The+Title

Arthur Miller’s name for his play, //The Crucible//, accurately characterizes the events that take place in the story of Salem. As a crucible prevents metal from escaping tremendous heat, so does the atmosphere that forms as a result of the witch trials trap everyone in the town with hopeless decisions that have no possible positive outcomes. As the plot progresses, several social masquerades that people hide behind in the beginning gradually dissipate until they no longer exist, just like a crucible purifies metal by removing any excess substances. Also, the natures of various people change because of the trials they face just like how a crucible can chemically change certain substances when they are heated together. The tests imposed on everyone in the play have disastrous repercussions, and the title both literally and figuratively captures most of the content of //The Crucible//.  The chaos that is building up in Salem begins to cut off any escapes from its destruction, leaving some character with difficult decisions to make for their continued survival. Although Abigail and the girls initiate the chain of events that lead to the witch trials, they find themselves with no choice but to continue making everyone believe that there are witches because it’s too late to avoid fatal consequences for all the pain they cause the town. Proctor also cannot hope to avoid grievance from his decision on whether to confess or not because if he does confess, he will never be able to raise his children to be honorable men, but if he doesn’t, he will die. Everyone who comes before the court as a suspected witch is confronted with a similar dilemma because regardless of what they choose to do, they will either be jailed or killed. Almost every inhabitant of Salem is trapped with predicaments without any advantageous endings, which is absolutely outrageous because in reality, there is no witch plot for anyone to be condemned for.  In addition to the previous comparison, the title also relates to the story because like the purification process of metal that a crucible is used for, any cover-up that concealed the real lives of the citizens of Salem is done away with. Giles Corey, who is known for his numerous court experiences, commences his case coolly and with tact, but when they ultimately pay no heed to his argument, he lashes out at Putnam, which indicates the extent of his hatred towards his wayward neighbor. Also, while they manage to keep it under wraps for a time, the girls’ activities in the woods in the beginning are made known to Danforth when Proctor presents his evidence of their fraud. He also discloses his adultery to the court, which is the last resource he has in his arsenal of proof, but even that fails when Elizabeth unknowingly wrecks his final piece of evidence. Quite a few secrets that were once held in confidence are exposed for everyone in the play to see, and the frivolous masks that many wore, like the impurities of the metal in a crucible, evaporate into oblivion.  A chemist also uses a crucible to heat multiple substances and transform them into entirely different compounds, and that process correlates with the changes that the characters undergo on account of the hardships they encounter. Seeing the injustice done by his hand, Hale recognizes that religion does not adequately explain why so much turmoil occurs in Salem, and he uses reason instead of religion to mentally conclude that everything concerning witches in the town is a false impression made by a group of mischievous girls. After the court brings her into custody for being a witch, Elizabeth’s relationship with her husband changes into a sincere expression of love after such a long time of cold distance in their home. Unfortunately, Danforth also replaces his former virtue of honor with acts of self preservation, and he finalizes his metamorphosis by prolonging the witch trials even though he comes to realize that there aren’t any satanic conspirators. The residents of the village, surrounded by inescapable adversity, adjust to their situations in various manners, and while some become something greater than what they were previously, most succumb to mass hysteria and become subjects of disdain.  The tests and challenges that menace the characters in //The Crucible// and the effects they have on Salem make the title of the play appropriate for its subject matter. The unrelenting snares the people get caught in trap them like a crucible encloses its contents for intense heating. Also, all pretense dissolves away like the excess substances in impure metal, leaving the genuine natures of the metal and the people for everyone to see. Just like how substances in a crucible can form into new ones, the personal qualities of the characters in many cases change, whether it is for the better or for the worse. This choice of a title cleverly portrays the entire tale of the Salem witch trials in two words: //The Crucible.//