The Crucible – Theme of hypocrisy



The Crucible – Theme of hypocrisy

In “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, hypocrisy plays a major part. It is through the hypocrisy of the characters and Salem society in general that the dramatic events of the play are allowed to happen.

“The Crucible” Puritan Massachusetts and documents the infamous Salem witch trials. Various groups in Salem are at various points seen to be hypocritical, including the girls, the judges, the ministers, those who confess, and John Proctor himself. The characters who preserve the most dignity, such as the Coreys and the Nurses, are those who are true to themselves and their beliefs, and stand up for truth and justice.

In the first scene, Miller provides a detailed commentary detailing the Salem of the 1600s. We are told that the lives of the puritans appeared sombre and reflective; devoted to God. We are told that:

“Their creed forbade anything resembling a theatre or ‘vain enjoyment’”

demonstrating that Salem was a pure theocracy, and life was to be dedicated entirely to God. Miller tells us that even the concept of a novelist would to them appear to be heretical, let alone something as frivolous as dancing. However, he also makes reference to a number of “ne’er-do-wells” who gamble and drink alcohol, indicating that in fact many of the people of Salem are hypocrites. The appearance of restraint and religious stringency is simply to ‘keep up appearances’. Thus, it is clear that hypocrisy is woven into the very fabric of Salem society.

In actual fact the strict morality of Salem is tested regularly by the people, who have many secrets and petty squabbles, evident in the first scene, and in essence are key to the breakdown of Salem society – the idea of witchcraft only served to allow people to carry out vendettas and seek personal gain. This is apparent through the character of Putnam, a vengeful and bitter man. He holds grudges and believes that his status grants him the right to worldly success. Yet he has been thwarted, both in his efforts to make his brother-in-law minister, and in his family life, where his children have all died in infancy. Putnam is well positioned to use the witch trials to express his feelings of persecution and undeserved failure, and to satisfy his need for revenge. He is a hypocrite as he is a powerful and supposedly upright, Christian man, but he is motivated purely by greed and self-interest. We are told by Miller that historically many of the accusations were in Putnam’s handwriting, and his daughter Ruth was one of the key accusers. This suggests that Putnam was instrumental in manipulating the trials (and his daughter’s role in them) in pursuit of personal gain. It shows the hypocrisy of Salem society – people are denounced as liars and in league with the devil, for purely selfish and altruistic reasons, not in the name of God.

The theme of theocratic hypocrisy is continued throughout the play, in the actions of the judges who put the reputation of the court above the concept of justice in order to preserve the theocratic society. This is embodied in Parris:

“In history he cut a villainous path, and there is little good to be said of him”

At the start of the play, he is seen “evidently” praying and weeping over the apparently lifeless body of his daughter. We would assume that Parris is consumed by worry and grief-stricken at the apparent illness of his daughter, however we quickly learn later in the scene that Parris is actually much more worried about his reputation in the town should it appear that there is witchcraft at work in his house.

For example, when witchcraft is first mentioned he quickly claims:

“There be no unnatural cause here”

and frets to Abigail that:

“my ministry’s at stake, my ministry, and perhaps your cousin’s life.”

He knows that Abigail, Betty, and the other girls were engaging in witchcraft when he caught them dancing, and his first concern is not the endangerment of their souls but the trouble that the scandal will cause him. Indeed, he hides from the court the fact that the girls were dancing in order to protect himself. It is possible – and likely, from his point of view – that members in the community would make use of a moral transgression to ruin him. His anxiety about this, therefore, causes him to act like a hypocrite and fail to expose the girls as liars. This continues throughout the play, even to the extent that in the last scene, when the girls have been all but proven to have lied and his niece has fled, he seems even more concerned with the fact that she has robbed him of his savings, than at the breakdown of society.

The girls themselves are also clearly hypocritical. Abigail and Mercy Lewis seem to be concerned for Betty in Act One, but in actual fact are clearly malevolent and willing to do whatever it takes to save themselves. We see that Abigail has an evil streak when she threatens the other girls. She tells them that if they breathe a word of the truth of their dancing, she will:

“come to [them] in the black of some terrible night and {she will} bring with [her] a pointy reckoning that will shudder [them]”

This indicates that Abigail is willing to resort to extreme lengths to protect herself, and shows that she cannot be trusted. This therefore introduces the theme of self-interest in the play, and the lengths that people are willing to go to.

Finally, John Proctor himself is a hypocrite. At the outset of the play, we are told that John is a fundamentally good character who is held in high esteem by the townspeople. Miller tells us:

“he had a sharp and biting way with hypocrites”

This demonstrates John’s high moral standards, and the fact that he is averse to those in Salem who profess to living a virtuous life, but in actual fact can be spiteful and covetous.

Proctor is known as a simple, honest, and upright man who carries himself with much honour and dignity. He is never afraid to speak openly about the quality of the religious leaders and will not allow Reverend Parris to baptize his youngest son, declaring that he can:

"see no light of God in that man"

Proctor always seeks the truth and denounces hypocrisy and corruption that exists in Salem. This view shapes John Proctor’s own opinion of himself, as he:

“has come to regard himself as some kind of fraud”

John is clearly a well respected member of the community, but he is tortured as a result of his relationship with Abigail. He has failed to live up to his own high moral standards and this causes him much guilt and personal anguish.

However, his concern for his reputation means he does not expose the girls as liars until the witch trials have already gotten out of hand. Thus, he becomes even more hypocritical through his procrastination.

However, eventually, in an effort to rid himself of his own hypocrisy, he stands by his wife following the false accusation that she is a witch, and decides to give up his good name and confess his guilt, publicly labeling Abigail a “whore” and admitting that:

“I have known her.”

This shows that John is a man of principle and he is not afraid to stand up and say what he sees as right, regardless of how it may be perceived or manipulated by others. He strives not to be hypocritical, but this pursuit of a worthy aim however can also be seen as contributing to Proctor's downfall; although he acts in good faith, his actions lead to his arrest and conviction as a witch.

Proctor’s excessive pride and desire to keep his good name, and refusal to be a hypocrite, rather than confessing to witchcraft, lead to his eventual hanging. At the conclusion of the play, Proctor's pride comes to the ultimate test when he is faced with choosing between two lines of action. When faced with the dilemma of pleading guilty to witchcraft and living, or refusing to confess and hanging, Proctor decides, after speaking to Elizabeth, that he will surrender to confession. After agonizingly signing his name on the confession, Proctor erupts in anger and refuses to hand the paper over to Governor Danforth. Proctor, responding to an incredulous Danforth, cries:

"How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!"

This is the climax of the play, as he tears the paper and seals his fate. Proctor cannot live knowing that he has confessed to lies and shamed not only his reputation and family name, but those who died only because they stand up for what is right. He has also become what he despises – a hypocrite. Signing his name to a lie would make him no better than the others in the play who are motivated by self-interest.

Proctor dies as a symbol of goodness and dignity for other people in society to follow. The character has been tortured by his own guilt brought about by his original sin, but by the end of the play, before his death, he tells Elizabeth:

“I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs.”

At this final tragic moment, Proctor has at last found peace with himself.

In conclusion, in “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller, hypocrisy plays a major part. It is through the hypocrisy of the characters and Salem society in general that the dramatic events of the play are allowed to happen: Proctor’s ultimate redemption comes about because he refuses to remain a hypocrite.

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