Commentary on The Crucible Essay

Never underestimate the power of one decision. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller the town of Salem, Massachusetts is brought into uproar by Abigail Williams a teenage girl who begins making cries of witchcraft. When the whole town is convinced the devil is amongst them, John Proctor, who recently broke off a relationship with Abigail Williams, attempts to come out and bring the truth to light. However, Abigail and her friends go on a rampage accusing many more people including some of the most charitable and wide respected people in town. John Proctor tries to confess his affair with Abigail in order to prove to the courts that she is a devious liar, but he gets inadvertently overruled by his wife who had knowledge of the affair, but not Johns confession. Eventually, Abigail flees and the courts continue to prosecute and eventually hang those who did not confess. Three characters that encountered a crucible during the play are Giles Corey, Elizabeth Proctor and John Proctor.

Giles Corey faced a crucible because he has to choose between exposing his source that can prove Putnam is against him or keeping quiet and protecting that person. In a court hearing Giles Corey is arguing that Putnam is only accusing his wife of witchcraft because he wants to gain their land as payback for the deaths of their seven children four of which had Martha Corey as the nurse. He tells Danforth that he knows someone who has can verify the intentions of Putnam. When Danforth asks Giles to tell him the name in open court, Giles refuses saying that he was told this in confidence. I will not give you his name. I mentioned my wifes name once and Ill burn in hell long enough for that. I stand mute (1323). An insight into Giles thinking is that he cannot mention the name because when he mentioned in court he saw his wife doing something odd, she was accused of witchcraft and is due to hang. If he does mention the name then he may be able to help his wife, but the person who informed him of Putnams intention would be thrown in jail. A factor in his decision is that he does not trust the courts after what happened to his wife, and he knows that if he gives the name his land would be auctioned off, and would probably go to Putnam. Since he did not give the name, he was given a death sentence; however his land went to his relatives and not to Putnam. Giles Corey faced a crucible because he essentially had to make a single choice that, no matter which way he chose, would have multiple severe ramifications.

Elizabeth Proctor encountered a crucible because she had to choose whether to say that she was aware that her husband had a relationship with Abigail or lie and say that she had no knowledge of this. When Abigail Williams was denying Johns accusation that the two of them had a relationship, Danforth brought in Elizabeth Proctor to expose the truth. Preceding this, Danforth informed Proctor that his wife, who is due to hang, is pregnant. When Danforth questions Proctor about this, because there was no medical evidence and if she was pregnant the baby would be allowed to be born, Proctor told Danforth that she has never and will never lie. Once Danforth brings Elizabeth Proctor in he instructs Proctor to look away from his wife and asks Elizabeth if Proctor had ever had an affair. Unaware that Proctor had wanted her to expose his wrongdoing, she denied it. Danforth: Is your husband a lecher? Elizabeth: No sir (1335). Here, Elizabeth Proctor is attempting to boost her husbands credibility to the court. She is unaware that what she needed to do was to tell the truth. Had she told the truth, all of Abigails credibility would have been gone, and the witch trials may have come to an end. However, since she told the truth, and since John said she would never lie, she has condemned her husband, and has only added fuel to the fire of the erroneous court proceedings. Elizabeth Proctor faced a crucible because she had no way of knowing which answer would be the better one to give Danforth at that point in time.

John Proctor faced a crucible because he had to decide if he was going to live and go to hell or die and go to heaven. When John Proctor gets thrown in jail after Abigail pretends to be approached by his spirit, Proctor is debating whether he should confess and survive, but go to hell, or tell the truth and die, but go to heaven. Plus, his wife is now pregnant and due to hang once the child is born. Both Parris and Hale are urging him to confess. Hale wants him to confess because he is starting to believe that God damns liars less than those who would die for their own pride, Parris wants a confession from John Proctor because it would justify all the courts proceedings so far and he would save face. Eventually, Proctor confesses and signs his confession. However, when asked to hand it to the court official Proctor refuses and tears it up. He is then asked by the court official why he tore it up. 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 those who hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name! (1357). In this case, Proctor is deciding whether to live or die. If he had chosen to give the confession statement to Danforth, then he will be allowed to live, however he would go to hell for lying. Since he tore it up, he will die and, in Puritan belief, go to heaven because he did not lie to the court officials. However, Proctor had already committed many sins including working on the Sabbath, and adultery which could have landed him in hell regardless. Other factors in his decision were that he had a child on the way, and he knew that once that child was born, his wifes death sentence would be carried out. In the end, John Proctor did as Martha Corey, Giles Corey, and Rebecca Nurse did. He elected to preserve his name during his last moments by telling the truth and denying that he was witched. John Proctor faced a crucible because he was forced to make a decision that meant life or death for him both in this life and the next.

Three characters that came into contact with a crucible during the play were Giles Corey, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor. Giles Corey faced a crucible because he had to choose between exposing his source that can verify that Putnam is against him, or keeping his promise of confidence to that person. Elizabeth Proctor encountered a crucible because she was forced to decide whether to say that she was aware that her husband had a relationship with Abigail or lie and say that she had no awareness of this. John Proctor faced a crucible because he had to decide if he was going to live and go to hell or die and go to heaven. The power of one decision can be so immense and have so many fallouts that it could even, as proven throughout the play, determine life of death for not only the person making the decision, but for others as well.