The Crucible Reputation Essay

Many people believe that teenagers are reckless, rude, and untruthful human beings. It seems that teenagers are always under the pressure to “look cool,” and not do anything embarrassing. Reputation means a great deal to many high schoolers, because it seems that you only get one chance to make a good impression. In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, lies and accusations of witchcraft drive the Puritan village of Salem to uncover what each character values the most, reputation. Reputation is tremendously important in theocratic Salem, where public and private moralities are one and the same. In an environment where reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by association becomes particularly pernicious. Focused on maintaining

public reputation, the townsfolk of Salem must fear that the sins of their friends and associates will taint their names. Various characters base their actions on the desire to protect their respective reputations. Miller argues that maintaining a high reputation can often corrupt morals, leading to selfish actions that may result in severe consequences in order to redeem oneself.
John Proctor’s desire to keep his good name leads him to make the heroic choice not to make a false confession and to go to his death without signing his name to an untrue statement.

Proctor is the voice of reason whose integrity defines him and clearly distinguishes him as the protagonist. His acumen and honesty also endows him with heroic qualities as we see him repeatedly being able to discern the truth from the false and the pure from the corrupt when he claims that he “cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is fraud. [He] is not that man. [His] honesty is broke…” (136). The fact that Proctor believes that he isn’t good enough to die as a saint like hero, makes him a hero. This is because his betrayal reflects his strong sense of morality and self-reproach, which intensifies his inability to forgive himself. There is a sense of desperation in this statement, emphasizing his internal struggle. As Proctor wrestles with his conscience whether to confess to witchcraft, saving himself from the gallows, he utters, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (143). As he has sold away his soul, the element of him that truly mattered to him, all he has left is his name and thus he fights for it though subconsciously knowing that he is being irrational. However, he later

realizes that he’d rather have his soul, therefore he “tears the paper and crumples it, and he is weeping in fury” (144). Proctor tearing the paper is significant as it is possibly the highest climactic point of this play. In order to save his integrity, his soul, Proctor surrenders the more materialistic element of himself, his physical body. The paper is also a symbol for higher monolithic institutions such as the Church and the courts and thus ripping them obviously signifies their disintegration.
To remain the respected judge of Salem, Danforth refuses to reprieve the accused prisoners and demands them to sign the false confessions in order to maintain his power of the court. He identifies himself as part of the system and any dissent becomes a personal affront. As the “keeper” of justice, Danforth believes that the people must be sentenced to death if they do not confess. He follows procedures and refuses to admit Proctor’s deposition. He believes that “a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it” (94). Danforth has a very narrow form of justice, either right or wrong. This foreshadows how Proctor will be sentenced, because although he is known as a good man in the townspeople’s eyes, Danforth can only see his guilt and his ‘un-Christian ways. He confirms, “near to four hundred are in the jails… on [his] signature” (87). There is a sense that Danforth makes this comment to impress those in the room and command respect. He also does not want people to question him; in the same way perhaps as he himself does not want to question those he has sentenced to death. Danforth is threatened when he “cannot pardon these when twelve have already hanged fro the same crime” (129). This may be a moment of recognition for him when he realizes it may be too late to go back on his decisions. He may realize that he has wrongly sentenced people, but fears for his reputation. This is one of the most damning of Danforth’s lines; for most of the play he comes across as a character with integrity who believes that he is doing the right thing despite being sadly misled. However, here his refusal to back down and accept the potential consequences of his erroneous judgments suggests a weakness and desire to protect his name and position that undermines any sense of integrity previously created.
Reverend Hale’s pride for his good intensions separates him from his morals to help the afflicted avoid punishment.

Hale’s arrival in Salem sets the hysteria in motion, as he is a tremendously enthusiastic and committed servant to the mission of exterminating witchcraft and the Devil’s work in society. Hale is confident that there is the presence of evil and that the townspeople should “have no fear now [because they] shall find him out if he has come among [them], and means to crush him utterly if he has shown his face” (39). This claim accentuates Hale’s determination to do right in the society. He is fuelled by the apparent need for his services. There is also a sense of melodrama about Hale’s words, suggesting that he enjoys playing the role of ‘witch hunter’ and revels in the attention he is receiving. He fully believes that what he is doing in Salem is absolutely right because he feels the he is making a positive and valuable contribution to the trial process. As he finally begins to realize that the trials don’t make sense, Hale speaks out to Judge Danforth, “Excellency, it is a natural lie to tell; I beg you, stop now before another is condemned! Private vengeance is working through this testimony! By my oath to Heaven, I believe him now” (114). Hale knows now what John Proctor has known all along, that the accusations of witchery were lies and motivated by private vengeance. His understanding that this is a ‘natural lie’ reveals his insight into other characters and

human nature and his oath to Heaven confirms his absolute confidence in truth. Hale feels extremely guilty and it weighs on him heavily that he has caused the deaths of innocent people. Hale meets with Goody Proctor to denounce himself and to “save [her] husband’s life, for he is taken, and counts [himself] as his murderer” (131). Hale takes matters into his own hands because he feels that the court is out of control. He asks Mrs. Proctor ‘if she understands him,’ which shows a desperation to purify his conscience. Hale’s decision to convince people to perjure themselves in a court of G-d also shows how much he has changed from the start of the play. He initially initiates the ‘witch hunt’ however, eventually experiences an epiphany wherein he realizes the absurdity of the accusations and that the trials themselves are ludicrous. As such, Hale’s character is an example that, no matter how hard, we must open our eyes and admit the fraudulent nature of the witch-hunt, both in Salem and modern day America.