Report on The Crucible Theatre Play

Introduction of The Crucible Theatre Play

                The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953. The play is divided among 4 Acts and in this paper, the play will be described and analysed.

Act I

                The story begins in Samuel Parris’s house whose daughter lies in the bed unconscious. Her name is Betty and before the opening of play, she was discovered by Parris along with Abigail, his niece and Tituba, his black slave. They were dancing in the forest at midnight and just as Parris came out of the forest, Betty became unconscious. Doctor Griggs, the town physician determines that Betty is not conscious because of witchcraft.  Parris is troubled and distraught because he believes that Abigail hasn’t been honest about what she has been doing in the woods. He confronts Abigail and he says that he saw Betty and her dancing. Abigail actually denies that she was involved in any type of witchcraft. However, Parris thinks that she was lying and he believes that both she and Betty possess conjured spells. Moving on, the Putnam couple enters the room and both the members declare that witchcraft is responsible for making Betty ill. They are from a powerful household in Salem. They also reveal that Ruth, their daughter was also experiencing a unique type of trance. The condition of Ruth together with the fact that exactly seven children of Mrs Putnam have died under some specific and mysterious conditions convince and persuade the Putnam family that Salem is swarmed up with evil spirits. Now, Putnam attempts to make Parris believe and declare that witchcraft is really present. However, Parris grows worried because he knows that it would turn against him. For instance, if he declared the presence of witchcraft, it would make townspeople powerful enough to drive him away from Salem.

                A servant of Putnams emerges and drops some reports that the condition of Ruth has become better than before. Meanwhile, Parris agrees to meet the people and take them in prayer but he denies that he would tell them of the witchcraft until he receives the opinion of Reverend Hale. Moving on, as they become alone, Mercy is updated by Abigail on the current situation. The Proctor household’s servant, Mary enters the room nervous and breathless and she frets that in a short time, they will be considered witches. Suddenly, Betty sits up and she wails for her mother but she is already dead. In the meantime, Abigail informs that she has told everything to Parris. However, Betty cries that she would not have told about how they drank blood for killing Elizabeth Proctor, the wife of John Proctor. Betty is slapped by Abigail and she tells all of them to confess that they only danced and nothing else and that Ruth's dead sisters were conjured by Tituba. She also threatens them that if they even spilled a word about it, she would kill them. As she shakes Betty, she realises that Betty has already lost consciousness (Miller, The Crucible (2014) Act 1, 2014).

Act II: Act II opens with the preparation of food as John Proctor sits to have dinner with Elizabeth, his wife. Their servant, Mary went to witch trials while defying the order of Elizabeth that she should stay at the house. Now, 14 people are captured in jail and they will be hanged if they do not tell the truth. Whoever is named by Abigail and heir ground as they become hysteric, he is arrested for influencing and bewitching the girls. Right now, Proctor cannot believe what is happening as he tells Elizabeth about how Abigail had sworn that her activities had nothing to do with witchcraft. Actually, Elizabeth wishes for him to testify and claim that the accusations are false. However, Proctor tells her that he cannot do so because Abigail had told him when they were alone. Hearing about being alone, she loses her faith in her husband. Upon returning home, Mary gives a doll to Elizabeth which she had sewed and she tells that 39 people are accused. She tells John that she saved Elizabeth by speaking in her defence while Elizabeth is convinced that she was accused by Mary because she wanted her place as John’s wife. Meanwhile, Hale visits them to speak with each and every individual noted to be associated with witchcraft. To see John's Christian character, he asks him to recite the ten commandments and apparently, John forgets the commandment about adultery.

                He informs that Abigail had told him that her dancing was not related to witchcraft. However, Hale points out that most of the people had already confessed of it. Francis and Giles rush to John to inform that their wives had been arrested. Herrick, the town marshal and Ezekiel Cheever arrive with the warrant of arrest of Elizabeth and Hale is surprised due to it as he didn’t know that Elizabeth was charged. They ask her if she has any dolls and Elizabeth denies that she hasn't owned a doll since she was a little girl. However, they spy the doll which had been given by Mary as it had a needle in it, similar to how Parris found a doll in his house with a needle. Mary comes down to inform them that the doll was hers and she had sewn it in the court (Miller, The Crucible (2014) Act 2, 2014).

Act III: Act III begins with sessions in the court. The proceedings are interrupted when Giles shout that Putnam is just strategizing to claim more land. The officials get in the vestry room to get all the details about the matter. Mary and Proctor enter the room, and Mary testifies that she and other girls were only faking to be affected by the witchcraft. Judge Danforth is shocked and he asks if Proctor has told anything about it to the village. He also asks if Proctor has the goal of undermining the court while Proctor assures that he only wants his wife out. Meanwhile, Cheever informs that the warrant for arrest was ripped by proctor. Danforth questions proctor about his beliefs because he is interested in knowing why Proctor visits to church once in a month. Proctor is assured by the judge that his wife will not be hanged because she is seemingly pregnant and he should not be worried about it. However, Proctor does not back down and he presents a deposition which is signed by 91 farmers about how Rebecca, Martha, and Elizabeth have good characters. Still, Parris insists that this is an attack on the court and questioning should be resumed. Giles leads Putnam to answer an allegation that he forced his daughter to claim that George Jacobs was involved in witchcraft. If Jacob was hanged, he would have to forfeit all of his property. Giles is arrested by Danforth for the contempt of court.

                Danforth orders the arrest of Abigail and her fellows. Mary’s testimony is immediately denied by Abigail along with her explanation for the needled doll. Mary keeps on telling that the girls were only pretending and when Hathorne asks her to faint in front of them, she says that she has forgotten how to do it. Under consistent pressure, she explains that she only thought that she had seen spirits. Abigail is also pressured by Danforth and she shivers which is followed by the shivering of other girls. Mary is accused of bewitching the girls while Proctor reveals that he had an affair with her and she is a whore. Elizabeth is fetched and she is asked to explain why she had fired Abigail. She looks at Proctor to know what to say and when her story differs from the one which had been told by Proctor, she is immediately taken by Herrick. Abigail along with other girls begins to scream that Mary is sending her soul at them. The whole court erupts in shock and murmurs ring throughout the court. Seeing all the frenzy, Mary enters the same state and when Proctor tries to touch her, she runs away from him while screaming that he was devil’s man and that he had forced her to join him in her evil ways. Proctor is arrested due to it (Miller, The Crucible (2014) Act 3, 2014).

Act IV: Act IV reveals that Salem has become completely different from what it was before a number of people were arrested. Due to it, the whole system of Salem is shaking. By now, a number of people accused of witchcraft have already been hanged. Danforth knows that a mistake has been made by them in executing the people who have already been hanged. However, by admitting their mistake, he would be implying that a secular place, the court has made a mistake. It would be enough to throw the whole area and people in it in the state of chaos. Thus, he forces Proctor to speak and Elizabeth also persuades him to confess. He finally agrees to confess and both Hathorne and Danforth are elated by the revelation that proctor is finally about to confess his sins along with others who have already been hanged. Actually, it can be seen that both of them want to preserve their name by something assuring that they have not killed innocent people and that they have not made a mistake in identifying them. They want Proctor to name all others who were involved in his activities. However, Proctor refuses to do so and he believes that he will only reveal his sins. He wishes to do so because he does not want to dishonour all others who were captured along with him. He is asked to sign for his testament and that it will be hanged on the door of the church. Proctor refuses to do so because it will put him in a bad reputation and he cannot do this. Meanwhile, Hathorne and Danforth want to nail it to church so that people can see it and believe that they did not make a mistake in hanging others. Their intentions are identified by Proctor immediately and he snatches the document from them. He tears the document in half and he is also hanged after a short time. He is also to preserve his name and his respect which had been lost by him when he was involved in an affair with Abigail (Miller, 2014).

Technical Details of The Crucible Theatre Play

                The Crucible is quite a renowned play and it has gained the appreciation of people because of a number of factors other than its incredible story. One of the major factors include the setting of play and the whole scenario supporting it. For instance, in the Act I, the light is used in such a way that it gives a feeling of suspense to audience. Everything remains in the dark and only the characters are illumination. The rest of the setting remains in darkness and that serves to emphasise the emotions underlying the play. Another important factor is the sound that empowers the play. For instance, the voice of each and every character is crisp and clear. In fact, even if there is a slight rustle in the background, the sound is heard clearly. The synchronisation of every object on the stage is yet another factor which helps in empowering the play. The costumes of characters also appear to blend perfectly in with the background as most of them are wearing dark clothes, which is accentuating a sad atmosphere. In Act II, III, and IV, everything stays the same except the dress codes and the lighting effects. They change to emphasize the emotions which are being portrayed by the play. For instance, when more illumination is necessary, dim yellow light is used while white light is used whenever there is a dramatic event.

References of The Crucible Theatre Play

Miller, A. (Writer). (2014). The Crucible (2014) Act 1 [Motion Picture].

Miller, A. (Writer). (2014). The Crucible (2014) Act 2 [Motion Picture].

Miller, A. (Writer). (2014). The Crucible (2014) Act 3 [Motion Picture].

Miller, A. (Writer). (2014). The Crucible (2014) Act 4 [Motion Picture].