Crucible Essay

            Salem was a town stricken by lies and those who deceive, demons on their own loose in society.  As a person living in the town, no one was safe from scorn or prejudice, of being called a conspirator of the devil, and being persecuted as witches.  This turmoil was started by Abigail, a young girl seeking love from a man in all the wrong places.  Abigail’s vengeance on the town starts the fall of all truths, remaining the comprehension that no one is longer safe in a town where religion was the way of all life.  John Proctor, a man of power and respect within Salem, is unable to stop the turn of all conflicts soon enough, out of his stubbornness to be viewed as a sinless person.  Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor’s spouse, also is faced with many choices that could have helped or changed the course of fate throughout the small, absentminded town of Salem.  Salem, a Puritan colony where those who lived wanted to be spared by God’s revenge, would do anything to rid their town of any sign or work of the devil, even if it means being frightened into a turn of events that remains uncontrollable by those who begin it.  The witch persecutions could have been prevented, if not had been for Abigail, John Proctor, as well as Elizabeth Proctor. 

            Abigail is an eighteen year old girl, niece of the minister, Parris, and a true psychopath deep down.  After the affair with John Proctor, she is obsessed and determined to make John her love.  Through this craziness, she tries to rid herself of John’s wife, only to be caught dancing in the woods performing ritualistic charms.  Thus, the witch accusations spiral out of control, because religion is so strict in the town.  “And God gave me strength to call them liars, and God made men to listen to me, and by God I will scrub the world clean for the love of Him!  Oh, John, I will make you such a wife when the world is white again” (Miller, 150)!  These words were spoken by Abigail, showing that she has control over the Church and all decisions leading from it.  The power stood in her hands, and she used it ill and maliciously and for that, the witch hunt went on and killed many innocent people. 

            John Proctor, a married and religious man, definitely had made a few mistakes in his past.  His affair with Abigail caused her to be driven towards the idea and want of power to give her whatever she wanted.  John Proctor is a powerful figure throughout this tale, and could have prevented the many deaths that soon followed.  “I am only wondering how I may prove what she told me, Elizabeth.  If the girl’s a saint now, I think it is not easy to prove she’s fraud, and the town gone so silly.  She told it to me in a room alone—I have no proof for it” (53).  This was said by John towards Elizabeth, explaining how Abigail had told him it had all been a fraud earlier in the story.  This news could have been brought into view beforehand and could have saved many people from persecution and punishment for something that had not existed.  John’s leadership persona would have helped people believe him, before the trials and before more had occurred to halt this outrageous plot from ever working. 

            Elizabeth Proctor had been a soft person who had been put through extreme scorn throughout the whole novel.  Her husband cheats on her, Abigail is out for her head, she is persecuted as a witch, as well as her husband, and he is sentenced to hang.  These chain of events show the reader that she is strong enough to hold the fort down and to help her family remain morally right in the eyes of God.  She had the chance to tell the judges the truth, that her husband had slept with her, and it would have helped ruin Abigail’s credibility.  However, she decided to remain silent and deal with the truth by lying to them, keeping their names clear and away from prejudice within the town.  This is a turning point decision, that could have changed the fates for her husband, and many fellow friends and neighbors that had died due to being persecuted as a follower of Satan.  Putting her own desires aside, she gave her husband her forgiveness, so he could die guilt-free and forgive himself, and God may spare him for his actions.  Elizabeth’s decision to lie could have turned the play around and stopped all deaths from occurring, but her decision was wise and rightfully just. 

            Death by death, hanging by hanging, the town was supposedly cleared from all signs of the
Devil.  Those who could have done something about these deaths did not, and allowed this to keep occurring.  The people who died had truly been martyrs, because if they confessed they could have lived, but would not lie and go back on their religion, and died peacefully religious.  Abigail, a crazy and jealous girl deceived the town into thinking innocent people had been working with the devil, when in reality, her actions were far from just.  John Proctor, a man of many followers, remained stubborn until the end, trying his hardest to help stop the persecutions, but if the past mistakes had been changed, maybe his efforts would have paid off.  However, Elizabeth was given many chances to help tell people and convince them of Abigail’s craziness, but would risk anything, even death, to save her husband from judgement by the other villagers who looked up to him.  These people had the chances to work against the evils brought to Salem through lies, not witchcraft, but when given the opportunities, their own morals and wants prevented them from acting upon the actions against innocent people.