The Crucible

Arthur Miller
Enduring Understanding

The Crucible underscores the enduring truth that when fear,

intolerance, and the desire for power combine, it can lead to the
persecution of innocent individuals and the erosion of justice and
morality.
 Learning Target:
1. I can describe the historical background of the Salem witch trials in the late 17th
century.
2. I can explain how the Red Scare and McCarthyism in the 20th century relate to
the events in the play.
3. I can identify and discuss the major themes in the play.
4. I can analyze the significance of symbols like the crucible, the poppet, and the
forest in the narrative.
5. I can answer questions to demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of the
main events and characters in The Crucible as I relate to the author's theme
development.
 ● Born in 1915 in New York City
• His father’s business failed because of the
About the Author
Depression
• Family moved around a lot because of poverty
• Attended the University of Michigan
Returned to NYC after graduating college
o No luck with writing!
• Finally had a play of his on Broadway
o All My Sons (1947)
• In 1949, wrote Death of a Salesman
Wrote The Crucible in the early 1950s
o Was accused of being a Communist
 Firstly, what is a crucible?
Crucible:
§a vessel or melting pot

§A test of the most decisive kind, a severe

trial
crucible = a vessel in which substances
are heated to high temperatures, the
impure elements being melted away to
leave the pure elements behind.
 Why did Arthur Miller call his play ‘The
Crucible’?
● The word, “crucible”, is never mentioned throughout the play, yet it is a
title of great symbolic importance
● In the play Salem is the Crucible (in scientific sense) and the characters are
the substances. The Crucible is supposed to separate the pure from the
impure substances, so in Salem, this separates the pure characters from the
impure characters. Throughout the play, Miller has characters face severe
tests that make them question their own self.
● The term crucible could also be used to describe the heat of the situation.
Innocent people were caught up in the witch hunt were thrown into an
overheated situation that had been blown completely out of proportion.
● The crucible may also symbolize Hell. As substances in a crucible melt and
disintegrate they form a completely different substance. This could symbolize
the society of Salem disintegrating and forming into a completely new one.
The drama entails….
Puritanism
+
Witchcraft
+
McCarthyism
+
Arthur Miller
+
Mass Hysteria
 The Salem Witch Trial: Why did it
happen?
It began as a way for the oppressed girls to avoid being punished.

It then became an ideal way to get revenge on anyone whom you disliked .
People started accusing their neighbors of being witches so they could steal their
farmland.

People accused others of being witches if they wanted to steal their husbands or wives

or possessions .
LINK:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVd8kuufBhM
 Mccarthyism/Fear of Communism
● In America, the common perception was that the Communists were “an
empire of Evil”.
● Communism stood for repressive police states, human rights abuses and lack
of freedom.
● Beginning of Red scare
● Enter: Joseph McCarthy and the HUAC
-questioned Americans who were suspected of being Communists.
-summoned thousands of people to testify
-Goal: to get as many names of “Communists” as possible
● These people had two options:
-Admit to being a Communist and tell McCarthy names of other people who
attended Communist meetings
OR
-Refuse to admit anything (or rat out others) and be blacklisted
▪ Can’t get work if blacklisted
▪ A Lose-Lose situation
The Crucible

A powerful, fictional re-telling of a historical moment in 17th

century America: the “witch trials” of Salem, Massachusetts
in 1692. A play famous for rousing the conscience of
America, and one of the landmark dramas of the century, it
depicts how difficult it is to defend principles and human
dignity under conditions of paranoia, fear, and hysteria. The
Crucible is an allegory of the insidious spread and reach of
McCarthyism in the early ‘50s.
THEMES
 Hysteria

The thematic significance of hysteria builds quickly as accusations of witchcraft

proliferate throughout Salem. The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes
insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices
in the community. The seeds are planted in Act 1, when Abigail is questioned about
her activities in the woods and ends up accusing Tituba of witchcraft to avoid
punishment. The town, already primed with rumors of black magic, is quickly willing
to accept that the first few women who are accused are involved in black magic
because they’re beggars and slaves. No one considers that the accusers are lying,
partially because they’re seen as innocent children and partially because many
“witches” confess to avoid the death penalty. Armed with the false proof of these
coerced confessions, the court officials aggressively persecute anyone who is
accused. This is a lesson in how fear can twist perceptions of reality even for those
who consider themselves reasonable under normal circumstances.
 MOB MENTALITY
The play highlights the dangers of mob mentality and the importance of
maintaining one's integrity and critical thinking in the face of collective
hysteria.
The witch hunt is mainly fueled by mob hysteria and targets people with
unorthodox and nonconformist opinions. When Tituba’s forced confession
grabs Betty Parris’ attention, she joins Tituba in listing the names of people
she suspects of practicing witchcraft.
Another example of mob hysteria occurs when Mary delivers evidence of
the girls’ fraudulent activities. As Mary continues her testimony, Abigail
feigns hysteria, thereby solidifying her case. She also falsely claims that she
has to endure bodily chills whenever she looks at Mary. When Mary
responds, the other girls mimic every word Mary utters in an instance of
group hysteria.
 REPUTATION
Reputation is the way that other people perceive you. Integrity is the way you
perceive yourself. Several characters in The Crucible face a tough decision: to protect
their reputation or their integrity. Parris, Abigail, and others choose to protect their
reputations. Rebecca Nurse and, eventually, John Proctor, choose to protect their
integrity. In The Crucible, Arthur Miller focuses on the witch hunt to illustrate that
one’s actions can be driven by the intent to preserve one’s reputation. It also shows
that unfounded suspicions and rumors can ruin a person’s public and private image.

The characters are driven to sin in order to preserve their reputation. John is more
focused on preserving his private image and believes that by confessing to adultery—
which will destroy his public image—he can prove his honesty, a trait he greatly values.
To this end, he even rips apart his signed confession, thereby condemning himself to
death. He prefers death to living with a tarnished reputation.
 INJUSTICE

The Crucible problematizes the concept of justice; it suggests that justice is

the prerogative of a few authority figures whose word is often
unchallenged and taken as the law. Those with a different perspective than
the ones authorized by the government or church are charged with heresy
and siding with the Devil.
Reverend Parris accuses anyone who offers evidence against the girls. John
Proctor publicly relates his dislike of Reverend Parris. His word deviates
from the established norm and ideology. Since he has opposed the
accepted views of the Bible, the judges find it easy to convict John and to
absolve themselves of any wrongdoing.
Reverend Hale’s questioning of the fairness of the judge’s belief in the girls’
CHARACTER MAP
Character Sketch

There are seven characters in The Crucible which are

integral to the plot of the drama. We will discuss their
relationships with the other characters and their
personalities.
JOHN PROCTOR’S RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER CHARACTERS
 JOHN PROCTOR
John Proctor is one of the key characters in "The Crucible" and can be considered the leading male role of the play. Like
many of the storylines from Ancient Greece, "The Crucible" charts the downfall of the tragic hero: John Proctor.

Proctor's character contains a caustic blend of pride and self-loathing, a very puritanical combination indeed. He takes
pride in his farm and community and his sense of religion and communal spirit has led to many public contributions. In
fact, he helped construct the town's church. His anger in the play is generated by the unjust society which he inhabits.
The more the town becomes collectively paranoid, the more he rages.

His self-esteem sets him apart from other members of the town as he speaks his mind when he recognises injustice,
unlike the Putnams. Despite his prideful ways, John Proctor describes himself as a "sinner." He has cheated on his wife,
and he is loath to admit the crime to anyone else. There are moments when his anger and disgust towards himself burst
forth, such as in the climactic moment when he exclaims to Judge Danforth: "I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy
face! And it is my face, and yours."

Throughout the play, he openly disagrees with the actions of Reverend Parris, a choice that ultimately leads to his
execution.

**Proctor is described by Miller as “respected and even feared in Salem,” having “a sharp and biting way with
hypocrites” even though he “regards himself as a kind of a fraud” due to his affair with Abigail Williams.
 ELIZABETH PROCTOR
Wife of John Proctor

Although Elizabeth Proctor is reserved, slow to complain and dutiful, as many

Puritan women were described, she finds it painful that her husband committed
adultery with their “strikingly beautiful” and cunning young servant, Abigail
Williams. Before the affair, Elizabeth had encountered a few challenges in her
marriage. A palpable distance between Elizabeth and John can be felt during the
first acts of the play.

Despite the uneasiness of their relationship, Elizabeth serves as Proctor’s

conscience. When her husband experiences confusion or ambivalence, she prompts
him onto the path of justice. When the manipulative Abigail sparks a witch-hunt in
their community, of which Elizabeth becomes a target, Elizabeth urges John to put a
stop to the witch trials by revealing the truth about Abigail’s sinful, destructive
ways.

Given her function in John’s life and that she’s one of few morally upright
characters in “The Crucible,” it’s fitting that her character delivers the final lines of
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER
CHARACTERS

NIECE

SERVANT
COUSIN
 ABIGAIL WILLIAMS
Abigail Williams is the antagonist of the play The Crucible. She has been
described as “strikingly beautiful girl … with an endless capacity for
dissembling”.
We see in the play that Abigail lies, cheats and manipulates the townspeople
and the entire town which leads to the death of nineteen innocent people. The
hysteria that is caused is the sole outcome for her desire to have John Proctor
and exact revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. Her desperate act of self-preservation
soon becomes her avenue of power as she misdirects the focus from herself by
accusing others of witchcraft. Abigail represents the repressed desires that all of
the Puritans possess. Later in the drama we see that Abigail overcomes her
suppression and pursues John Proctor.
Abigail lacks a conscience to keep herself in check and as a result, she sees no
folly in her affair with Proctor. Her willingness to discard Puritan social
restrictions sets her apart from the other characters, and also leads to her
downfall.
 DEPUTY GOVERNOR DANFORTH
Judge Danforth is the deputy governor of Massachusetts and he presides
over the witch trials in Salem alongside Judge Hathorne. The leading
figure among the magistrates, Danforth is a key character in the story.
Judge Danforth represents something more agonizing: tyranny. There is
no questioning that Danforth believes he is doing the work of God and
that those on trial shall not be treated unjustly in his courtroom. However,
his misguided belief that the accusers speak the undeniable truth in their
charges of witchery shows his vulnerability.
Danforth rules the courtroom like a dictator. He is an icy character who
firmly believes that Abigail Williams and the other girls are incapable of
lying. If the young women so much as shout out a name, Danforth
assumes the name belongs to a witch. His gullibility is exceeded only by
his self-righteousness.
He is described by Miller as "a grave man in his sixties, of some humor
and sophistication that do not, however, interfere with an exact loyalty
to his position and his cause"
REVEREND PARRIS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER
CHARACTERS

Minister

Father Uncle
 REVEREND PARRIS
In "The Crucible," Parris is shown to be a despicable man. This town preacher believes himself to
be a pious man, but in truth, he is motivated entirely by self-interest. Throughout the play, one
of Parris’ main concerns is for his reputation. When Bettyfalls ill, his main worries are not for her
health but for what the town will think of him if they suspect there is witchcraft in his home.
When Mary Warren testifies that she and the girls were only ever pretending to be affected by
witchcraft, Parris pushes her statement aside—he would rather continue the trials than deal with
the scandal of his daughter and niece being known as liars.

Parris is also motivated by selfishness, though he camouflages his actions with a facade of
holiness. For example, he once wanted his church to have gold candlesticks. Therefore,
according to John Proctor, the reverend preached only about the candlesticks until he attained
them.

Parris' lack of redeemable qualities continues to show during the play's resolution. He wants to
save John Proctor from the hangman's noose, but only because he worries that the town may
rise against him and perhaps kill him in retaliation. Even after Abigail steals his money and runs
 REVEREND HALE

Hale is one of the most noble and dynamic characters in the play.
He goes from being a Reverend just doing his job to a man that
helps and defends those accused for the greater good. In the
beginning, Hale was just an average Reverend who was called
down to Salem by Reverend Parris to see what ails his niece and
to make sure she was not under the spell of a witch. But Abigail
began to take his motivation to find witchcraft as an advantage to
manipulate him. By the end of the play his outlook has changed
considerably. Unlike the other priests, his insistence on
uncovering facts makes it impossible for him to overlook the
evidence indicating that those condemned of witchcraft in Salem
were innocent.
 GILES COREY

Giles Corey is a strong old man who has recently converted to Christianity. He's likeable but
is not too bright. His biggest bumble in the play is when he brings up the fact that his wife
reads strange books. To Giles, any book is strange, and the idea of a woman wanting to read
blows his mind. His mention of this fact leads to an accusation that his wife is a witch.

Giles feels terrible about this. He knows his wife is innocent and recognizes that his actions
have led to her incarceration and impending death.

Later in the play we see how Corey changes from a foolish old man, into a hero who
courageously dies for his family’s well-being and honor. We see how later in the play, Giles
defends his wife but not himself because he knows that he will anyway be hanged even if
he pleads not guilty. Not entering his plea enables him to keep his 600 acres of land but he
is sentenced to death.
 MARY WARREN

Mary Warren’s character in the drama has been shown as that of a quintessential coward.
She is one of the many girls who accuse others of being witches. Though she knows it is
wrong, she continues to cover up her faults with lies. Mary Warren finally accuses John
Proctor of witchcraft in Act IV because she is a coward and does not want to take the
blame for the hysteria she has helped to create.Mary Warren very well knows that
Elizabeth is not a witch and Abigail has accused her just for personal vengeance, but Mary
does not agree to it in court . Mary believe that going back on her statement that she has
already given in court will lead to people distrusting her.

She also falsely accuses John Proctor of witchcraft to save herself from hanging.
 OTHER CHARACTERS
Rebecca Nurse
Francis Nurse’s wife. Rebecca is a wise, sensible, and upright woman, held in tremendous regard by most

of the Salem community. However, she falls victim to hysteria when the Putnams accuse her of witchcraft

and she refuses to confess.

Francis Nurse
A wealthy, influential man in Salem. Nurse is well respected by most people in Salem, but he is an enemy

of Thomas Putnam and his wife.

Thomas Putnam
A wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, Putnam holds a grudge against Francis Nurse for preventing

Putnam’s brother-in-law from being elected to the office of minister. He uses the witch trials to increase his

own wealth by accusing people of witchcraft and then buying up their land.
Ann Putnam
Thomas Putnam’s wife. Ann Putnam has given birth to eight children, but only Ruth Putnam survived. The
other seven died before they were a day old, and Ann is convinced that they were murdered by
supernatural means.

Ruth Putnam
The Putnams’ lone surviving child out of eight. Like Betty Parris, Ruth falls into a strange stupor after
Reverend Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the woods at night.

Tituba
Reverend Parris’s black slave from Barbados. Tituba agrees to perform voodoo at Abigail’s request.

Martha Corey
Giles Corey’s third wife. Martha’s reading habits lead to her arrest and conviction for witchcraft.
Ezekiel Cheever

A man from Salem who acts as clerk of the court during the witch trials. He is upright and determined to

do his duty for justice.

Judge Hathorne

A judge who presides, along with Danforth, over the witch trials.

Herrick

The marshal of Salem.

Mercy Lewis

One of the girls in Abigail’s group.

ACT -1
 Themes
1. Hysteria and Fear:

Example: The act opens with Reverend Parris praying beside his
daughter Betty's bed. The atmosphere in the household is tense and
fearful as rumors of witchcraft and unnatural events circulate in the
community.

1. Social and Religious Strife:

Example: The conflict between Reverend Parris and John Proctor
reflects the broader tensions within the community. Parris is
concerned with his reputation and status, while Proctor is critical of
Parris's preaching and the growing religious extremism in Salem.
3. The Power of Reputation:

Example: Reverend Parris is obsessed with maintaining his reputation in the

community. He fears the repercussions if it's discovered that his daughter and
niece were involved in questionable activities in the woods. This fear influences
his actions and decisions.

4. The Role of Women:

Example: The accusations of witchcraft often target women, and the power
dynamics between men and women are evident. Abigail Williams, for instance,
uses her position as Parris's niece to manipulate situations to her advantage.

5. Irony:

Example: There is irony in the fact that the girls who are initially engaged in
forbidden and supernatural activities are the ones later accusing others of
witchcraft. This irony contributes to the sense of moral confusion and
manipulation.
6. Foreshadowing:

One notable example of foreshadowing occurs in the opening scene, where

Reverend Parris is praying over his daughter Betty, who lies unconscious. Parris
is deeply concerned about his reputation and the possible implications of Betty's
condition. In this scene, there is a conversation between Parris and his niece
Abigail Williams, which includes the following lines:

Parris: There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit. Do you

understand that?
Abigail: I do, uncle.

This exchange foreshadows the community's internal conflicts and sets the stage
for the power struggles and accusations that will emerge later in the play. The
mention of a faction opposed to Parris hints at the social and religious strife that
will intensify as the witch trials unfold. It suggests that there are underlying
tensions in Salem that will contribute to the hysteria and chaos that follow.
 MOTIFS AND CONNOTATIONS IN ACT 1

Open vs. Closed Spaces

This motif is explored in this act through the contrast between the forest and the
village of Salem. The forest, considered to be “the Devil’s last preserve, his home
base and the citadel of his final stand” p. 15 is considered “off-limits” to the
members of Salem’s society as it is associated with the wild “Indian tribes” p. 14
which lived in there. However, it is within this open place where there is no one
watching that the girls are able to be free – suggested by the image of the girl’s
dancing in the forest. In contrast, the interaction between the characters in this act
takes place in Parris’ home and there seems to be no freedom, all the characters are
being scrutinised by another, e.g. the Putnams arrive to take pleasure in seeing the
Parris’ distress about his daughter’s health and as the act progresses and more
characters enter, there seems to be no freedom and the feeling of claustrophobia
heightens. The fact that open spaces provide freedom is further highlighted through
the fact that Proctor and Abigail gave into their desires outside Proctor’s house,
“you clutched my back behind your house” p. 29, thus revealing that outside of their
homes, the characters are able to be who they desire and do whatever they wish to
 Light vs. Dark

This motif is seen at the start of the play in the description of the
room in which Betty is lying: “There is a narrow window at the left.
Through its leaded panes the morning sunlight streams. A candle
still burns near the bed” p. 13.This description reveals the similarity
between the contrasts of light and dark to open and closed spaces:
outside the house, where there is sunlight, there is complete
freedom, nothing is hidden. However, inside the house, where there
is little light and a candle is being used to create what little light
there is, there are many secrets, emphasised by the fact that no one
knows the reason for Betty’s sickness or what happened the night
before in the forest.
 Truth vs. Lies
This motif is mainly seen associated with Abigail’s character within this
act: we see Abigail lying to Parris about what they were doing in the
forest the night before, telling Parris that they “We did dance...And
there’s the whole of it” p. 19, but not revealing that else took place the
night before. She threatens Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren, saying that
if either of the girls talk “about the other things” p. 26, she will “bring a
pointy reckoning that will shudder” p. 26 them. We also see Proctor
trying to persuade Abigail to forget about the relationship they shared,
telling her to “Wipe it out of mind” p. 29. This motif reveals the
importance of putting on an appearance in society as, when it is
revealed that the girls had made some “brew” p. 45 last night and that
Tituba made it, she is immediately charged of witchery, showing the
dangerous nature of truth in this society.
 Act 2 - Summary- The Proctors’ house
● John and Elizabeth discuss the trials in Salem, and they both realize things are
getting out of hand. Video link: Act II - John and Elizabeth Talk

● Elizabeth tells John he has to go into town and inform them that Abigail is
lying. John's hesitates owing to his affair with her.

● Mary Warren, who went to Salem to testify against the Proctors' wishes,
returns to the house and gives Elizabeth a poppet (doll) she made in court.
Mary reveals that Elizabeth was accused in court, but she spoke up in her
defense.

● Hale arrives and questions the Proctors about their religious devotion based
on the accusations levied against Elizabeth.

● John tells him that the girls are frauds, and Hale actually starts to doubt the
validity of the accusers' claims.
● Giles Corey and Francis Nurse come to the house in distress, revealing
that both of their wives have been arrested for witchcraft.

● Then, Ezekiel Cheever and Marshal Herrick arrive with a warrant for
Elizabeth's arrest. They find the doll that Mary gave her and notice that
it has a needle stuck in it. This matches up with the "attack" on Abigail
allegedly perpetrated by Elizabeth's spirit.

● Proctor gets Mary to tell the truth about the doll. Mary says that she
made it in court and stuck the needle in herself with Abigail sitting right
next to her. However, the authorities are not convinced by this story.
Proctor tears up the arrest warrant in frustration, but Elizabeth agrees
to go peacefully.
● When everyone else has left, Proctor tells Mary that she must testify
on Elizabeth's behalf in court. Mary is terrified to do this because she
 Irony in Act 2

● The Proctors can rely only on Mary Warren to save themselves from Abigail’s treachery.
Yet she is the weakest and most pliable character in The Crucible. She alone has the
power to stop the hysteria of the witchcraft trials. Mary requires intense pressure from
John Proctor to even consider admitting to the falsehood in court. However, despite her
weakness Mary Warren is as dangerous as Abigail, for the honest girl betrays none of
Abigail's malicious bearing and thus appears more overtly innocent. She is a pawn who
may be used by the Proctors to prove their innocence, but Miller foreshadows that Mary
Warren may be used by Abigail to serve her own purposes as well.
● Miller creates a situation of bleak irony in this chapter with the arrest of Rebecca Nurse
and Elizabeth Proctor. These characters are the most upright in the play, yet are accused
of witchcraft by two of the most unprincipled, Putnam and Abigail. The witchcraft hysteria
has created a situation in which the accuser of witchcraft is automatically presumed holy,
as Proctor notes, while even the most spiritual character may be suspected of Satanic
influence. In this situation the evil of Salem may raise their reputations at the expense of
 Irony in Act 2 contd..

● This act sees one of the most blatant examples of irony in the
play. When John is asked to recite the ten commandments, the
only one he forgets is the one most applicable to him, adultery
("Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife."). This shows how hard
John is trying to repress his guilt.
Video link:
https://youtu.be/ishkNseK7Jw?si=5Qua7FkkwevoveHd&t=1078

Start at 17.58 to 19.34

 Act 2 Analysis

Elizabeth is suspicious of her husband, worrying when he arrives at home late for
dinner and uses a condescending tone when her husband admits that he was alone
with Abigail. Elizabeth is a morally upright woman, respectable and dignified, yet with
an air of superiority that renders her frigid and distant. Proctor feels that Elizabeth has
made her home into a repressive atmosphere, continually punishing her husband for
his wrongdoing.
The Proctor household has an atmosphere of guilt that mirrors the similar conditions
within larger Puritan society. Proctor is remorseful for his infidelity and asked for
forgiveness, yet there is neither catharsis within his marriage nor reconciliation. Like
the rest of their Puritan society, the Proctors need an outlet to compensate for John's
sins and without this means for redemption they are committed to a perpetual
obsession with past infidelity.
 Act 2 - Major Themes - two major themes
1.The line between public and private. The act itself moves from the intimate conversation between
husband and wife to more public matters, but the division between these two spheres becomes
vague. Even in this setting, the public discussions of the Proctors' guilt or innocence occurs within the
home. Reverend Hale and the other court officials use private information for their public matters,
such as information about the frequency with which they attend church and their belief in the
existence of witches. The court officials investigate all aspects of the suspects' private lives. Under
such intense scrutiny, these officials are able to find any information that may be may interpreted as
evidence of guilt.
2. The ambiguity of evidence: Elizabeth, as a betrayed wife, suspects her husband's excuses for
coming home late. Then Reverend Hale's interpretation of John's forgetfulness of one of the Ten
Commandments and the evidence against Martha Corey, which deemed her a witch for reading
books. The most significant symbol of this theme is Mary Warren's poppet. The poppet
demonstrates that Abigail Williams is more villainous than earlier indicated. In the first act she
behaved solely out of self-interest. She was ready to do harm to others, but only to save herself.
However, in this instance she purposely frames Elizabeth Proctor out of revenge, planting the poppet
 Act 2 - Other important themes

Hysteria
> Hysteria has been heightened by several confessions which
seem to confirm the existence of an evil witch plot. People are
told they will be executed if they refuse to confess, so obviously
false confessions abound. Anyone who doubts the existence of
this plot is brought under suspicion.
> When the poppet is discovered in Elizabeth's possession, it is
taken as concrete proof that she's involved in witchcraft.
Elizabeth's side of the story immediately becomes virtually
irrelevant because Abigail's testimony is much scarier and more
 Act 2 - Other important themes
Reputation
Elizabeth knows that Abigail has it in for her because there's no other reason she
would take the risk of accusing a farmer's wife with a solid reputation. Elizabeth is an
upstanding member of the community, whereas other women who have been
accused were known to be unscrupulous.
Rebecca Nurse has been accused, a woman whose character was previously thought
to be unimpeachable. This shows how things are really getting out of control, but still
people hesitate to discredit the accusers out of fear for their own reputations.
Power and Authority
Abigail has gone from a nobody to one of the most powerful in Salem. It would be
incredibly difficult for her to go back on her accusations now. Abigail's low status in
normal times ironically gives her a great deal of power in her current situation. No one
thinks she's smart or devious enough to make up all these insane stories, so she is
 Act 2 - Other important themes

Guilt
John is frustrated with Elizabeth because she still doesn't fully
trust him, but he's really projecting his internal guilt about his
affair with Abigail onto her. John gets worked up because he's
angry at himself for essentially setting these accusations in
motion against his wife. He's frustrated that he hasn't been
allowed to leave the affair behind him and hates that he now has
to face up to real consequences. He underestimated Abigail and
is now paying the price.
ACT III
 Act 3 Summary- The Court Scene

Judge Hathorne is questioning Martha Corey off-stage.

Giles Corey interrupts the proceedings to defend his wife, and he is dragged into a room
off of the court (on stage) by Marshal Herrick. They are accompanied by Judge Hathorne,
Governor Danforth, Reverend Parris and Reverend Hale, Francis Nurse, and Ezekiel
Cheever.

Mary admits to Danforth that she and the other girls were faking the whole time. Danforth
is not convinced that this is the truth based on the evidence of witchcraft he's seen in
court.

Proctor presents a petition signed by 91 people who are willing to vouch for the good
character of Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Martha Corey.
Proctor then presents a statement from Giles Corey where Corey testifies that Putnam
encouraged his daughter, Ruth, to make accusations against George Jacobs so Putnam could
snatch up Jacobs’ land. However, Giles refuses to reveal who gave him this information, so he is
arrested for contempt of court and his accusations are dismissed.
Finally, Proctor gives Danforth Mary Warren’s statement where she admits in writing that she and
the other girls were faking.
The girls are brought in from the courtroom for questioning by Danforth. Abigail denies Mary’s
accusations. The judges doubt Mary even more when she is unable to pretend to faint like she
says she did in the courtroom.
Mary tells the court that girls are pretending to be bewitched. THey suddenly start pretending
that Mary has bewitched them.
John admits to his affair with Abigail to ruin her reputation. Elizabeth’s brought in and asked if it’s
true. She denies it which destroys John’s case against Abigail.
The girls pretend that Mary’s spirit is attacking them. She breaks down and accuses John of doing
the Devil’s work which leads to his arrest.
 Act 3 Analysis
Mood & Tone
The intensity of act three in the crucible allows a dramatic shift to occur that allows the
act to have a grim appeal that makes it connect to the surreal events that occurred in
1692 as the play was written by author Arthur Miller in 1952.
Act three has a very unsaturated and nightmarish mood as it really allows the play to
have a clear understanding in the sense that the reader knows this play is not a light
hearted play filled with joyous events, instead it is ruthless and surreal as people have
been hanged, some are being accused and killed, and some are the terrible minds behind
it causing people to disappear in the snap of a finger. Salem Massachusetts is no longer a
safe place where people can hide, instead it is a place filled with accusations and death.
Speaking of the author the court is back in session as people are being accused of being
involved with witchcraft and it seems that the author immediately sets the tone as being
pessimistic as the worst is yet to come and that the people in Salem Massachusetts bay
colony can expect much worse things to occur as people in this city are making things
difficult for themselves.
 Act 3 Analysis
Important Symbols/Devices

During Act III, there were many important symbols and literary devices that were significant to the plot
and historical context.

1. The Poppet
● The poppet discovered in act 3 is used as evidence to prove that Elizabeth was involved with
witchcraft.
● It was designed to look like a voodoo doll with a needle under the shirt.
● Back in 1692, a doll with a needle symbolized voodoo and black magic and most were essentially
used to harm others.

1. The Church
● The church is significant because it's supposed to be a holy and peaceful place yet complete chaos
and destruction breaks out discussing about devils and witches.
● Although, people are scared of witchcraft -it's actually the puritans influencing the chaos and
violence because they think it's right for any means to get rid of witchcraft.
 Act 3 Analysis

The church in act III was used as the courtroom to discuss the hangings of the accused
women and other cases related to Salem Witch Trials.(The noose is used in the gallows to
hang an individual. If a person was guilty of a crime, they would be sent to the gallows. It was
the punishment that awaited the “witches”)

3. Allusion
In The Crucible, the people of Salem refer to religion when making choices. The witches were
seen as devil worshipers. The belief of witchcraft and religion resulted in the Salem Witch
Trials.
Example:
Parris (to Danforth)makes the statement,
"I think not, or you should surely know that Cain were an upright man, and yet he did not kill
Abel."
Referring to the book of Genesis, They were the sons of Adam & Eves. Cain was the first
human born and Abel was the first human to die.
 Act 3 Analysis
4. Metaphor/Foreshadow
Arthur Miller used a metaphor to foreshadow events and draw more tension to the witch hunt and
how strong the court is.
Example:
Danforth says to Proctor "we burn a hot fire here; it melts down all concealment."
Significance: The power of court is so strong that it could burn whatever John's concealing,
Foreshadow: Later in the act - as tension begins to heat in court, John eventually confesses his
affair with Abigail.

5. Irony
Abigail and others like Danforth, Reverend Hale and Reverend Parris display the irony of this act.
These characters have titles and characteristics that everyone looks up to as good, innocent or
someone pure. The ironic part is they are the actual ones that influence the chaos and destruction.
Example:
Abigail looks innocent but manipulates fear and leads John and many others to their downfall.
Reverend Parris hides the witch events that happens in his house to keep his reputation and power
 Act 3 Major Themes
Irony

In Act 3, Reverend Hale continues to make ironic statements about the existence of concrete proof for
the accusations of witchcraft. While touting his holy credentials, he claims that he “dare not take a life
without there be a proof so immaculate no slightest qualm of my conscience may doubt it” (pg. 91). This
“immaculate proof” that has led him to sign numerous death warrants is nothing but the fabrications
of teenage girls and other townspeople seeking petty revenge.

Abigail’s presence is always rife with irony in The Crucible, as she constantly chastises others for sins she
herself has committed. When she is brought in for questioning and claims to see Mary’s familiar spirit,
she says “Envy is a deadly sin, Mary.” Abigail herself has acted out of envy for the entire play.

Hysteria

When the petition testifying to the good character of the accused women is presented, the reaction
from Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris is to arrest the people who signed it rather than considering that
this might indicate that the women are innocent. Danforth is convinced that “there is a moving plot to
topple Christ in the country!” and anyone who doubts the decisions of the court is potentially
 Act 3 Major Themes
Reputation

John Proctor sabotages his own reputation in Act 3 after realizing it's the only way he can discredit
Abigail. This is a decision with dire consequences in a town where reputation is so important, a fact
that contributes to the misunderstanding that follows. Elizabeth doesn’t realize that John is willing to
sacrifice his reputation to save her life. She continues to act under the assumption that his reputation is
of the utmost importance to him, and she does not reveal the affair. This lie essentially condemns both
of them.

Power and authority

Abigail’s power in the courthouse is on display. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining
Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Though Danforth is the most powerful official figure
in court, Abigail manipulates him easily with her performance as a victim of witchcraft.

Logic has no power to combat paranoia and superstition even when the claims of the girls are clearly
fraudulent. John Proctor surrenders his agency at the end of Act 3 in despair at the determination of
the court to pursue the accusations of witchcraft and ignore all evidence of their falsehood.
 Act 4 - Summary

● Danforth and Hawthorne meet in a jail cell and discuss their concerns with Parris' erratic behavior
and Hale's return to Salem.

● Parris joins them and reveals that Hale is advising the prisoners to confess.

● Parris also reveals that Abigail ran away with his life's savings, most likely because of the rising
societal discontent with the court's activities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mIcE9RfQMM

● Both Parris and Hale beg Danforth to either pardon the prisoners or postpone the hangings until
confessions are obtained because Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor still have such good
reputations, and their executions could cause an uprising.

● Danforth refuses because he's already executed other prisoners accused of the same crimes,
and he doesn't want to look weak.
● They decide to bring in Elizabeth Proctor so she can talk to John and hopefully convince him to
 Act 4 - Summary

● John and Elizabeth discuss this decision, and John is leaning towards confessing because he
doesn't feel he's worthy of martyrdom.

● Elizabeth tells him he has to make his own choice.

● John begins to confess, but he falters when he is ordered to sign his name to the confession and
learns that it will be displayed publicly.

● He tears up the confession and decides he will go to his death rather than permanently ruin his
reputation and sacrifice the only integrity he has left.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K19FtgBlz2A

● The officials try to convince Elizabeth to stop him, but she refuses because she recognizes this is
the only way John can end his feelings of self-hatred.

● John and Rebecca Nurse are led to the gallows to be executed.

 Relation of Part to Whole:
This act is structured in the same format as the rest of the acts with an informative beginning where the
characters discuss issues, followed by a conflict, a swift progression of events to build up tension, and then
ends on a climax, but it could be argued that act 4 has the most significant climax in “The Crucible”.

This is because the audience finally sees Proctor overcome his internal moral struggles and reach the
realisation that “he have his goodness now” and heroically sacrifice his life in order to defend his moral
values. Furthermore, it is in this act that we see the true elements of each character shine through –
Danforth, Hathorne and Cheever are all corrupt, cowardly and domineering authorities who abuse their
powers over Salem; Parris is the broken Reverend who is weak and pitiable; Hale is the every-day hero who
rebels against Salem’s distorted justice system; Elizabeth is the passive but morally just wife who allows her
husband to continue in his fight to a purity of his soul; and Proctor is the tragic hero who finally achieves
peace of mind.

Essentially, act 4 concludes Miller’s message to his 1950s American audience that they must cooperate as a
group of strong individuals and fight for the right to hold their own morals and beliefs by preventing
McCarthyism from destroying innocent lives and their society.
Prevalent 1. Roles and duties in
themes in Act 4 society
2. Reputation
3. Oppression
4. Rebellion
5. Hysteria
6. Power
 Roles and duties in society

Each character seems to have their own part to play in Salem’s society which is derived from
how the authorities tell them to behave or from a willingness to deviate from these social
‘norms’. For instance, the women are expected to be good Christians, “lack learning” , passive,
and be respectable “Goody” wives.
A feminist reading would reveal that Miller is stereotyping women, however, into the standard
‘motherly, caring, housewife’ role with no power over the men, as exemplified by Elizabeth and
Rebecca Nurse. Meanwhile, the men are also expected to be good Christians and respectable
husbands, but they are also more powerful and aggressive in society.
They are allowed to hold a position of power – such as Parris who is in charge of the church or
Hathorne who is a judge – and can do their duties in order to help their society develop.
Although, because Salem is such an unpleasant place seeping with fear and violence, Miller is
most likely trying to convey the idea that the roles and duties people have in this village are
wrong and corrupt, and so his audience must learn from that so as not to make the same
mistake. For example, McCarthy does not deserve his position of power because the
communist-eliminating duty he is carrying out is wrong.
Reputation ( Major theme of the play is Reputation and its upkeep )

John and Rebecca’s solid reputations lead to pushback against their executions even though
people were too scared to stand up for them in the midst of the trials. Parris begs Danforth to
postpone their hangings because he fears for his life if the executions proceed as planned. He
says, “I would to God it were not so, Excellency, but these people have great weight yet in the
town”

Danforth’s image is extremely valuable to him, and he refuses to allow Parris’ concerns to
disrupt his belief in the validity of his decisions.

John Proctor has a tough choice to make between losing his dignity and losing his life. The
price he has to pay in reputation to save his own life is ultimately too high. He chooses to die
instead of providing a false confession because he doesn’t think life will be worth living after
he is so disgraced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA7EhWmqX_A
 Oppression
None of the characters in this play seem to be exempt from the church and the government’s
rule of oppression, not even the tragic hero John Proctor.

People such as Parris, Hathorne and Danforth control every little aspect of people’s lives,
including what religion they must have, how they must behave in society, what they must
believe, and so forth, and this very restrictive and highly pressurised society is conveyed through
the setting of the play which is always indoors in a small room often with “a high barred
window…heavy door…in darkness but for the moonlight”.

Miller seems to want to emphasise the extent of this inhumane oppression in order to
demonstrate to his 1950s audience what they must not allow to happen by creating such
extreme and absurd circumstances, for example, if one lies and confesses to working with the
Devil one would live, but if one is honest and does not confess then one is hanged. Severe
punishments such as this, violence and religion are all the tools of oppression in this play.
 Rebellion
A consequence of extreme oppression is rebellion, and it seems very ironic that this would
inevitably occur despite it being the very occurrence which the authorities have tried to prevent
in the first place.
Miller depicts rebellion in two ways in act 4; firstly, there is Proctor’s personal triumph over
Salem’s justice system which happens when he goes against what everyone advises him to do
and instead trusts his morals by not confessing and getting hanged for it, and secondly there is
an entire town’s uprising as “Andover have thrown out the court…and will have no part of
witchcraft”.
The fact that Hathorne and Danforth are oblivious to the fact that Salem is beginning to riot
hypocritically shows how they are not even aware of the situation they were trying to prevent, for
instance when Danforth asks “you have heard rebellion spoken in the town?”, to which Hale
replies “there are orphans wandering…better you should marvel how they do not burn your
province!”It appears that Miller is trying to tell his audience that some form of rebellion must
occur, possibly by first rebelling against society as an individual before working together with
others to overthrow the corrupt government, so the country can be saved from destruction.
Hysteria
Danforth also becomes frustrated with Proctor when he won’t name names in his confession:
“Mr. Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw [Rebecca Nurse] with the Devil” (pg.
130). Danforth insists that John must know more about the Devil's dealings than he has revealed.
Though Rebecca Nurse's involvement has already been corroborated by other confessors, Danforth
demands to hear it from John to confirm that John is fully committed to renouncing his supposed ties to
Satan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmneeIeh-
TQ&list=PLGd6DQsGhKcWLC8DmXmyODeCbY6JeKNtG&index=8

Power
Although power seems to lie in the hands of the authorities – in Salem this would have been the church and
the justice system whilst in America this would have been the government – Miller possibly wants to show his
audience that in actual fact power lies in the people who make up the society. Without the full cooperation and
obedience of the Salemites, Hathorne and Danforth would not be so influential and people would carry on
living according to their own social and moral ideals. However, because the Salem Miller presents to us was
already very oppressed, its people cannot seem to see that they can still change this situation by fighting
together for what they believe in. By showing this to his audience, the playwright is telling them to open their
eyes and see the reality that they can and must take action against McCarthyism.