The Crucible

In Arthur Miller’s, “The Crucible,” set in the year 1692, the small Massachusetts
village of Salem is filled with rumors of witchcraft. The word crucible means a hard test
or severe trial. Lives and personalities are shaped by the trials we face as we go through life. Elizabeth Proctor, John Proctor, and Reverend John Hale undergo growth and personal changes as they experience the Salem witch trials.
Elizabeth Proctor is the conscientious, somewhat rigid, honest wife of John Proctor. She is hurt by his infidelity with Abigail Williams, and finds it hard to understand and forgive. She goes about household duties with a wounded air and arouses her husband’s anger with her cold, unforgiving manner. Cruel imprisonment results in her becoming wiser and more understanding. She comes to appreciate John Proctor’s goodness, where she previously saw only betrayal. She accepts her portion of the responsibility for the state of their marriage. Elizabeth: John, I counted...