Examples Of Puritanism In The Crucible

The Mask of Puritanism
Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a controversial play that platforms the atrocities and betrayals surrounding the Salem witch trials. While the infamous Salem witch trials are being relayed to the audience, the overarching shroud of Puritanism partakes a defining role in the progression of the play. Early in the play, the decisions and demeanors of the characters are determined by the strict principles of Puritanism, but as the play advances the flaws in Puritan society are realized by all characters. The truly virtuous characters eventually see the flaws in their previous selves and strive to redeem themselves in one way or another. On the other hand, the true villainous characters exhibit a failure to comprehend the

errors in their ways due to large amounts of self-righteousness and selfishness, thus insinuating chaos onto the town.
The characters who eventually grow to become the villains of the play may not have originally had malicious intent in their motives, but once they took advantage of the questionable dogma of Puritanism in order to aid their societal situation, they could truly be distinguished as corrupted individuals.

Reverend Parris stems from this dark path mainly due to his profound insecurity with his leadership role in the community. In Parris’ eyes, he is constantly under the constant judgement of God and more importantly the people of Salem both of whom could deem him unfit to be a Reverend, so he displays many instances of urgency in all instances of displaying superiority, “In meeting, he felt insulted if someone rose to shut the door without first asking his permission” (Miller 3). For Parris, any outlet power over others reassured himself that he was qualified for his position, so when the trials emerged and his societal peers continued to dwindle, even more feelings of entitlement fell upon him because now no one could challenge his authority. Parris only benefitted from the destruction that the trials brought onto the town and sought to continue it even if it meant lying to the court, “I can only say, sir, that I never found any of them naked” (Miller 105). Instead of revealing the corrupted nature of the girls and possibly putting an end to the senseless killings, Parris decides to spare the girls in order to save his

reputation.
Along with Parris, Judge Danforth also rises out of the crucible of Puritanism with original intent to abide by his religion but in in turn becomes a villain. Danforth embodies the Puritan mindset that one is either with the church or against the church and applies this to the courtroom: “A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between…Now, by God’s grace, the shining sun is up, and them that fear not light will surely praise it” (Miller 94). Danforth sees his court and his decisions as God’s blessing to determine whether a woman or man belongs in either heaven or hell. Anyone who is against his rulings are against the wishing of God, which makes them supporters of the Devil. He practices this authority proudly and sentences numerous people to their deaths mainly on the basis that they did not abide to what the court wanted to hear: that there was witches plaguing the town of Salem. These are the ways of Puritanism that Danforth is entitled to abide by, but when his prior understandings of his purpose are challenged by the words of John Proctor, Danforth’s true villainy is unleashed onto the audience. When John Proctor, who is innocent of witchcraft, admits witchcraft in order to spare his life, he contradicts Danforth’ previous rulings by saying that he was the only one to be in cahoots with the devil, thus putting Danforth’s reputation of being a messenger of God’s will to the test since his prior verdicts were false. Instead of admitting his faults and freeing the people he convicted he says, “I cannot pardon these when twelve have already hanged fro the same crime. It is not just” (Miller 129). Danforth is willing to do anything to uphold his reputation even if it means sacrificing innocent lives. This self-righteousness and clear absence of conscience displays how cold hearted and villainous Danforth is.
Puritan lifestyle stuck to a strict code of conduct which persecuted and punished those who defied it.

This kept a constant pressure to uphold these ideals or be punished by God, but these standards required much restraint and went against human nature such as to show affection or lust. Thus was the root to many anxieties especially in the relationship between John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor. Elizabeth follows the Puritan standard for wives and is generally cold and unaffectionate, a trait which is exhibited in most of her interactions with John, “He gets up, goes to her, kisses her. She receives it. With a certain disappointment, he returns to the table” (Miller 50). Her coldness resulted in a desperate need for affection in John which prompted his affair with Abigail, a part of his life that John resents and constantly reminded of when he sees his wife. John committed the sin of adultery, and therefore, under a Puritan mindset, must be forever guilty of his crimes and he is reassured of his fault by Elizabeth who no longer trusts him and is even colder to him. Proctor’s guilt undermines his efforts to stop Abigail throughout the play because he is so ashamed of his adultery and cannot find a different way, other than the unreliable Mary Warren, to expose Abigail’s lies. Using Mary Warren to stop Abigail ultimately backfires and he is accused of witchcraft himself, it is then that Proctor has realized Puritanism has failed him and utters, “God is dead” (Miller 119).

Proctor finally sees that God would not condone the uncalled executions of numerous innocents, and the works of the Puritan court are corrupt and flawed. In order to prove this, John is unwilling to admit witchcraft and sacrifice his life instead so that the town could see that the court is killing innocents. Elizabeth also realizes the unraveling of Puritanism and sees that her coldness was unnecessary and admits it to John, “It needs a cold wife to prompt lechery” (Miller 137). She says this to John to show him that all individuals are flawed so there is no reason to be ashamed of himself. Elizabeth’s selflessness in admitting her wrongdoings encourages John to finally forgive himself and be relinquished of his guilt. With a newfound sense of self-worth, John knows he cannot sign Danforth’s document because it will reverse the goodness that he just realized he had since he would be letting his peers die in vain: “Because it is my name…Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang” (Miller 143). Proctor is finally understands the goodness in himself and if Danforth were to get the better of him, his morals and his own name would be worthless to him. By dying through dignity and knowing he did the right thing, Proctor is truly virtuous.
Miller’s The Crucible is a true masterpiece and clearly defines morals of good and evil in society. The reader cannot but help be entranced by how Puritanism’s flaws brought out the best and worst of its people. The play is a true representation of how reputation and entitlement are worthless when it comes upholding the fragile basis of society.