Thematic Questions

1. What is a crucible and how is it used? Justify Millers choice of

title for his play.
A crucible is a ceramic container that can withstand very high temperature
and is used for metal, glass and pigment production as well as a number
of modern laboratory processes. Millers choice of the title The Crucible
is due to the same reason as the courtroom being referred to as a crucible:
using the heat of questioning and scrutiny, they burned away all the
impurities, i.e. lies and half-truths, to get the purified product the truth.
2. How do Hales preconceptions influence his interpretation of
events? How does his interpretation change? What are the
implications of his conversion?
Hales preconceptions has influenced his interpretation of events in that
he initially thought that he had the authority over the town due to his
extensive knowledge of witchcraft. He expected to find witches, however
his interpretation changes throughout the play as he realises that innocent
townspeople are being falsely accused, such as John Proctor. The
implications of his conversion are when he encourages the accused to
confess, i.e. the good people to lie, even though he believes that he is
doing the Devils work.
3. Proctor calls Hale Pontius Pilate. Explain the allusion. Do you
agree or disagree?
The allusion is that Pontius Pilate was the ruler in Bethlehem who ordered
the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at the order of the Jewish leadership, despite
the fact that he knew Jesus was innocent and did not deserve to be killed
in such a way. Considering the parallel, Elizabeth as Jesus and Hale as
Pontius Pilate, the comparison is appropriate. Both Elizabeth and Jesus are
innocent; and their accusers are assumed to be innocent from the
beginning. Hale and Pilate have some authority, some say in their
respective matters, and yet they both (although reluctantly) turn their
accused citizen over to the local authorities. Just as Pilate found no real
guilt in Jesus, Hale has real doubts that Elizabeth is guilty; and as the play
goes on, Hale becomes more convinced that all the accusations of
witchcraft are false. When Hale consents to allow the local authorities to
take Elizabeth, this is comparable to Pilate handing Jesus over the local
authorities.
4. As a representative of the state government, is Danforth neutral
and fair? How the following statement be received in court today:

Do you know, Mr Proctor, that the entire contention of the state

in these trials is that the voice of Heaven is speaking through the
children? Why was it considered valid in Salem in 1692?
As a representative of the state government, Danforth would not be
considered as neutral nor fair. The statement Do you know, Mr Proctor,
that the entire contention of the state in these trials is that the voice of
Heaven is speaking through the children? would be considered valid in
Salem in 1692 as the townspeople whom resided in Salem were Puritans.
The Puritans were a group that were so immersed in religion, moral and
societal reforms that they directed all things by Gods will. From
contemporary society view, the Puritans would be seen as people who
based their ruling on religion instead of the facts. Danforth is an excellent
example, as he overlooked the fact that Abigail and the girls could have
been lying to him in order to avoid humiliation in front of the village.
Instead, he insisted on the idea of them being the voice of Heaven,
which consequently lead to the death of many innocent people, such as
John Proctor. As opposed to present day justice systems equipped with
technological advances, the above statement would not have a chance
against todays court system. There is not a witness or tangible evident to
prove that the accused is guilty of witchcraft, but just the words of the
victims.
5. Them that will not confess will hang. Explain the major irony of
that kind of confession.
The major irony of that kind of confession is that the accused were not
even given a chance to prove their innocence, instead the only way they
could save themselves was to admit guilt, even though there was no truth
behind it. It is also logically ironic, as they would liberate those who claim
to be witches, despite that dealing with the Devil was a grave sin, and
instead execute those who claim to be innocent. Also, this is against the
Bible in which it is stated: Let no witches live.
6. Why must Danforth hang Proctor despite his confession?
Danforth must hang Proctor despite his confession because Proctor refuses
to post his signed confession on the church door, in order to save his
name and redeem himself due to his lechery with Abigail. His name was
the only thing Proctor has left, however, Danforth cannot release Proctor
unless he signs his name, as too many innocent people have already been
executed. Also, if Danforth makes an exception for Proctor it would mean
their innocent lives have gone to waste, which is not just, therefore
Danforth has no choice to be go along with it. Furthermore, he cannot
afford to admit that he was blind to the girls lies and was a victim to his
own logic.

7. What is the purpose of Millers comments and explanations

throughout the play? If these were omitted, would your
understanding of the play been affected? How?
(IDK?) The purpose of Millers comments and explanations throughout the
play is to provide historical context because he didnt want readers to
trying learning the history of the Salem Witch Trials to read his play and
assume it to be a true representation of events. While Miller has used the
names of real witch hunt victims in his play, and some of the characters
met the same fates in the play and real life, the personalities and motives
of the characters in the play were crafted and created by Miller.
Furthermore, it provides the audience a better understanding of the
characters in terms of their personality, etc. Therefore, it is necessary for
him to add his comments and explanations. If these were omitted from the
play, my understanding of the play would be slightly less clear, as the
descriptions of the characters have provided me more understanding.
8. Arthur Miller stated that The tragedy of The Crucible is the
everlasting conflict between people so fanatically wedded to this
orthodoxy that they could not cope with the evidence of their
senses. What does he mean by this?
In short, the tragedy of The Crucible involved the theocracys failure to
control Salems witchcraft hysteria. In context, Salem was a theocratic
society, in which ministers also had judicial power over society. Because
the judges were ministers, religions took precedence over realism; they
were unable to come to their senses and realise that the accusations of
witchcraft were out of human emotions. In other words, this quote means
that sometimes people are so narrow-minded that they do not see the
whole picture, and those who see what they want to see because they
cannot handle the actuality and do not like the truth. People such as
Danforth, refuses to admit that the Salem witch trials were the result of a
cover-up, and that the court hung innocent people all due to a lie.
9. Describe Proctors metamorphosis in the final act. What changes
in him? How does he represent humanity throughout the play?
The first event that causes great change in Proctor is Elizabeth's arrest.
Knowing that Elizabeth is the innocent one, Proctor is incited to act on his
wife's behalf. He shows his change by calling out Abigail Williams as an
adulterer and liar.
The second cause of Proctor's change is when he faces the gallows in Act
Four. Proctor is eventually convinced to make a confession of his own. By
now, he has given up every shred of dignity he has. He confesses verbally,
but when he is asked to sign a paper that will be hung for all of Salem to
see, he recants, exclaiming: 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! How may I live
without my name? I have given you my soul, leave me my name!
This scene shows the biggest transformation in Proctor -- he realises that
he can't sign himself to a lie and live as a man of integrity. He tears the
confession and is hanged. The reason that this shows the biggest
transformation is because Proctor acknowledges his ability to be a man of
integrity and desire to protect his name and his family. As Elizabeth states,
"he has his goodness now." Though Proctor has committed one of the
worst kinds of sins by committing adultery against his wife, he is perhaps
one of the most upstanding men of Salem. He is willing to shed his dignity
in order to save his wife. He is one of the few who sees the truth of the
events. Though he, in the end, dies for his pride, he at least dies with the
truth.
Proctor represents humanity because:
-

He is someone the audience can relate to

Miller created Proctor mirroring himself
People can learn right from wrong from Proctor