Reputation In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Reputation is like a china plate. It is beautiful when well taken care of, but can be easily damaged beyond repair. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, reputation can cause the morally guilty to persecute the innocent. Pride and the refusal to accept shame leads to an obstruction of justice by those with authority. No one likes to admit that they are wrong, especially when their reputation is on the line. In the Crucible, the reputation of those in power, in Salem during the witch trials, was valued above innocent lives; however, there were people, like John Proctor, who believed that a worthy cause was more important than a spotless reputation. Those in power, such as Danforth and Parris, will jump through hoops to protect their reputation. Danforth is willing to take more innocent lives to prove that he was right in hanging the accused witches that did not confess. When Proctor confesses to witchcraft, Danforth tries to prompt Proctor into accusing someone else of witchcraft to protect Danforth’s reputation. He

Proctor was driven to do the right thing and speak the truth no matter how much it tarnished his reputation. While in court, he confessed to lechery knowing that it would ruin his good name. Nevertheless, he admitted to it because he knew that the girls were frauds and wanted to put their rule to an end. In Act Three, Proctor declares to Danforth, “A man will not cast away his good name. You surely know that” (Miller 947). “I have made a bell of my honor! I have rung the doom of my good name – you will believe me, Mr. Danforth!” (Miller 948). John Proctor is trying to convince Danforth of something that is blatantly obvious to the reader and Hale. No one would ruin their reputation unless they had a good reason to. Hale shows that he trusts that Proctor is telling the truth by declaring, “I believe him. This girl has always struck me as false!” (Miller 949). Hale has realized that the accused have been innocent and he doesn’t want any more lives