Crucible Essay, Research Paper

The Crucible is a play about witchcraft. It all begins with a group of young

women playing with witchcraft taught by Tituba and Abigail William?s. Reverend

Parris found them and most of the girls scattered but the smallest girls stayed,

frozen with fear. The people of Salem, where the setting is, hold a church

meeting and call Reverend Hale to decide if it is witchcraft. Hale comes to

Salem and gets the girls to confess and blame Tituba, the slave that taught them

witchcraft. Tituba confesses and blames the devil. The city of Salem called in

deputies to try people for witchcraft and the girls start their acts of

vengeance on the entire town. Abigail William?s who lusts for John Proctor

tries to bring Elizabeth Proctor, Johns wife, to trial. Abigail went to the

council and pulled a needle out of her stomach and claimed Elizabeth was

responsible. Hale visited Elizabeth again and found a needle stuck in the

abdomen of a doll. Abigail had planted it. The chaos continued and the girls

continue to pretend to see the devil during the trials, but to find out what

happens you?ll have to read the play. There are many themes that you can

explore in this play; marital relationships, the effects of mass hysteria, but

the most important is, understanding the concept of dignity and honor.