An Analysis of "The Crucible"

The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1952. It was first performed in Wilmington, New York in 1952. The play takes place in 1692. In the first scene of the play, the hero, John Proctor is a hardworking, middle-aged farmer who has commited adultery, which is a very serious crime in the puritan society. His affair was with a pretty, 17 year old girl named Abigail Williams. She used witchcraft to put a curse on John Proctors wife, Elizabeth Proctor so that Elizabeth would die. But on night, the Reverend Parris caught Abigail and her friends performingone of these rituals and because of this, Betty Parris became very sick. The Reverend Parris sends for the Reverend John Hail who had experience with exorcism and witchcraft cases. When Rev. John hail questions Abigail, Abigail blames Tituba who was one of Reverend Parris's slaves from the Caribbean. Then, the Rev. John Hail goes to Tituba and questions her and tells her to name other witches. She names two--Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne. Abigfail and Betty catch on to the name game and end up accusing and killing more than 24 people.

In the next scene of the play, John Proctor's wife is accused by Abigail Williams. John Proctor presents evidence to the court saying that the girls are frauds, but the court will not believe him. He even risks ruining his reputation by telling the Judge his sin with Abigail Williams but the Judge still won't listen. When Mary Warren accuses John Proctor of witchcraft, he is arrested also.

In the last scene of the play, ministers and magistrates tell John Proctore to confess and since his reputation is already ruined he tells a lie and confesses to witchcraft to save his own life. But they want more than that, they want him to name other witches and wizards in the village.He refuses and is later executed. Finally, the girls confess