A crucible is defined as a severe trial. The title, The Crucible, refers to the many moral tests shown throughout the book. Many accused witches underwent tests of moral strength and truthfulness via the trials. Elizabeth was tested of her truthfulness in court, the girls being tested of their loyalty and truthfulness during the trials of the accused, and Proctor being tested by his lust for Abigail and his desire to live during the trials. The Witch trials themselves were a series of crucibles to the characters in the story. They brutally tested the characters and often the passing results were deadly. The crucibles the witch trials placed upon the characters, be them tests of truthfulness, as shown by Elizabeth’s crucible during the her husband's trial, or of character, as shown by Proctor’s crucible regarding he and Abigail’s relationship during his trial, showed the brutality and unfairness of the witch trials. They arguably condemned the good and rewarded the evil. At the beginning of the first act of The Crucible, Reverend Parris discovers a group …show more content…
At the beginning of the story, Proctor is shown as being sinful because he committed the crime of adultery with his maid. Proctor, more so than other characters, realized his wrong doings and tried to please his wife in an attempt to regain her trust. “Learn charity woman. I have gone tiptoe in this house all seven month since she is gone. I have not moved for there to there without I think to please you, and still an everlasting funeral marches round your heart.” (1294, Miller), complains Proctor as he is still unable to gain his wife’s trust. He was later tested of his truthfulness during his wife's trial; he came clean of his sins with Abigail in an attempt to prove to his wife’s innocence. Proctor’s truthfulness was morally right, however he was still punished for his actions via proving himself to be a