As every act is studded with moments seemingly innocent, and unavoidable, Parris takes the first small step toward the horror, which comes about. And a word here about “proof,” it is the most troublesome issue in the play. How do you prove witchcraft? Everyone seems to have a different answer. Look at Goody Putnam’s speech, “They were murdered, Mr. Parris!, And mark that proof. Mark it! Last night my Ruth was ever so close to their little spirits; I know it, I know it, Sir. For how else is she stuck dumb, and how would the power of darkness stop her mouth? It is a marvelous sign, Mr. Parris!” Later on Reverend Hale, the expert on witchcraft, will say, “ We can not look to superstition in this. The Devil is Precise.” But the question of what constitutes proof of witchcraft, and what if the mere superstition is never resolved in the play, and Arthur Miller is almost totally silent about it. So we too, had to reserve judgement, and just take note of these “proofs”, as they are presented.
The Puritans’ views on sex were not so “puritanical” as we usually imagine. Sexual intercourse between married persons was not only encouraged, it was required by law. If a husband proved an impotent, his wife could have the marriage annulled. If the wife refused sex to her husband, this was considered “neglect of duty” and could be used as grounds for divorce. God had commanded his people to be fruitful and multiply, and the puritans took this commandment seriously. Today we call sexual intercourse, “making love”, or “sleeping with.” To the Puritans a man and women who had intercourse were “made one flesh.” If you were married, it was your duty to be made on flesh with your spouse. But if you were made flesh with someone other than your spouse, this was adultery. And adultery, like witchcraft, was a capital offense. Elizabeth Proctor must have loved her husband very much to keep his secret. Later we will see how much John Proctor loves Elizabeth, for he is willing to confess his adultery to save her.
Now, you can see how the characters are affected by the themes, which were developed. The “heat between Abigail and Proctor, is really about one man’s struggle with his conscience. The whole play revolves around Proctor. The witch madness serves only to intensify and focus Proctor’s energies on his problems with his wife, his neighbors, and himself. In order for someone to be guilty, there must be “proof” to prove them so. The concept of justice is central in the play, The Crucible. Arthur Miller dedicates the entire third Act to the courtroom drama. Lastly, The Crucible tells a story of the American past, a time when many of the basic principles of our society were formed. As the Puritan’s express the views they, it’s possible the playwright suggests many things that were wrong in 1692, are still wrong today.
There are many themes throughout The Crucible that help to enhance the story and make for better reading. Here, we highlight some of the main themes and define them so they are easier to understand.
Revenge - Revenge is the basis of The Crucible, for accusing someone of witchcraft was an easy way to get back at them. In a way, it was cleansing a society of people who were thought to be immoral or unethical. If anyone had a grudge against someone, they would accuse them of witchcraft and the only way to get out of it would be to lie and confess. A good example of revenge is with Abigail and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is John Proctor's wife, but Abigail is in love with John and wants to be with him. She knows that if she could get Elizabeth out of the picture, she would have a good shot at John.
Hysteria - The theme of hysteria plays an important role in The Crucible, because everything that is good and true is lost in the throes of hysteria. People stop thinking logically and give in to the panic of the times. Hysteria is shown most prominently in the scene where the girls begin screaming out names of various people, accusing them of witchcraft. Everyone starts panicking and getting excited, no one paying any attention to the logical side of things.
Suppression - Suppression is an important theme in the play because the people of Salem had their individual freedoms suppressed. The reason the children were so afflicted was not because of witchcraft, but because they were not able to be children otherwise. They were expected to be quiet, not heard, only seen. It is also best shown when the judges insist that Proctor's confession be signed and posted on the church door. Proctor resists this, but the judges say they will not accept the confession without this term. Proctor's individual freedom was suppressed. Also, since the only way to prevent being hanged was to lie about being a witch, their freedom to tell the truth was being suppressed.
