The Selfish Nature Of Reputation In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a 1953 play based on the Salem Witch Trials. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized take on the events that transpired in Salem Massachusetts 1692. In The Crucible Arthur Miller utilizes literary techniques to provide commentary on the hysteria that was the Salem Witch Trials and the true nature of humans in the face of adversity. Arthur Miller uses characterization to portray the selfish nature of reputation, demonstrating that such an evil perspective completely eliminates empathy for others. Examples of characters displaying their selfish nature can be identified in Proctor, Parris, Abigail, Danforth, and the exception in the story: Reverend Hale.

In the beginning of The Crucible Arthur Miller makes

After Abigail and the girls put on an act convincing the judges that Mary Warren is using witchcraft, Proctor, as a last ditch effort, brings up his affair with Abigail to prove Abigail has it out for Elizabeth. “She thinks to dance with me on my wife‘s grave! And well she might!—for I thought of her softly, God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat! But it is a whore‘s vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your hands, I know you must see it now. My wife is innocent, except she know a whore when she see one,” (Miller 110). Proctor, who was well respected in Salem admits to lechery practically denouncing his name in effort to disprove Abigail's lies. Throughout the play Proctor’s main priority seemed to be maintaining his reputation however, in this moment he throws away his perfect reputation to save those who have been charged with witchcraft charges and end the

When asked to confess to the witchcraft charges by signing his name rather than death by hanging, he declines their offer. “Because I am not worth the dust on the feet if them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”(Miller 112). In this quote Proctor can’t bring himself to give Judge Danforth his signed confession because his reputation is everything to him. Proctor feels as though his name signed with admitting to witchcraft(signing off on the lies) is worse than his death. Within this scene his wife Elizabeth is forced to watch as her beloved husband chooses death rather than continuing to live on with herself and their kids. This shows John Proctor lacks any empathy for Elizabeth and their children as he’s too caught up with his own