The Crucible by Arthur Miller - Coursework Example

English Drama Essay with reference to the book ‘The Crucible’ by Arthur Miller With specific reference to the closing moments of Acts Two, Three and Four of The Crucible, discuss how Miller charts John Proctor’s psychological journey from outrage and frustration to a sense of moral resolution. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is set in 17th Century Salem, Massachusetts. Miller himself makes ‘A Note of the Historical Accuracy of This Play’ (224) and emphasizes the artistic licence that has been taken in merging many character qualities into one, however Miller links it to reality adding verisimilitude to the play stating “the fate of each character is exactly that of his historical model” (224) and concedes that all these roles actually did occur in history. The Crucible is known as a parable, this mean there can be a direct link made between the events of the 17th Century witch trials, to the Communist ‘with hunts’ in the United States that occurred at the time Miller wrote the play. The first US production of The Crucible occurred in January 1953, this was a time of the Red Scare where Senator John McCarthy made false allegations of Communism against various people, this particularly affected people in the Arts and film industry who were know to hold more Leftist views. Miller comments that the propaganda of McCarthyism, the Red Scare and Communism “from the far Right was capable of creating not only a terror, but a new subjective reality” (39). Miller speaks of himself being astounded within the McCarthy era by how fear, an “interior and subjective an emotion could have been so manifestly created from without” (40). Miller describes John Proctor as intelligent, physically strong, rationale and stable. With particular reference to his state of mind he’s described as “even tempered” with a “steady manner” (239). Yet, despite this outward appearance there is a sense of him feeling hypocritical from having sinned, and it is said that he “has come to regard himself as a kind of fraud.” (239). He is shown as determined to put an end to any previous relationships with Abigail in a polite but determined manner, this is indicated by the stage directions, “PROCTOR, gently pressing her from him, with great sympathy but firmly” (241). Proctor’s guilt for being disloyal to Elizabeth is show by anger when Abigail mentions her. Proctor is shown to be a rationale man who doesn’t believe in all the nonsense about devils and he’s a person who speaks his mind: “I may speak my heart, I think” (246). Proctor’s relationship with Elizabeth is awkward, they initially make formal small-talk about food and work, but there is evident strain in their relationship, evident when he says to her “I mean to please you” and she finds it difficult to acknowledge “I know it John” (262). When he kisses her she is disappointed. There is a sense of duty perceived from Elizabeth as she performs her housewife role, and an expectation from Proctor. As their conversation turns more argumentative, Proctor is described as “Angry and Stubborn” whilst Elizabeth is “quiet…cold…and lost all faith” (264). Elizabeth is still suspicious of Proctor, whilst he is fed up feeling guilty and judged by her. Proctor learns that the total accused women has increased form 14 – 39 and that one of the ladies has been sentenced to hang. It is indicated that Elizabeth’s name was mentioned too. He finds the whole accusations ridiculous when good honest religious women are accused, and elderly women too. As the scene progresses and he is tested on the commandments – he begins to take the threat more seriously. When Proctor is talking to Hale about the girls’ lies he says: “There are them that will swear to anything before they’ll hang” (275). He thinks if Hale does not believe him, that others in court may not too. When Cheever arrives with a warrant for Elizabeth and mentions the poppet, Mary is summoned. Proctor’s psychological state at this stage is “angry, bewildered” (279). It is suggested that Elizabeth used the doll in a voo-doo manner to inflict pain on Abigail. Proctor is angry and rips up the warrant for Elizabeth. Proctor promises that he will bring Elizabeth home. Proctor is sorely concerned that Elizabeth will be killed because of his relationship with Abigail. In the closing moments of Act Three, Proctor firstly verbally battles with Abigail as she presents a lie; and he tells the truth (ie. about the poppets). He states that he believes Abigail intends to murder Elizabeth. Abigail then play-acts that she is in the presence of ill spirits “Proctor leaps at Abigail and grabbing her by the hair, pulls her to her feet” (304) he then admits to adultery with Abigail. Proctor says that ‘God sees everything’ (304) to emphasize his guilt. Elizabeth is summoned (without prior knowledge of what Proctor has confessed to) and is questioned by Danforth as to why she dismissed Abigail – she lies and does not admit Proctor had an affair. Proctor says to Mary “God damns all liars!” in attempt to get her to tell the truth, he also advises her to remember the angel Raphael – he constantly adds these in as Mary battles to do the right thing, with the enormous peer pressure of the girls around her. Mary gives in to the pressure of Abigail, and accuses Proctor of being “the Devil’s man!” he is initially stunned at her behaviour, then by the end of the scene quite possibly because it seems that all reason has been lost around him, he claims “God is dead!” (311) As Act Four approaches its close, the John Proctor that emerges is very different from the confident strong man presented at the beginning of the play: “He is another man, bearded, filthy, his eyes misty as though webs had overgrown them” (320). The body language between Proctor and Elizabeth is comforting and shows a deep bond, their body language says far more than words, and even says what can’t be articulated, as “He pats her hand. She covers his hand with hers” (321). The emotions between them in the last scene are high as he acknowledges their unborn child she’s carrying; she worries about her other children. Reasoning takes place as to whether he should confess to something he knows is not true, Elizabeth wants him to live, but he knows it would be a lie to confess. Proctor wants forgiveness from Elizabeth, but she suggests if he still feels guilty it won’t make much difference. His psychological thoughts are described with the phrase: “a great immortal longing to find his answer” (323). Proctor makes up his mind to confess, and Danforth questions him as Cheever transcribes this to pin on the church door. Rebecca who is brought to watch is “astonished” (325) at John’s confessional lies. He is asked effectively to accuse others and refuses to partake in this; he neither wishes to condemn those accused, nor to taint the memory of those who have already died through not confessing. Proctor is then reluctant to sign the statement; having done so, he doesn’t want it placed on the church door. He doesn’t want it placed there because he knows it is a lie, and thinks that the lie will adversely affect the integrity of his children, and is an insult to his friends who died for telling the truth. He doesn’t want to put his name to it, and shouts distraughtly: “Because I lie and sign myself to lies” (328). Proctor’s state of mind as he faces execution is angry, upset, hysterical, but what is significant is the fact that “he is weeping in fury, but erect” (328) by taking this brave and noble decision to stick to the truth and die for what he believes in, he is able to hold his head high, he is not ashamed from telling a lie as evident in his upright physical posture. It is difficult to know Miller’s intent for the audience, with his portrayal of Proctor. He presents a fairly balanced view. Hale towards the end is begging Elizabeth to help Proctor see sense and just sign the confession, Hale realises the futility of staying honest: “Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth?” (329). But, for the key characters John Proctor and Elizabeth Miller would suggest that Proctor’s belief in sticking to the truth and not signing a false confession, is a heroic gesture. By the end of the play we have learnt that Proctor had an adulterous affair that badly damaged the relationship with his wife; it created hurt, distrust, suspicion, and unhappiness. The affair clearly affected the Abigail Adams character too; whilst she’s cast in the ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned role,’ the relationship was ultimately unfair to her, as she believed it was to be more meaningful. It could be argued that she loved John Proctor and this led to her irrational behaviour in an attempt to become his wife. To be a ‘sinner’ seems to have a religious connotation; Proctor’s behaviour with Abigail can certainly be said to be morally wrong, but not necessarily ‘sinful.’ By the end of the play Proctor has regained some respect by refusing to lie; Elizabeth appears to have forgiven his earlier behaviour with the comment “he have his goodness now” (329). In his introduction Miller states that his plays are a “response to what was “in the air” (11) and suggests that people have a feeling that this type of thing is going on around them but that they’re not able to articulate this, or at times even understand it consciously. This comment relates to both McCarthyism and the Salem witch trails. One key point that Miller makes, again that applies to both scenarios is “conscience was no longer a private matter but one of state administration” (40), the state is dictating moral beliefs and to some extent fabricating them by scaremongering with either the threat of Communism, or the fear of witchcraft. Another point that Miller makes about human society is that religion is sometimes used to oppress, he states how the people in Salem referred to the Bible in the trials, and we can see this throughout the play with many references to the Devil and God, but Miller asserts “religious belief did nothing to temper cruelty – and in fact might be shown to have made the cruel crueller”(45). We can see in Salem, how even very religious people became caught up in the mass hysteria and used religion as a means to impose social control. In conclusion, Miller states that the “central impulse for writing at all was not the social but the interior psychological question, which was the question of that guilt” (42). With this in mind, it is possible to see how Proctor deals with this guilt from it being invisible to others at first; we see anger; bewilderment that his guilt could have this impact on others. He is so tormented that this does ultimately have an effect on his physical appearance, by the end of the play he appears to be a beaten man, he could not live with the further burden of guilt that he’d carry from signing a false confession, so he chooses to die. Miller’s play perhaps best serves to indicate that people are human, and not perfect Gods, or evil Devil’s but have elements of good and bad. Proctor symbolizes this perfectly with his bad adultery, but good final moral resolution. Works Cited Miller, Arthur. “The Crucible.” Plays: One. London: Methuen Drama, 1988. Print. Miller, Arthur. “Introduction to the Collected Plays.” Plays: One. London: Methuen Drama, 1988. Print. Read More