor to herself. But all that jealousy, is what drive’s him away. In attempt to get rid of Elizabeth, Abigail tells the town that Elizabeth is a witch. Proctor, finds out when Cheever, the clerk of the court enters his house looking for a poppet. Cheever states; “I am given sixteen warrant tonight, sir, and she is one… Mr. Proctor I have little time.
The court bid me search your house, but I like not to search a house. So will you hand me any poppets that your wife may keep here?…. spy a poppet, Good Proctor… Why, a poppet- a poppet my signifynow, woman, will you please to come with me?… The girl, the Williams girl Abigail Williams, sir. She at to dinner in Reverend Paris’s house tonight, and without word nor warnin’ she fails to the floor. Like a struck beast, he says, and screamed a scream that would weep to hear. And he goes to save her, and, stuck two inches in the flesh of her belly, he drew a needle out.
And demandin’ of her how she came to be so stabbed, she – testify it were your wife’s familiar spirit pushed it in. ” Abigail’s statement ends up leading to the arrest of Goody Proctor, but Proctor will not stop until his wife is home where she belongs. Proctor states, “I will bring you home. I will bring you soon. ” After Elizabeth’s arrest, Proctor attempts to understand how that poppet got into his house, and why his wife is blamed for stabbing Abigail. Proctor arrives at the conclusion that Abigail is to blame for this, because of her jealousy.
He arrived at this conclusion by questioning Marry Warren, his servant. Warren says, ‘Why-I made it in court, sir, and – give it to Goody Proctor tonight… conjures me? Why, no, sir, I am entirely myself, I think. Let you ask Susana Walcott- she saw me sewin’ it in court. Ask Abby, Abby sat beside me when I made it. ” This statement supports Proctors suspicions, and so he go to the court to prove his wife’s innocents, and to tell the town that Abigail and the girls are a fraud. Proctor states, “You’re coming to the court with me, Mary. You will tell it in the court…
You will tell the court how that poppet came here and who stuck the needle in… My wife will never die for me! I will bring your guts into your mouth but that goodness will not die for me! “. Proctor is telling Warren that he is to blame for his wife’s arrest, because of their affair, and Abigail’s hate for Elizabeth, Elizabeth is now paying for his sins. Proctor now realizes that if has confessed his sins, then his wife could have been spared. This is where Proctor has to make an ethical decision, confess his sins to the court and the town, or keep the lie that is his reputation.
Proctor states, “In the proper place- where my beasts are bedded. 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 o the highroad. And being what she is, a lump of vanity, sirExcellency, 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 a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your hands. I know you must see it now. ” Proctor’s decision to tell the town the truth was in hopes that people would finally hear him out when he called Abigail and the girls and fraud. Even though telling the truth hurt him, he took the chance, since it meant Abigail’s credibility would be questioned. Soon after Proctors confession, people still weren’t sure if the girls where telling the truth, however, nobody did anything.
Proctor realized that he would never be taken seriously, so he decided to yell out “God is dead! “, which leads to his arrest. The day before Proctor is hanged, the court wanted Elizabeth to speak to Proctor and convince him to confess. But during there talk, Elizabeth sates, “It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery”. With this quote, Elizabeth is blaming herself for John’s mistakes, for his lying and cheating. Which is why when John later ask’s “I have been thinking I would confess to them, Elizabeth. What say you?
If I give them that”, Elizabeth replies, “I cannot judge you John. “. At this point, both of them have come to the conclusion that all there arguing was pointless, now that death is near. Proctor values Elizabeth’s opinion, which is why he asked her, what she would think if he were to confess. Proctor decides that he will confess, but when the time comes for him to sign his confession, he see’s Rebecca Nurse and her boldness, and Proctor later says; “I have three children- how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends? Meaning how will I teach my children, to be honest to god, good people, when I, myself aren’t honest. Giles Corey was an 83-yearold farmer, who was pressed to death by huge and heavy stones. Corey had been fighting not only over land but for his wife too. She was hanged because of what he said, “Martha, my wife. I have walked at night many time and found her in a corner, readin’ of a book. Now what do you make of that?… It discomfits me! Last night-mark this I tried and tried and could not say my prayers.
And then she close her book and walks out of the house, and suddenly-mark this. I could pray again! “. Corey refused to go to give a name, and go to trial, therefore this leads to his painful, but yet honest death. Before Corey died, he said, “More weight”, at this point Giles Corey was being deficient. But when Elizabeth told Proctor this story, he admired the way Corey faced death, which leads to him rethinking his decision of confessing like a coward or telling the truth and being hanged.
Rebecca Nurse also played a great role, in helping Proctor make his decision. Rebecca states, “Let you fear nothing! Another judgment waits us all! ” With this statement, she is trying to tell Proctor that even though on Earth you will be referred to as a witch, the real judgment the God, not the people on what everyone else may think. Therefore make the right decision. With the help of many, John Proctor was able to make one of the toughest decision. To confess and save his reputation, or to die knowing that the truth will set you free.
