The Crucible by Arthur Miller (1953) is a dramatized play about the Salem witch-hunts in Massachusetts Bay Colony between 1692 and 93. In Salem in Massachusetts, a small group of girls went out dancing with Tituba. Reverend Parris catches the girls dancing. Betty Parris is the daughter of Parris and one of them falls into an unresponsive state. As rumours about witchcraft spread through the town, the Parris family is filled with a large crowd. Many accusations are made. Miller uses conventions such a characterisation, dialogue and setting to enhance the relationships within the novel. It also allows the reader to connect with them on a personal level.
A healthy relationship is built on trust. The Crucible has many occasions where the trust factor is highlighted, and this is more so through John Proctor’s characterisation with his wife Elizabeth. John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor share a loving and strong relationship. John and Abigail’s marriage has suffered from John’s affair. Elizabeth does not turn this into a personal attack on Proctor, but instead shows a sense of forgiveness through her words, “I don’t judge you.” Your heart is the judge. John, you are a good person. I was only a bit bewildered. The play makes this clearer when Elizabeth does everything to protect John’s reputation. Elizabeth, who is in Act 3 forced to testify, says that she was ill at the time of her husband’s affair with Abigail. And I-My husband is an upright and good man. He never drinks, and he doesn’t waste time on the shovelboard like some people do. He always works. Sheri Straitof, marriage and relationship expert, wrote in a new article entitled ‘How To Practice forgiveness in marriage’, that “being capable of forgiving and letting go of past hurts are critical tools in marriage.” It is important to be able forgiveness to keep your emotional and physical health. This relationship is a good example of how I can relate to other relationships that have similar values. It could be that I am forgiven for my actions by family and friends after having upset them, or it can be me being able to forgive someone else who has hurt me. By examining the relationship between Elizabeth Proctor with John and how she is portrayed, I am prompted to reflect and relate to it in my own way.
Aspects of the construction of the play highlight the tension between Rebecca Nurse’s relationship with Ann Putnam. Goody Putnam is portrayed as having a conflict within herself, and this contrasted with Rebecca’s situation. This makes the clash between the two very apparent. In Act 1, Goody Putnam speaks to Betty about a girl who’s supposed to be sick from witchcraft. She says: “I have eleven kids, I am 26 grandmas, I have been through their silly times, and they run the Devil bowlegged trying keep up with all their mischief. Goody putsnam finds this statement very hurtful as most of her children died. Ann reacts with a bitter tone when Rebecca acclaims her large family. Goody believes that Rebecca may be to blame for the death her children. This example demonstrates how jealousy leads to irrational decisions and the demise of relationships. Suzanne Degges White teaches at Northern Illinois University and is the chairperson of their Counselling and Higher Education program. She wrote an article called ‘How a Jealousy Could Poison Friendship.’ In it, she said that “Jealousy could be a very complex and painful feeling.” It can also reflect an insufficient self-worth and a feeling of insecurity. Ann’s ‘inner anxiety’ is what drives her jealousy. She creates a false rumor about Rebecca and uses it to hurt her. Putnam appears to be a jealous person who is insecure. She is also portrayed as mean. But I feel that this portrayal is inaccurate. I am moved by the relationship that is created through Goody Putnam’s characterisation. She has a tragic past and it makes me feel strongly about her. Putnam’s actions are a result of her inability to control herself and her grief. However, I am also disappointed because she shouldn’t use her past to belittle others due to her jealousy. The juxtaposition of Ann Putnam’s and Rebecca Nurse’s situations and their characterisation exposes the bitterness of the relationship, which makes me feel a mixture of disappointment and empathy.
Mary Warren’s characterisation in the play and the dialogue show that there is something strange about the relationship of the Proctors with Mary Warren. Mary Warren serves as a housemaid at the Proctor’s home. Mary Warren is first portrayed as timid and a loyal girl to John, Elizabeth and their son, but this is changed when she testifies at court and turns on John. She says that he comes to her every night, and even on weekends, asking for her to sign. He threatens to kill you if his wife hangs. He says !… I wake him every night. His eyes were as hot as coals. And his fingers would claw at my neck. …” I am afraid that Abigail will keep bringing her accusations to court. Mary Warren turning against John could be a sign that their relationship was not what it first appeared to be. Mary’s courtroom actions and her dialogue brought to light aspects of Mary’s character I had not noticed before. These included disloyalty, dishonesty, and a lack of loyalty. William Anderson wrote in a ‘The Crucible’ article (2019), “When someone you trust istray you, you begin to doubt the trust you have in others.” This was very relevant to John’s trusting Warren to testify for him. However, Warren fails to live up to this trust when she succumbs to pressure from the other girls. Mary Warren is portrayed as a woman who would be on John’s side. However, this wasn’t what happened. The relationship between Warren and John was not strong enough, I thought. I wanted to believe that Warren would finally speak up and tell the truth.
The Crucible is full of different relationships, which are shown through the use of elements like characterisation. These relationships, as they were expressed, caused me different reactions. I found myself relating to some in my life, while others made me feel surprised, empathic and disappointed. Arthur Miller has done a great job of presenting and constructing these relationships in a manner that makes the audience respond in any way they choose.
