The Theme of Justice in The Crucible

The Theme of Justice in The Crucible

The crucible was set in 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The play is

based on true facts about events that actually took place. It is about

a small secluded town that relies strongly on their religion to keep

them feeling safe. Their enemy is the devil and they are always scared

of the devil and constantly looking for signs that the devil is there.

“We cannot leap to witchcraft. They will howl me out of Salem for such

corruption in my house.”

The fear of the devil gets so strong the town’s justice system take

strong actions to keep everyone safe. The paradox between justice and

freedom is very unbalanced. The justice and courts are so strict none

of the Salem people have their own personal freedom.

Miller is questioning the fairness of the justice in Salem and that of

the justice system in the US in the 50’s at the time he wrote the

play. This is called an allegory. In the 50’s McCarthyism was the

suppression of communism. Anyone accused of being a communist would be

put into prison. Anyone who criticized the government was brought

before the court and asked to name people they had seen at communist

meetings. Arthur Miller did not agree with the system and wanted to

get his views across. If he wrote a play about Senator McCarthy and

his justice systems faults then he would have been arrested and the

play would not have been shown. He made the play about the witchcraft

in Salem to cover up his true meaning whilst being a polemic teaching

people of the corruption in the justice system.

The characters in Salem all represent people from the US in the 50’s.

The Judges represent the Senators. Miller makes them disliked by the

audience by showing the unfairness of thei...

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...itute in Boston”

To make people feel there is justice as Abby got what she deserved and

people finally saw through her and she revealed the truth to what she

really was.

Miller states that Paris was voted out of office. This was also what

happened to Senator McCarthy they both were causing injustice and in

the end were both expelled. This means that they have got their

justice.

The audience is most concerned if John gets his justice. He does

because the audience can all see that he is a good man and he becomes

a hero to anyone watching the play. The characters in the play don’t

celebrate him as a hero but from everyone watching he is praised. This

means his message of following your own sense of right and wrong is

received my hundreds of people. This is how John gets his justice and

how miller restores people’s faith in the goodness of humanity.