The Crucible Prison Scene Analysis

The movie version of The Crucible brings to light new information that demystifies a formerly vague storyline, and is more effective in getting across its meaning than the book. The scene in which Abigail visits Proctor in prison adds context to the plot that one cannot gather directly from the book, explains the motivation behind Abigail's actions in the play, and is very well acted. It also provides a clearer depiction of Proctor’s loyalty and devotion to his wife, Elizabeth. The character development that takes place in this scene gives the viewer a more in-depth understanding of Abigail’s manipulative tendencies and of John Proctor’s sense of obligation towards his wife than is derived from the book.

First and foremost, the text of

For example, Abigail outwardly expresses her desire to run away with John, should he accept the money she stole for his bail and a ship to carry them both out of town, allowing them to start a life together; “I never dreamed any of this for you. I wanted you was all! Listen to me, John. I have money. We could see tomorrow on the ocean...” (Hytner). Here, Abigail insinuates that she did in fact lie and incriminate his wife in order to, essentially, win him over. Abby reveals herself as a sociopath, hell bent on eliminating those who stand between her and the object of her obsession, namely Elizabeth Proctor. Proctor declines, solidifying his utter commitment to his wife to the end; “It is not on a ship that we’ll meet again, Abigail... But in Hell” (Hytner). Proctor, whether his motivation was pride, guilt, or both, turned down an offer that would secure his life and his

The prison scene ties together the events that take place in the duration of the play, and those that take place afterwards. The director deemed the addition of the prison scene necessary because of the fact that the audience most likely consists of predominantly normal people who may not have a degree in English, and therefore cannot decipher these innuendos on their own analysis; the director’s intention was to show the character traits of the main characters as clearly as possible. From this added scene, the audience can draw new conclusions about Abigail and John Proctor’s personalities and hopes for the future, and the prison scene generates new information which is essential to understanding the