The Crucible – a Morality Play

Morality is the difference between what is good and what is evil. It is the determination of what should be done and what should not be done; or what is right and what is wrong. Morality influences both behavior and motivation of an individual. All people live according to a set of moral concepts, especially for religious people. This is reflected in The Crucible by Arthur Miller. It consists of the Puritan city of Salem, Massachusetts, and deals with the practice of witch hunt. Many people in the city are falsely accused of witchcraft. Individual moral integrity and its absence are exemplified by the writer Arthur Miller in his book The Crucible. The fear of witchcraft surrounds Puritan society and thus creates a rule of the people. The destiny of the city depends on the morale and spiritual wellbeing of its inhabitants. John Proctor and the Reverend Hale are notable and key figures in the condemnation of witch trials; Abigail, Judge Danforth and his supporters are in power in the society. Even though the trials were intended to end when Salem was cleansed of the alleged witchcraft, it remained the responsibility of the individual to ensure that the majority did not become completely overthrown by mass hysteria.

In this story, key people must make important decisions that challenge their religious beliefs and ethics. One must choose to do the right thing and fight the lie or do something wrong and yield to the lie to save their life. Elizabeth Proctor is one of those people who fought for the truth, then she; in my opinion, is the most moral person in history. Elizabeth, who is the wife of John Proctor is reserved, honest, slow to complain and respectful to her husband. She and her husband share a strict respect for justice and moral principles. She has a great sense of confidence in her own moral concepts and skills, her sense of justice, even if this principle clashes with her strict Christian doctrine. She is known throughout the city for being a very practicing and religious Christian woman, who knows all her commandments. Every time her husband is confused or hesitant, she guides him on the path of righteousness and truthfulness. For example, she urges him to end the witch trials by exposing the truth about Abigail’s sinful and deceitful ways. When her husband has to decide whether to be killed or confess to witchcraft, she doesn’t want him to give into a corrupt and unjust society. Although she does not want to lose her husband, she does not lose her morality and her beliefs. Even if Proctor decides to die, instead of signing a confession that would have been a lie, she does not try to fight his decision, but shows respect for his good and just decision when she says, “Now it’s okay.” God forbid, I take it away! “This shows that not only hers, but also her husband’s moral play a very important role.

Of all the characters in The Crucible, Elizabeth proved to be the most moral character. In a society in which the norm is to accuse or to be accused, she decided to respect her morality and spirituality, even if that meant her disappearance. She made a decision that was good and just in her own eyes. “There are often real moral tests where people are tempted to cheat, slander or exploit, few that really succeed.” This assertion came true, especially during the witch hunt, but Elizabeth Proctor appeared as a person who managed to defend her morals and standing her ground. The lack of moral integrity shown by the characters at work creates a chain of destructive events. Because of Reverend Paris’s concern for socialism and political power, the actions of Abigail and her followers went unpunished. This puts the city of Salem in a whirlwind of lies. A domino affect affects the society charges and the accusations multiply. Abigail manages the conspiracy and receives a faithful following. This group has no respect for themselves or others. The inhabitants of the city and especially the girls danced and fed in masses. Many friends and neighbors are cynically disinherited and mercilessly executed for spiritual blindness and low morals.

In The Crucible, individual moral integrity contributes to the happy endings of Salem witch trails. John Proctor and the Reverend Hale take a firm stand against authority figures and let their morals shine through to the public eye. By alerting the public to the failure of the company, Proctor and Hale helped to stop the Mafia government. Without the rebellious attitude of some, it would have deprived many innocent victims of fundamental rights such as right of life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness.