Mary Warren The Crucible Essay

The Crucible, a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953, is a story partially fictionalized and dramatized, that portrays the witch trials that took place in Salem, Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. Miller was inspired to write this play when the congressional committee was questioning him about his activities with the American Communist Party. The play is an allegory of the time when mass hysteria caused no one to be safe; it petitions for freedom and tolerance. When there is frenzy, in this case witchcraft, people act upon an impulse to deviate from what is moral, jump from evidence to conclusions, and fall under others’ influence. In the play, Mary Warren is John and Elizabeth Proctor’s maidservant who becomes one of the accusers during

the hunt for witches in Salem.

Throughout the play, Mary Warren develops her confidence and wisdom, but is ultimately given in to pressure followed by a decline in her morality.
First, Mary’s morality changes from wanting to do what is ethnically correct to be sinfully condemning. For example, Mary wants to clear the confusion because she understands that the consequence of witchcraft was the death penalty. Apart from the other girls that danced in the woods, Mary only participated as a witness and understands that her knowledge of the truth could prevent the town from thinking it was witchcraft. She enters the play breathlessly warning the girls upon hearing that the word is out and the whole town is talking about witchcraft. In a desperate but unsuccessful attempt to clear the news, she pleads to the ringleader, Abigail Williams, “Abby, we’ve got to tell. Witchery’s a hangin’ error, a hangin’ like they done in Boston two year ago! We must tell the truth, Abby” (Miller 143)! In addition, Mary develops a guilty conscience as she witnesses the witch trials falsely convicting townspeople, whom she knows are all innocent. She becomes an official of the court and sews a fair poppet for Elizabeth during the court proceedings. As she hands the doll to Elizabeth, she

adds, “We must all love each other now, Goody Proctor” (Miller 164). Mary recognizes that Abigail will not stop fooling the townspeople until she has Elizabeth accused and hanged, so she feels guilty for not exposing the truth in the first place. Furthermore, in the decline of her morality, she gives into pressure and accuses John of witchcraft. Once again, Mary attempts to do the moral thing and tries to expose the girls’ scheme to Judge Danforth in court, but Abigail turns against her and accuses her of witchcraft. Mary quickly realizes that the court will hang her unless she confesses and she accuses John of forcing her to sign her name in the Devil’s book. As Mary points to John, she exclaims, “You’re the Devil’s man” (Miller 194)! She escapes death by condemning John and joins Abigail and the other girls. By condemning John’s life, Mary condemns her own soul. As her morality declines, her confidence swiftly evolves.
Secondly, throughout the play, Mary changes from being an incompetent subservient maid to a confident woman who stands up for herself.

For example, she becomes defiant when John forbids her from going back to Salem because he believes she should not be involved with the court since they will be hanging those arrested. She declares to John, “I would have you speak civilly to me, from this out” (Miller 165). Now that she feels important and useful for something other than to clean a house, she confronts John with morale and this newfound demand for respect. In addition, Mary’s confidence leads her to believe in her own lies. Even though she knows that Abigail’s story about witchcraft is fictional, she confesses in court that Sarah Good casted curses on her. Indignant with Elizabeth’s unbelief in her story, she states with confidence in her lie, “She tried to kill me many times, Goody Proctor” (Miller 164)! With her high esteem, she is able to experience the power of looking down on people, now that she is no longer amongst the common, but an official of the

court.
Then, Mary becomes wiser than when she was just a servant to the Proctor’s. For example, in court, she defends Elizabeth when Abigail accuses her of witchcraft. She exclaims to John concerning his wife, “I saved her life today” (Miller 165)! Mary’s insight on why Abigail chose to accuse Elizabeth led her deposition to plead that she never saw Elizabeth engaging in witchcraft. This newly acquired wisdom spares Mrs. Proctor that day in court and reflects the growth of Mary’s acumen. Additionally, her cleverness warns John why she cannot testify in court to expose Abigail and plead Elizabeth’s innocence. She figures that Abigail will charge lechery on John if he tries to save his wife from being hanged. She claims to John, “I have known it, sir. She’ll ruin you with it, I know she will” (Miller 174). Mary comprehends that Abigail is seeking revenge on Elizabeth and wants to be with John. This wisdom allows Mary to think and plan ahead. Before Mary makes a move, she is able to foresee what comes as a consequence of her actions.
In conclusion, Mary Warren goes through development of her confidence and wisdom, but is followed with a decline in her morality due to peer pressure. She tries to do the morally right thing, but due to trepidation, develops to be weak-willed and spineless, and in a number of times, gives in to pressure. Mary’s position to do what is righteous changes when she realizes Abigail’s supreme power during the witch trials. Mary first appears to be the only immaculate person who did not want to take part in girls’ lie and associate herself with the witchcraft, but it later reveals that she is equally unethical when she joins them. Even willing to condemn John’s life, Mary condemns her own soul. In the play, it points out that in mass hysteria even those with good intensions will execute ruinous acts.