Tragedies are among the most enjoyable plays of the dramatic genre. Something far removed from our own lives such as the play on a stage allows us to enjoy the poignant not-really-fictitious realities of good tragedies. Arthur Miller's The Crucible is just that kind of tragedy. Inspired by the horrifically real tragedy of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, Miller's four-act tragedy came to the American stage during the Cold War Era, when the Red Scare of was creating a fearful frenzy among the United States of America.
The Crucible recreates the awful events leading up to the Salem Witch Trials to show how proud, stubborn individuals with too much power and influence can decimate the lives the guilty and the misguided. Such a point of view suggests who and what caused the tragic outcome of the popular twentieth-century play. Who is to blame? Is Abigail to blame for Proctor’s adulterous allowances? Or, are the overzealous "hands of God" judge and the wanton Proctor to blame because they cannot face their erroneous actions and consequences in front of men and women of seventeenth-century America?
The adults are to blame. It's their pride, their stubbornness, their guilt and lust that is so complex, so tainted by their own choices and decisions that drive them to attack one another. In one not-so-simple way, John Proctor is to blame because he couldn’t resist the lustful chance to partake in young flesh. Never mind Proctor’s complex growth during the course of the play to become aware of the choices to which his consequences have lead him. The blame of this tragedy lies in the causes that brought about Abigail’s murderous, self-seeking persona. How did she get to this lowly state? She becomes who she is in The Crucible because of the influences of a rigid social structure and the flawed nature of a grown man.
There is no doubt Abigail feigns innocence early on in the play, as evidenced by her words in the beginning of Act I: “ We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted.And there’s the whole of it" (Miller, 139). While Abigail may be in the midst of perfecting her guile and deception, she’s not yet to blame for it. At seventeen, she is still developing mentally and emotionally into an adult. In addition to being used by Proctor for her physical maturation, Abigail’s self-seeking motivations have been influenced greatly by an adult figure who should have known better to behave himself according to his social and marital status.
Even in Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, is a clue that Abigail’s too young for what has transpired between her husband and the girl: "John--grant me this. You have a faulty understanding of young girls. There is a promise made in bed--" (Miller, 183). Elizabeth brings light to the rightful place of blame squarely on her husband John’s shoulders. “A faulty understanding of young girls” indicates the youthfully impressionistic mind of Abigail, still not old enough to comprehend what John has done by committing adultery with her.
With that said, other characters do share in the blame. Reverend Hale, for example, does little to really question the validity of the claims of devilry. Rather he assumes an irrationally adherence to theological obedience. His assumptions from such a lofty social position as a head of the church body causes an influence among others that little can be said to reverse his position. By God--he assumes--he’s right and others are wrong. The guilty are guilty. Period.
Does Abigail share in the blame? Not completely does she receive credit for blame for her involvement is overshadowed by Proctor’s adulterous relationship that skews her perception of what she’s allowed to have. That is to say, Proctor’s blame is genuinely a cause of the tragedy, whereas, Abigail’s participation in the tragic sequence of events is really just an effect of Proctor’s choice to commit adultery. Sure, she shares in the blame; she’s old enough to know better, but then again, she’s been tainted by Proctor’s promiscuity. She’s culpable, but not so much as Proctor is guilty.
Suffice it to say, the aforementioned takes care of the who. Now for the what: what is to blame for the causes of the tragedy? In terms of character, blame is not so easily settled because of the complexities of human personality and behavior; however, in terms of concepts, blame is easy. Pride and stubbornness seem easy enough, but what about lust and self control. Too much of the former and not enough of the latter makes for a very human tragedy. Keeping Proctor in mind, guilt is definitely a cause of much of the blame. It’s Proctor’s tragic flaw. E. Miller Budick, states in his essay “The Theme of Guilt in The Crucible,” “[G]uilt is a major force behind and throughout his drama” (Siebold, 91).
All in all, Miller’s 1953 play makes for a great study into the causes of blame for such tragic affairs that could have lead up to the treacherous Salem witch trials. The characters of Proctor, Hale, and Abigail share in the blame that causes the ordeal. Concepts, such as lust and guilt, also contribute to the factors that create the blame for the problems in the play.
Works Cited
Miller, Arthur, and C W. E. Bigsby. The Portable Arthur Miller. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. Print.
Siebold, Thomas, ed. Readings on The Crucible. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1999. Print.
