Reflection Blog: The Crucible Act 1

Act 1 of The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a very interesting read so far. Unlike the other pieces of Puritan writings we have read and blogged about, "The Narrative of Restoration and Captivity of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson" by Mary Rowlandson, "Upon the Burning of our House" by Anne Bradstreet, and pieces of "Plymouth Plantation" by William Bradford, The Crucible is written as a play and its contents contain background information and dialogue. I really enjoyed it for those reasons because of my interest in theater. The Crucible  is definitely different and refreshing from the other pieces of Puritan writings we have already encountered. Nevertheless it still demonstrates the qualities of the Puritans.

One of the first qualities I noticed was of course their dependence on God. This has been a similar theme in Puritan writings that we have already read and it was no surprise that it is present in this one as well. Arthur Miller portrays this differently than the other writers did though. Instead of using lots of scripture and Biblical references through out the story, he shows their need for God through the characters actions and words. While Betty is in this condition, her father Parris, the Reverend turns to God for answers. He is very concerned for his daughter and always has someone watching her. He calls in Reverend Hale and prays for her twenty-four seven. They also sing Psalms, which Betty cannot bear to hear. He refuses to believe this is witch crafts doing and turns to God for answers.

Another quality of the Puritans is a form of legalism. They were very strict to their religion and if you doubted them or if your belief systems were different, they would consider you sinful, demonic, evil, or even a witch. This is so far what the  plot of The Crucible is about. Betty, Tituba, Mercy, and Abigail were some of the few messing around with witch craft. This included drinking blood, dancing in the forest, speaking with the Devil, and conjuring up the dead. This kind of behavior is not taken lightly by the rest of the Puritans and they tried their best to keep it hidden. Because of the legalism, the Puritans believed that people who did this were from the Devil or must be a witch. They would then kill them by either burning, hanging, or drowning them. They cannot fathom the thought of them not believing and acting the same way as they do for their religion.

An overall breakdown of the Puritans beliefs is very strict. They need every thing a certain way, and are legalistic like I had said. It's their way or the highway. An example of this would be the horror of witchcraft in the village and the violent deaths of the accused "witches". To be apart of their religion, you had to completely surrender yourself to it and follow it exactly. I have a feeling that this is going to be a conflict in the plot as we continue to read The Crucible.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts. Harmondsworth, Eng.: Penguin, 1976. Print.