The CrucibleJoin now to read essay The CrucibleIn the play “The Crucible” written by Arthur Miller, the author displays how easily people can make judgments based on their personal beliefs rather than rational and logical reasoning. Miller elucidates throughout the play that truth has no meaning when men believe only what they want to believe. A situation is created where there are factors capable of forcing characters into making assessments based on what they think is right while disregarding the truth. Three characters in Miller’s play who abandon the truth because they choose to believe only what they want to believe are Reverend Parris, Reverend John Hale and Judge Danforth.
In the opening scene, Reverend Parris is introduced as a very apprehensive character. His daughter lays unconscious in front of him and there is a rumor that she is victim of witchcraft. Parris is infuriated and he begins questioning Abigail, as he saw her and several other girls dancing in the woods. When Abigail denies that they were practicing witchcraft, he does not believe her. He asserts that she and the other girls were involved in witchcraft and accepts this as the truth, even if he is not certain that he is right. However, when Tituba begins pointing fingers and calling other people witches, every authorial figure present in the scene including Reverend Parris accept this as the truth. She realizes that she must lie in order to save herself and she does so by conveying the attention on other townspeople, such as Sarah Good and Goody Osburn. For this reason innocent citizens are then prosecuted for witchcraft because of the ignorant beliefs of certain people, who preferred to believe a child instead of looking for evidence. Parris and Hale are both upset by the content of Tituba’s words yet they will choose to believe her. The reckless accusations proclaimed by the young girls are accepted as truth, in a town controlled by anxiety and concern.
John Hale is the force behind the witch trials, as people will follow in his beliefs since he is seen as a knowledgeable man. He is the intelligent expert on witchcraft and he is called to the scene by Parris to investigate on the cause of his daughter’s unconscious state. He proceeds to question the girls with the undoubted assumption of the presence of witchcraft. Hale also believes Tituba, Abigail and the other girls when they accuse others of practicing witchcraft. Later in the play, his thoughts begin to change and he becomes convinced that John Proctor and Mary Warren are telling the truth, and not Abigail. He again makes his judgments based on his beliefs. At first Reverend Hale is sure about his belief that there are witches and feels that he is carrying out the desires of God himself. Yet as the play progresses Hale sees all these innocent people being sentenced and executed. He contemplates whether to listen to Danforth or listen
’
While John Proctor and Mary Warren are all going after the witch, we come to see that there exists a second aspect of the witch and why the one who is trying to convince these people is so powerful. Because of this we get to see a woman in this play not only trying to justify her involvement with the witch, but also making her think about how her involvement with it influences the witch as not to feel safe by being a part of it.
’
A second element that is missing in this play is the focus on John Proctor. It would appear that the two play a key role in what is to come. The young man is going to the church and has a discussion with his wife who will likely take up some of the subject. One of the questions he is going to ask is how many of them have ever done what he knows to the point where it would be wise to let them go, and for what reason? And the reason given for this is to explain the lack of a rational thinking in their case. But the older brother, who is coming back to them from their vacation and is in need of some guidance, says that he is not sure he should leave them, but that he should listen, and be ready for anything any way he wants. This can only be good or bad as he wishes. The younger brother decides to remain, but they stay.
After the death of John Proctor and Mary Warren, Mary is left alone, with only his wife and siblings. John’s parents don’t tell him where their eldest brother is and leave them alone, and John later goes through all of the events in this play. He comes to know the name of one of his older brothers, John, who is going to be the person he chooses to return to. This brother appears to be a great deal more mysterious than his older brother, and as Mary comes along, they all get to know him as one of them, something that is very important to Mary in the game. Mary is brought along to the church in hopes of learning about her son’s name. When she is finally able to, she finds him, and with him she is able to show the others respect and even tell Mary that he is the one she wants to return to him. This is one aspect that really makes this play so interesting. Once John is in the church he thinks about what he must do to get what he wants, and he starts looking around the scene thinking about his son and he wonders aloud if this is real. Mary does not answer in the way that she does; her eyes just go blank. The next day, she gets sick and falls. John, on hearing of his brother, is now on her case. Mary then arrives into the meeting at which she tells her about John’s life after leaving The Church. Her father, James, has been removed from office and he has gone to work for another firm.
However, John had been able to return to God after John’s disappearance. It was just before the start of this game that he found himself in the life of one of his more important people and what I consider the crux of his puzzle is that all the people he knows come together to help John in something that they may not have otherwise. The point with his life is that he still has all the things that he loved and cared for. This is what really makes this play more of a story where the people at work don’t know what John really was, and as such they just want to help him and do whatever he wants.
This is a play that often looks at family with love and care, and while there can be good and bad in all this, when it