Symbols


 * __The Title Itself (The Crucible):__ ** A crucible- A vessel made of a refractory substance such as graphite or porcelain, used for melting materials at high temperatures. In other words a crucible is a container that is made to melt down metals and it withstands extremely high temperatures. In most science classes a crucible would be used to test how pure or good a certain substance is for an experiment, etc. The plays title alone symbolizes the entire plot of the play, considering how the story takes place during a time of great chaos and hysteria in the community. The crucible represents the church and how they pulled the traitors in and tried to melt down all their integrity by tearing them down. The church is basically testing the purity or goodness of each person and although they may be taking the liars it's what they see as pure. "I'll not hang with you! I love God, I love God." ( Mary Warren, Act 3) By Mary shouting this in front of the judges it makes Proctor look like the bad guy in this situation and it also makes it look like he's the one that was lying. Mary thought that was what they all wanted to hear so she lied in order to make her pureness seem real. The entire play most of the men and women that confess to the crime of witchcraft had been denying it the entire time, however, they felt that the church wanted to test they're pureness so they would lie about being with the Devil in order to save their own skin.



__** Witch Trials: **__ The Witch Trials represent the terror and hysteria in the community. The witch trials were just a way to keep their religion traditional and keeping other religions out. Many a time in // The Crucible // the people accused of not going to church every Sunday or working on the Sabbath are accused of being the Devil's advocates. "Mr. Proctor, your house is not a church; your theology must tell you that." ( Hale, Act 2) At this point in the play Mr. Proctor has been accused of working for the Devil. Because his wife was sick Proctor missed exactly twenty six times in seventeen months, however, this is still seen as wrong because if his wife was sick then he still should've attended church according to the church. Many a time the people that were accusing others were never questioned themselves. "Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God's fingers?" ( Proctor, Act 2) It never occurred to the church that the whole thing could be a lie or some sort of story meant to gain attention. Because religion was so delicate and not always easy to believe the church would do anything to make the outside world without God seem scarier.



** __The Poppet:__ Mary Warren's poppet would symbolize the uneasiness of the community. A poppet was something that symbolized innocence and youth, however, because of one person's words the poppet becomes this evil thing that people begin to fear. Along with witchcraft was voodoo and these dolls were believed to be used to hurt and curse the people these dolls were made after. For example, "I find here a poppet Goody Proctor keeps. I have found it, sir. And in the belly of the poppet a needle's stuck." ( Cheever, Act 2) The poppet was a gift from Mary Warren and it got turned into a demonic and evil doll. Simply because Abigail Williams stuck herself in the stomach with a needle and blamed the voodoo doll that Goody Proctor kept. **



__The Noose (Hangings):__ The strongest of all symbols would probably be the noose. The gallows throughout this whole play are basically this horrific impending doom that everyone is going to have to face eventually. Every time someone went to jail they were basically going to go to the gallows whether they wanted to or not. In order to avoid this awful death then you could lie and confess that you were working for the Devil and many times the women did exactly that. "No, I love God; I go your way no more. I love God, I bless God. Abby, Abby, I'll never hurt you no more!" ( Mary Warren, Act 3) By Mary yelling such things and confessing to changing form and trying to hurt Abby it looks like Proctor's been the one lying the entire time. Mary knew she would get out of the hanging if she confessed to conspiring with the Devil. Every person that confessed knew it was the only way out because even if you told the truth then you weren't believed, especially because the more respected people in the town confessed to seeing people with the Devil. "I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!" ( Abigail,Act 1) Because Abigail was the niece of Parris, a highly respected man in the town, her word as well as Betty's were taken without questions.

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