The Importance Of Moralism In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Austere religions with black and white definitions for right and wrong are bound to result in the deception of a suppressed people. With the cornerstone of Puritan lifestyle being the church, their community is profoundly influenced by religious philosophy and beliefs. Anything believed to be a contradiction of their religious moral code is deemed to be sin, and directly connected to the devil. Devil worship and witchcraft is conjured by means of fear that gives superstition power, and those accused of unnatural behavior receive harsh castigation. Due to the illogical misconceptions, the rigid town of Salem took it upon themselves to rid their community of “sinners”, thus creating a whirlwind of accusations and deceit. In his play The Crucible, Arthur Miller demonstrates how a rigid

This is not to say that they denied the existence of supernatural evil” (Morgan). Their strict Puritan belief in the plain right and wrong clouded their senses, while resulting in the deaths of many innocent people. Unfortunately, their clouded vision is problematic since authority of Puritan society is raised on high pedestals and is seen as perfect examples for the rest of Salem.

True catalysts of chaos in The Crucible are those cunning enough to break their moral ties to Puritanism to avoid the destructive punishments of a puritanical society. Abigail, “the prime mover of the Salem hysteria” (Martin), is a complex character who demonstrates her ability to manipulate beliefs and evade punishment for breaking the Puritan moral code; her role in The Crucible is a petri dish for lies and abundant fear. Early on, Abigail’s opposition to Puritan fundamentals is revealed through a short lived affair with a married man, John Proctor. She continuously “imagines herself in the arms of Proctor” (Bigsby) and “had felt him 'burning ' in his loneliness’” (Bigsby), a frame of mind which is still intact