Imagine a society where anyone can be hanged for an unproven accusation, and the only way to escape the gallows is to accuse others of the crime. This was a reality in a colonial Massachusetts town called Salem. People accused others of witchcraft, a crime punishable by hanging, due to personal vendettas and petty arguments. Someone accused of witchcraft had to confess to the crime and accuse others to avoid death. This led to nearly everyone in Salem being accused of witchcraft and also the execution of more than a dozen people. Arthur Miller wrote a play based on the events during the Salem witch trials called The Crucible. In the play, many characters acted dishonorably but some characters showed meritorious behaviors. A situation like…show more content… For example, Proctor does not believe in the rumors of witches in Salem and he bases his opinions of people on his own knowledge of them and not on what they have been accused of. When he hears about an accusation claiming Rebecca Nurse is a witch Proctor says, “It’s hard to think so pious a woman be secretly a Devil’s bitch after seventy year of such good prayer”(Miller 15). This quote shows Proctor’s sensibility and trust in the people he knows. Instead of going with the majority of the townsfolk, he openly doubts the accusation of Rebecca Nurse and goes against the popular opinion of Salem. This shows that he is much more sensible than the rest of the town and does not change his views just because of an unlikely accusation. The quote also shows the trust he has in his own opinions and the trust he holds with good people. In addition, Proctor shows honesty regarding his sins, and possesses the strength to admit to his own weaknesses. While he is in court attempting to expose Abigail for bearing false witness, Proctor tells the court, “I have known her, sir”(Miller 29). By confessing to the fact that he had an affair…show more content… He shows high morals consistently throughout the play and demonstrates the ability to admit to his own mistakes. All of these notable behaviors show Proctor’s true morals especially during a time where anyone could be accused of witchcraft. The ability to have principled qualities during a time of false accusations, like Salem in the midst of the witch trials, shows the true morality of a
today, I will be discussing Arthur Miller’s play, ‘The Crucible’ and how Elizabeth Proctor, a major female role, deserves recognition for her heroic role in the play.
Arthur Miller wrote ‘The Crucible’ based…
