The Crucible: Sifting Out Evil from the Pot of Goodness

Arthur Miller, an excellent playwright, wrote The Crucible in 1953 while living in Hollywood, California. This dramatic play shows Arthur’s protagonist, John Proctor, struggling with decisions that affect the future of his family and his community. Throughout the play we see John develop emotionally and socially, continually searching for the “fixed star,” John’s rightful place within his home and his soul. With much agonizing thought, John eventually makes a decision that shows bravery to reach the right choice. This bravery comes with determination and ultimate love.

John Proctor is a farmer around 35 years of age. Proctor has a strong personality which limits his patience with hypocrisy. Ironically John is hypocritical himself. Living supposedly a Christian life, John finds himself in a love affair with a beautiful young girl, Abigail Williams.

I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart!

I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught

by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me

tear the light of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and what-

ever sin it is, you love me yet! Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Holt and Winston, 2000. 839. Print.

John lets temptation lead him. John finds his actions with Abigail dishonorable and is trying to make amends. What John does not realize is the depths in which Abigail will go to get what she wants. Abigail is willing to risk everything to be with John including lying. This lie is the seed that allows the hatred of witchcraft and unwillingness to believe and trust in good people to grow and fester, ultimately killing human lives.

One of the good and decent people in Salem is John’s wife Elizabeth. John Proctor loves Elizabeth, even though she doesn’t excite him as he would like. John has faltered, and Elizabeth becomes distant. Elizabeth is hurt but is not walking away or lashing out. This silence is driving John mad. John is caught between guilt and Elizabeth’s silent disapproving manner. Elizabeth knows John could expose Abigail as a fraud, but John is unwilling to expose himself in the process so he does nothing.

Proctor: Spare me! You forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’. Learn charity, woman. I have gone

tiptoe in this house all seven month since she is gone. I have not moved from there

to there without I think to please you, and still an everlasting funeral marches around

your heart. 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!

Proctor: No more! I should have roared you down when first you told me your suspicion.

but I wilted, and, like a Christian, I confessed. Confessed! Some dream I had must have

mistaken you for God that day. But you’re not, you’re not, and let you remember it!

Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not.

Elizabeth: I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you.

I never thought you but a good man, John, only somewhat bewildered. (852)

John considers himself a Christian man but because of his dislike for Rev. Parris, is negligent about attending services. John is not able to pray openly with a man he loathes. This action along with adultery has put John and God’s relationship in question, both by John and the citizens in Salem. At this time however, John has no idea his strong will will bring trouble for his family and himself.

Unlike John, Abigail seems to have refused a relationship with God. She leads the other girls to falsely accusing innocent people of witchery. Abigail has one goal in mind, which is getting rid of Elizabeth. The girls are fearful of Abigail, and so they follow blindly. The courts arrest Elizabeth and John begins the horrible journey between goodness and evil.

Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always

holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers? I’ll tell you

what’s walking Salem-vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always

were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the

kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law! I’ll not give my wife to vengeance! (860)

The vengeance John speaks of is Abigail’s vengeance against Elizabeth. John is not going to let Elizabeth die because of his adultery. John realizes his actions have created this mess and will not let Elizabeth suffer from it. John will protect Elizabeth and bring her back. “I will bring you home. I will bring you soon.” (861)

John decides to do whatever it takes to free Elizabeth, which means John must destroy his good Christian name. Knowing Elizabeth always tells the truth, John speaks of his adulterous affair with Abigail. Ironically, Elizabeth lies for John. I believe that at this moment, the love between John and Elizabeth is as strong as it ever could be. Both are going to extremes to save the other. Both are risking everything. John risks his name, and Elizabeth risks her relationship with God.

John, trying to save his wife, finds himself accused of consorting with the devil; another irony. In trying to protect Elizabeth, he is accused of the very same thing. The people in Salem, particularly the girls, have lost control of the situation at this point, and fear and power have taken over. All that is left for John to do is choose his path carefully and choose it for the right reasons.

One path leads John to death, and the other path leads him to dishonor. John makes the choice with Elizabeth and their unborn child in mind. With much consideration, John chooses God’s path. He chooses a life without Elizabeth, so his wife, his unborn child, along with his other children could be proud of him. John makes his peace with God and chooses love over life.