Theme Of Ambition In The Crucible

Can even the most steady and kind be corrupted by certain ambitions?

In The Crucible, there are many examples that ambition can corrupt even the most steady and kind, through the use of characters such as Elizabeth Proctor, Reverend Hale and John Proctor as well as others. Rev. Hale, as an example, came to Salem with an ambition to rid the town of witchcraft, but at the same time disregarded the fact of the matter, innocent people are being put to death for the sake of reputation. As Hale says in Arthur Millers' The Crucible, book/movie/play,

“Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my own. I came into this village like a bridegroom to his beloved, bearing gifts of high religion; the very crowns of holy law I brought, and what I touched with my bright confidence, it died”, hinting to how he was doing great wrong in the community. The statement "Ambition can corrupt even the most steady and kind", is proven to be true. Here are some reasons how it has been proven.

John Proctor has been corrupted by ambition.

Throughout The Crucible, the story follows John and his corruption. He started out as a good wholesome man, but quickly started being corrupted when his wife Elizabeth Proctor is charged for witchcraft. He admits to lechery and then claimed to be a witch with the ambition to save his wife. He then brought Mary Warren the hired help, to testify against the main antagonist Abigail Williams and overthrow the court. Is this not an example of corruption? With this evidence it should be sufficient to say that John Proctor was corrupted by the ambition to save his

wife.

As another piece of evidence, look to the wife Elizabeth Proctor. It was said that she was a holy woman and had not and would not tell a lie. With this being stated in the book, she was asked into the court to tell why they, the Proctors' had fired Abigail Williams, their previous help and claimed, "She dissatisfied them," trying to protect John, who had already confessed to his affair with Abigail. A holy woman, who had never lied, had just lied to the court due to the ambition to protect her husband. That is a prime example that, ambition does corrupt even the most steady and kind. Thomas Putnam as well, it was speculated that he was accusing people for his benefit. If the accused were hung he could get their land. That is definitely corruption through ambition.

Can ambition lead to corruption? As Hale had confessed to Elizabeth, the ambition to clean the town of witchcraft had clouded his vision. John confessed to lechery and witchcraft to help his wife. As well, Elizabeth lied to the court to protect her husband. All lead by ambition, were corrupted in some way. With this all said, it should be enough to prove that ambition can and in fact, will corrupt even the most steady and kind.