Examining The Meaning Of The Crucible English Literature Essay

A crucible is metal container used for melting materials at a high temperature to find out what they are made of. A crucible can also refer to a test or a trial. In The Crucible, many characters are subjected to a “high temperature” as the girls of Salem are the heat and they raise a tension and pressure to the people in the village. The Crucible also has another meaning throughout the scene that is a test which appears in the court with many debates happen. In the play, many characters had to change to resolve a problem and three characters change more than others through the play. The first character is Elizabeth Proctor who changes suddenly in the play, the second character is John Proctor who has a several changes in the plays, and the last character is Reverend John Hale who also changes his feeling in the play.

Elizabeth Proctor is an innocent and kind woman in Salem. Before the play opens, when she discovers the adultery between John Proctor and Abigail William, she kicks Abigail out of her house. After that, she still acts as normal and no feeling, but she feels her husband has done something wrong and she cannot accept. In act II, she and her husband have a dinner and they talk about the town which is about arresting of witchcraft. Then, she talks about Abigail and she gets upset when she thinks about John and Abigail do in alone. “I see what I see, John. (The Crucible, 54). She seems no feeling but she is very sad in her heart as when her husband kisses her, she also receives but that is nonsense to her. She doesn’t display her feeling for her husband. Moreover, She still loves her husband and she persuades her husband go to see Abigail to stop their relationship. In the end of act II, she is arrested because the court official thinks she concerns with witchcraft but she still stand -up. In act III, when Danforth asks her that her husband is a lechery and she lies with Danforth because she wants to protect her husband’s reputation. Although she is a sincere woman, she lies with the court because she loves her husband. In act IV, she blames for herself that she is a cold wife. ” I have sin of my own to court. It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery.”( The Crucible, 137). When her husband execute by hanging, she cannot do anything to help John Proctor. Elizabeth is a kind woman but she canot saves her husband’s life because he retakes his sense of goodness and she cannot take this from him.

John Proctor is a second character who changes in the play. He is a protagonist, local farmer, who is respectable and honest. In act I, he is a irresponsible person because he doesn’t receive that he is adultery with Abigail William. When Abigail flirt with him, he tries to keep away and he wants her forget what they do together. “Abby, you’ll put it out of mind. I’ll not be comin’ for you more.”(The Crucible, 22). But in act II, he changes and loves his wife. He recognizes that he makes a mistakes with his wife and he wants her forgive. “Spare me! You forget nothin’ and forgive nothin’.”(The Crucible, 54). On the contrary, he treats different to Abigail and he tells a truth to the court because he thinks that thing can make Abigail stops her frenzy. But his wife doesn’t want he does it so she tells with the court that Proctor is innocent. In act III, if his wife has pregnant, he doesn’t have problem but he thinks another ways. Because he wants help people in Salem, he continues sue. John Proctor has change during the play, as he is not selfish because he agrees to say his affair with Abigail. In act IV, Jonh Proctor doesn’t think about his life and he can do anything to protect his reputation. He loves his wife and knows to think everyone around him. When he is supposed to hang, he sees his wife to discuss that he has to confess or not. When he talks with his wife, he decides to confess because he thinks he is not a good man but then when he signs his name to written confession, he changes his mind and he lacerates a written confession. Finally, he chooses die to protect his good name. “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang!” (The Crucible, 143).

Reverend Hale is another character who also changes in the play. He is witch hunter who is very knowledgeable and intelligent minister. In the beginning of the play, he goes to Salem town to examine illness of Betty. Further, he goes to Salem to get information about witchcraft. He is very strict when he contributes to the trial of witch, and he uses law to judge a person who is concerned with witch. As when he constrains her confess that she is a witch and he wants say name of another person who is related with witch. “You have sent your spirit out upon this child, have you not? Are you gathering souls for the Devil?” (The Crucible, 44). He believes that the town has witchcraft and he tries to take it out the town. In act II, he comes to John Proctor’s house