Ego and Its Consequences in The Crucible, a Play by Arthur Miller

Much of The Crucible is a character study with ego and depravity on full display. Arthur Miller presents many pre-existing rivalries that we watch unravel right before our eyes, and the coldness of some antagonists towards people can be downright upsetting. Many of the scenarios in Act One unfold rapidly and force the reader to understand the tension built long before any timeline provided within the text. Much of the rivalry and consequence of the novel come from hubris and the ego of man.

I will focus on ego, and expelling the ego due to the consequence and action.

An example minor role of Tituba as Mrs. Putnam’s slave served a hefty purpose in the early phases of this story, she sacrifices her dignity to save her own life. “Mister Reverend, I do believe, somebody else be witchin’ these children” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 45). Tituba’s claim of witchcraft was in response to Reverend Parris’ and Reverend Hale’s accusations of her casting spells, Parris being the man whom came to Salem in order to investigate these black magic happenings.

“Open yourself Tituba, open yourself and let God’s holy light shine on you” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 45). A confession meant freedom in this archaic time, many were willing to repent and save themselves.

Act Two of this story pits the reader in a rivalry between many parties, and the reader can recognize the more reasonable personalities instantaneously. The demeanor of John Proctor’s wife Elizabeth comes off as cold and somewhat dark, but she is always a steady mind and firm in her belief.

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With the admitted affairs of her husband the town’s accuser, she has become more brazen and willing to defend her ideals. Elizabeth represents many of the non believers in Salem, and can be seen as an allusion to the metaphor of agnostic belief in general.

The Reverends whom questioned Tituba also questioned the Proctor household, Elizabeth’s dignity creates a very tense scene of interrogatory dialogue as she questions witchcraft altogether. “I cannot think the Devil may own a woman’s soul, Mr. Hale, when she keeps an upright way, as I have. I am a good woman, I know it; and if you believe I may do only good work in the world, and yet be secretly bound to Satan, then I must tell you, sir, I do not believe it” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 70).This is an expression of fearlessness, the dire repercussions have no effect on a woman whom is more logical than most. Elizbeth is a much more valiant spirit than John in the early acts, her husband was more eager to be left alone than to stand for the truth. When John is asked of witchcraft, he replies, “I have no knowledge of it; the Bible speaks of witches, and I will not deny them” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 69).

The Crucible takes a giant leap within it’s third act. The unraveling of the accusations and accusers themselves become somewhat of a horror show. The dismal performances of the girls are described melodramatically, almost to poise the reader against them. The ludicrousness of the trials conducted are shown within dialogue and action quite well. When the gullible Mary Warren takes the stand, it is understood that she is more or less being exploited than actually being evil. “You have seen the Devil, you have made compact with Lucifer, have you not?” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 56). Judge Danforth exclaimed these accusations at her and the other accusers throughout the act to attain the truth. “I never saw no spirits” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 106) is what Mary exclaims to release herself from the court and the burden of the accused. The truth slowly becomes more visible, but many are found to protect their own deceits in this tale.

Act Four of this harrowing tale comes as a revelation, and focuses on redemption and the importance of forgiveness. With all the lies and the affairs in their marriage, the main protagonists in Elizbeth and her wife John Proctor represent the every(wo)man whom makes mistakes. “I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. I am not that man…” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 136), John exclaims this to his wife as his sits in jail for his contempt in court. He is willing to confess to earn his freedom, and prove his love to Elizabeth. “As you will, I would have it. I want you living, John. That’s sure” (A. Miller, 1953, p. 106). Elizbaeth’s reaction provides a pause to the ego of both parties, and both characters finally found a moment of true solace again within each other.

The denouement of this tale comes a bit more rapidly than expected. The downfall of John Proctor comes at his wife’s side, and with the realization that the only rivalry that mattered with the only one unsettled. The accusers never got their fair due, and in that we see a semblance to reality, in which not everything has a happy ending.

The author Miller himself makes many of his own judgements and points through character dialogue, “..the concept of unity, in which positive and negative are attributes of the same force, in which good and evil are relative, ever-changing, and always joined to the same phenomenon – such a concept is still reserved to the physical sciences and to the few who have grasped the history of ideas.” Miller also put a crucial emphasis on the Reverends will to religion and nothing else, “…their universe was absolute, lacking in ambivalence.  There was only one text to consult, and that text reserved only one fate for witches.” This quote is such an interesting example of the intersecting ideas Miller had with religion, and he portrayed religious figures with his words. With all the colliding notions in this story, one can say that humanity is the most confounding thing in this universe.