IN WHAT WAYS CAN THE AUDIENCE SEE THAT THE `THE CRUCIBLE`, BY ARTHUR MILLER, IS A PLAY WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY CONCERNED WITH THE SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CENTRAL CHARACTER JOHN PROCTOR
In what ways can the audience see that the `The Crucible`, by Arthur Miller, is a play which is essentially concerned with the spiritual development of the central character John Proctor
Crucible - 'a pot in which base metals are melted down in order to purify them separating out base elements', this is how Arthur Miller was inspired to write the play about the Salem witch trials. The play shows people in Salem and how the jealousy turns out to be inferior, in other words how the witch craft trials started and how it got worse. 1692 was the year of the witch trials and many lives, or should I say innocent lives were lost based on accusations made by a small number of silly teenage girls; the ring leader of these so call girls was Abigail Williams. The Salem witch trials tried to distinguish the good from the evil. If you were suspected of witchcraft, then immediate action would take place, first arrested and then questioned. Any evidence that was used, usually intangible -was then word of mouth. If you were found guilty then you were hung. Also the play is comparable to McCarthyism in 1950, where exactly the same type of trials were taking place but to identify communism taking place, just like the witch trials you were taken for questioning and even in the 20th century word of mouth was taken as evidence. Therefore if you were guilty then you were banished from the country. In the witch craft trials people were compensated in that the bad name was changed on the church records. On the other hand McCarthyism brought people back to the USA, but in Salem it was weakening the status or the name of people because of self greed and basically stupidity. John Proctor helped Salem to become a democratic state rather than theocratic- a powerful religious state. Proctor died in order to do all this, and then he died as a good man denying his past affairs.
In this essay I intend to explore how Arthur Miller shows the spiritual development of John Proctor. In Act one, John Proctor was introduced by Arthur Miller as a fraud and a sinner '....waiting' for you every night.' (Act 1 pg 17) Salem was a theocratic state that was over ruled by strict religious people controlling the society. In the previous evidence it is shown by Arthur Miller that John Proctor has had an affair with Abigail Williams. This is absolutely not permissible because Abigail is seventeen years of age and John is almost twice her age. In the 21st century if you knew someone doing something similar you would be frowned upon but this play is set 300 hundred years or so before our time and the theocratic state punishment can be very severe in view of the fact that of adultery which is one the ten commandments being broken.
Additionally, he has also dishonoured his wife but John finally has put a stop to it and wants no more of Abigail. He is gradually realising that he is doing wrong and he is repenting. The process of spiritual development is taking place. '...I will cut off my hand before I'll reach for you again' (Act 1 pg 18). John knows of his wrong doing, so he means that he is going to stop this adultery he'll cut his hands off if he's going touch her again. John' is changing in what he wants and the thing he ...
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Additionally, he has also dishonoured his wife but John finally has put a stop to it and wants no more of Abigail. He is gradually realising that he is doing wrong and he is repenting. The process of spiritual development is taking place. '...I will cut off my hand before I'll reach for you again' (Act 1 pg 18). John knows of his wrong doing, so he means that he is going to stop this adultery he'll cut his hands off if he's going touch her again. John' is changing in what he wants and the thing he wants is his wife; linking from the previous sentence it shows he still loves his wife. The audience will also see how much he needs to change to become a good man. The water is boiling in the crucible pot.
In Act 2 John tries to make amends with his wife Elizabeth Proctor because his relationship is strained, 'bring flowers' (Act 2 pg 42) John suggests this because he feels that his home is cold and needs flowers to make it seem more of a warm loving home. Miller shows that the relationship between Elizabeth and him is not working. Also it shows that the way they are living is dull and grey. So John is therefore making amends by bringing flowers.
Elizabeth does not have faith in John for his past affair and there is a lack of trust for John. 'You were alone with her?' (Act 2 pages 45) Elizabeth is asking questions and not believing him of what he is doing. John tells her directly that he was with Abigail. It is seen by the audience that Elizabeth does not like this, meaning - Elizabeth is finding it hard to trust him ever again.
In the situation the audience know prior, that John's wife will never forgive him for what he has done to her or forget. 'You forget nothing and forgive nohin'. (Act 2 pg 44) What ever John is doing Elizabeth is holding the affair against him, significantly she will not believe him. The audience can see the enormity of amending John has to do, remembering that he did not need to tell Elizabeth about the conference of Abigail. The temperature is rising in the crucible.
We have now seen a slight change in Proctor's spiritual development but only just. In the end of Act 2, more spiritual development has taken place. In this Act Elizabeth is arrested and Proctor is concerned about what has happened. When Proctor is told his wife is accused by Abigail, he is horrified and he is confused. '...your spirit twists around the single error of my life, and I never tear it free!' (Act 2 pg 51) Proctor is scared and knows that it is his fault that Abigail accused Elizabeth. He knows that he has to do something that he has crippled their lives and now he is going to lose his wife because of his affair.
Proctor is shocked and angry to see his wife go and won't let go of her. Proctor loves his wife; he shows love and faith in her. The point being made is that John knows it is his fault and the consequence of it is he won't let go of her because he knows the truth about the arrest. He is reassuring her that nothing is going to happen to her. 'You will not go!' (Act 2 pg 63) Proctor knows that this is all a mistake but knowing it is his. Proctor argues with Mr Cheever that she is innocent and the courts are wrong. Proctor is running out of options he will do anything, even confess about his relationship to get her back.
John knows that he is the only one to save his wife and he told her so. For this reason, John is a man of his word. In the previous Act he said 'I will bring you home' (Act 2 pg 63). We have known John to be a man of his word when he says to Abigail that he will cut off his hand and that he will bring Elizabeth back. He stopped what he said before, subsequently he is going to bring Elizabeth back knowing what he said to his wife, he knows Elizabeth has faith in him 'Oh, John, bring me soon!' (Act 2 pg 63). So John has to prove to the judge that his wife is innocent and Abigail accused her just to get John back so Elizabeth can't have him.
Previously the audience know that John is a man of his word and proof of this is what he is doing. John is so sure that he is going to persuade Danforth that he doesn't need a lawyer. 'I am no lawyer' (Act 3 pg 74) John's confidence is leading him to save his wife then again being a man of his word. He has no care, even if he his going to go prison, he has try and save his wife.
Options are running out for John. He has told the court about his affair with Abigail and said to Danforth that his wife will never lie. 'That woman will never lie'. (Act 3 pg 74) He completely has faith in his wife, but if his wife will deny of the affair then John will be arrested on charges of contempt of court. Firstly John said that he would go to court, exactly what he said he will do. Proctor said he will admit to adultery saying his wife will never lie; he has absolute faith in her. As a result Elizabeth told her first ever lie because John isn't worth sacrificing. The audience see that Elizabeth does still love him. Also the audience see that John is entirely a man of his word.
John is an ordinary man because he has committed sin! His wife is in prison because of him; hence it is his duty to save her. Proctor is neither an ordinary man nor a saint. 'I cannot mount like a gibbet like a saint...' (Act 4 pg 113) A saint is someone who is near to pure and has done something very important in order to change the world. He is angry with the court for saying he is evil but knows that they are the evil ones and it doesn't make a difference if he lies. John has done something good but it isn't quite there- spiritually developed.
John could confess to be a witch. In addition it does not matter to him because he has done the worst sin there is compared to lying but he has to sign the papers. '...sign your testimony....' (Act 4 pg 113) John does not want to sign the papers because of his name and for his children.
John is an ordinary man because he wants his life but knows the cost of what he wants and stops himself because he wants to see his children grow into men. 'I want to live.'(Act 4 pg 110). So basically which man does not want his life? Evidently he is an ordinary man; he does not want to die.
The audience know John is an ordinary man but a changing ordinary man. John is churning in the crucible and nearly ready to be purified; John knows saving himself will cost another life, but he can put a full stop to it. John is a good man. John believes if he lives and others die for his life that is wrong. 'I speak my own sins; I cannot judge another. I have no tongue for it.' (Act 4 pg 113). This means that he can talk his own sin but not others or that he will not accuse others for his own life.
Proctor thinks not for himself but his children. He needs to give them a good name. 'I have confessed myself! ... no good penitence but it be public' (Act 4 pg 114) and 'leave my name! ' (Act 4 pg 115). Proctor says because his conscience says he doesn't want a bad name for his children. He thinks that having his life means his children will have bad names and others will suffer. Also he doesn't want sign his confession especially for the public.
Proctor is a fully spiritually developed man. He has refused to sign the paper, meaning his spoken confession is not counted. This gave him time to think and when conscious, spoke up. '...What others say and what I sign to is not the same!' (Act 4 pg 115). Proctor knew or I shall I say he realised that his written confession would kill more people and only save himself. However if he dies, there's a full stop to all this nonsense. Proctor died to save others. The audience finally see the changed man for what he really is. Miller influences the audience in the way he refuses to sign and knew exactly what the consequence was going to be. John sees the shred of goodness in him, saying that he is white and should be kept away from dogs. The white symbolises the goodness and the dogs are the court. The dogs are the evil people from mythology, if dogs guarding hell and should be away from goodness; white. The decision he made was to stop everything bad and he won't go to hell because of what he has done. It makes John a good man, meaning his spiritual development is complete because he is dead and can't change anymore.
John Proctor should have his shred of 'goodness' because he has been churning long enough in the crucible pot. John Proctor is ready and purified and is a good man. He is finally, as I have mentioned, put a full stop to further deaths, being hung for witchcraft. This fact as it was proved in the Milgram experiment- where people would take another person's life without giving a second thought and were told to go even further, until they would die, Proctor was that person and did not listen. Furthermore, John was a final seal and said no more names, deaths or accusations and they were stopped. The government in March 1712 after a solemn meeting declared a democracy in Salem. All were compensated with their land, money and a good name for beloved people who died tragically in the witch trials. The ways the audience see 'The Crucible', is concerned with spiritual development of John. He is linked to all key events in the play, and still Arthur Miller showed how a man changed and died to save a state, in order to save other people and the good name of Proctor.
Umer Hussain Essay- The Crucible.
