The Crucible Essay, Research Paper
The Crucible
By: Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller is the author of The Crucible play. The Crucible is a story of the Salem witch trials, which took place in Salem Massachusetts in the late 1600 s. The trials were a major cause for a lot of innocent peoples death. Some of the people in the town found they had control over the others life and took it to an extent. The meaning of crucible can stand for sever test or trial. In The Crusible many of the characters in the play are presented to a sever test. The people are Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor, Reverend Hale, Deputy Governor Danforth and Mary Warren. The Crucibles theme played and big role for the book, Truth has no meaning when men believe only what they want to believe.
Elizabeth Proctor is the wife of John Proctor. Elizabeth s test through out the play was whether to forgive her husband for his affair. For it had been 7 months since Abigail s job ending and Elizabeth forgiveness for John still had not come. John said unto her, You will not judge me more, Elizabeth I have good reason to think before I change fraud on Abigail, and I will think on it. Let you look at your own improvement before you to judge your husband anymore. I have not forgot Abigail, and—. She says, And I, Proctor replies, Spare me! You forgive nothin and forget nothin . Learn charity, woman I have not moved from there to there without I think to please you, and still an everlasting funeral marches round your hear, I cannot speak but I am doubted, every moment judged for lies, as though I come into a court when I come into this house. At eh ending of the play, reverend Hale ask her why doesn t she run after Proctor when the guards are taking him away and she replies, He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!
John Proctor was a farmer in his thirties. John Proctor was strong, powerful, not easily persuaded and short tempered. John not easily persuaded was also a sinner. Not simply only against the time, but against his own views of descent. He viewed himself as a sinner because he committed adultery. Proctor did not believe Reverend Paris was a minister sent by GOD. I like not that Mr. Paris should say lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of GOD in that man. I ll not conceal it. John doesn t attend church because he doesn t believe in GOD. In the book Mr. Hale asked John to say the Ten Commandments, John said all the commandments except for Thou shall not commit adultery. Early in the beginning of the play John Proctor had an affair with Abigail (one of the girls in the village who accuse people of witchery and John Proctors ex servant). Abigail was fired from the Proctors house when Elizabeth found out about the affair. Elizabeth also lost faith in her husband. John s affair with Abigail ended up putting him in jail. When John was put in jail, there were many others who ere accused of witchery. During this time period it was a sin to lie. He though since he was already a sinner for committing adultery and for denying GOD, he felt what was one more lie going to do.
- I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud, I am no that man. My honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man. Nothing is spoiled bye giving them this he that were not rotten long before. When he confessed to being a witch, the court demanded him to give a written testimony. While giving his testimony, he was asked if he saw anyone with the devil. Proctor said, The nit is proved why must I say it? I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. Proctor soon signed the paper, but he refused to let the court have possession of the paper. He though to save his name and couldn t do that by exposing his friends. You are the high court your word is good enough I tell them that I confessed myself; say proctor broke to his knees and wept like a woman; say what you will but my name I cannot! Proctor continues on to say that, Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave my name! Proctors test left him only with two paths. Proctor may lie and loose the good name that he has built up for himself and his family or, tell the truth and live in nothing but lies for all of his life. In Proctors final decision he tells the truth and dies for what he thinks is right, not for what he knows is a lie.
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