In the conclusion of the film adaptation of “The Crucible” the scene is set in a forest where John Proctor is signing a confession to admit to witchcraft but he changes his mind because he will be letting his friends hand for nothing:
“I blacken all of them when this I nailed to the church the very day they hand for silence”
This is telling us that he cannot let them be hung when their innocent and let the court get away with it. Also in the ending scene to prove that John Proctor is a good man Elizabeth says:
“ I do think I see a shred of goodness in John Proctor” this is explaining that after all that Elizabeth and John Proctor have been through Elizabeth knows that John is doing the right thing. The piece of paper makes the scene very dramatic as it backs up what John is trying to say and signifies what John is doing. “(Proctor tears the paper and crumples it and he is weeping in fury)” this is the stage direction which tells John to tear the paper to make the scene dramatic. When John Proctor takes the decision to hang. Hale is upset because he knows that John is innocent and he feels guilty because he was involved and doesn’t want to see an innocent man hang also he realises hoe precious life is and doesn’t want John to give it away:
“Life is god’s greatest gift”
Parris and Danforth are annoyed with John because if he had confessed to witch craft it would have justified all the other hangings but they understand that when they hang John they will be ruined and exposed as corrupt that is why it is slightly ironic when Danforth says
“Whoever weeps for these weeps for corruption”
The ending of the play is very dramatic using Elizabeth as the last person to speak saying the line “he have his goodness now god forbid I take it from him” this is telling us that she realises that he is a good man. Also seeing Elizabeth’s reactions and emotions it guides the audience and shows them how they should react themselves. During the Conclusion of the film adaptation the director shows lots of close ups of John and Elizabeth to show emotion which would have been expressed on the stage, this is affective because it shows you exactly how you should be feeling and why it is so emotional to John and Elizabeth. Also the music helps set the scene using dramatic music when John is deciding whether to sign or not an happier music when he decides to hang if the music was not their it would be difficult for the crowd to understand that the hanging is a good event rather than a sad event. The comments in “echoes down the corridor” are significant because they explain what John Proctor has hung for because when he says:
“Show honours now show a stony heart and sink them with it”
It explains that he “sunk” the court and broke theocracy in Salem. Miller persuades you that John Proctor didn’t die in vain. Also Miller is trying to put the point across that falsely accusing people of something they haven’t done has grave consequences’ this has links to himself and McCarthyism. In the play the ending scene is finished with Elizabeth because it would be difficult to show a real hanging on a stage without actually hurting some one and also leaving it their it’s a lot more dramatic showing the hanging through Elizabeth’s eyes. Were as in the film you see John Proctor hang this looses a lot of the drama in the ending scenes but it gives you a much more clear ending. Even though the endings are similar the play creates a lot more suspense ending on Elizabeth’s words rather than the actual hanging of John Proctor.
In conclusion, Miller’s message is that McCarthyism was wrong and has portrayed the message through “The Crucible” maybe linking himself to the character of John Proctor. His message is portrayed extremely well using suspense and drama to get his points across.
