Self-Preservation In The Crucible (Play Analysis)

Self-preservation is the act of protecting oneself. It is often related to pain or fear and is considered a human's basic instinct. People use self-preservation to protect their own reputation, often lying to do so. Arthur Miller’s "The Crucible", the act of self-preservation was the cause of the Salem Witch Trials. 

John Proctor is a prime example of self-preservation of name throughout the play to maintain his high position in society. John is a well-known man in his community. He is often referred to as a good man. Proctor has one major flaw though, his affair with Abigail. John had a lust for Abigail, leading to the affair, which happened before the play. Throughout the play, Abigail is envious of Proctor's wife, Elizabeth. In Act 2, there is a great feeling of detachment and tension in the Proctor household. We see John trying to start a conversation with Elizabeth, and she only gives short answers back to please him. The tides turn when Elizabeth starts to question him and Proctor's answers are very vague. Elizabeth goes on to find out about the affair. Proctor has tried to preserve his good name throughout the play to avoid testifying against Abigail. In Act two, Elizabeth is arrested and thrown in jail for being accused of witchcraft.  John appears in court to confess his affair with Abigail to seek the release of his wife.After confessing, the court calls Elizabeth into the room. They proceed to ask her about the affair, in which she lies about it. This was an attempt to preserve John Proctor's name. This was ironic, because John Proctor had just admitted to the affair.Afterward, Proctor himself is thrown in jail as well as he is also accused of witchcraft. While in jail, Proctor states, "I have given you my soul; leave my name (Act 4, p.150)", in an attempt to be a last plea for freedom. Proctor has given enough information about his past and soul to protect his own name. 

Throughout "The Crucible",  self preservation of the soul is prevalent in multiple characters.. Self-preservation has brought selfishness to the community. Betty showed this in act 1. Betty is suffering from a physiological illness. This sprouted from the fear of dancing in the woods with the other girls. Betty knows what happened in the woods but is playing off as ill to pretend she was a victim in the woods. The hysteria behind the witchcraft has also influenced Betty to remain incapitated in her bed. Betty suddenly wakes up and says "You did it, you did it. You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife", yelling at Abigail. This is because Betty knows what the girls did in the woods. She yells this at Abigail, as she knows it was very wrong that Abigail drank the charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor. This is to protect herself to make her seem like she did nothing that involved witchcraft but saw the other girls committing witchcraft. All of this was a cover up for Betty, so there was no way for her to get in trouble for what happened in the woods. Betty becomes very selfish and does anything to throw the other girls under the bus to make it seem as if they hurt her in the woods. 

Author Miller’s "The Crucible" reveals self preservation of the body. This has created lies throughout the community. Everyone is left wondering what to truly believe.They cannot separate the truth from the lies, making it nearly impossible to accuse someone without evidence. This also generated a lot of manipulation between one another. Constructing people to believe something mentally that they have never before changed the way they view things. This is shown in multiple places in the book, but mainly in act 3. During court, Abigail, along with the other girls, is brought into the courtroom by Danforth. Abigail testifies about whether she has lied about the supernatural torments that she has been through. She denies and says she is telling the truth, affirming that Mary Warren is lying. Abigail says "Goody Proctor always kept poppets (Act 3, p.96), then appears insulted when Danforth asks her if she is sure she did not just imagine it all. While Danforth doubts Abigail, she seems to go into a trance. While doing so, she is assaulted and yelled at. Danforth yells at Abigail and asks her if she has had sex with Proctor. Abigail refuses, "If I must answer that, I will leave and will not come back" (Act 3, p.103). Abigail and the other girls continue to mimic Mary Warren until she caves in and admits that Proctor is the Devil’s man. 

Arthur Miller’s "The Crucible" has manifested self-preservation to be the cause of the Salem Witch Trials. Shown in numerous situations, throughout the book. Ultimately, this leads to lying, manipulation, and selfishness in the community of Salem. They use these to convince the people in the community they are good people. This leads to people turning against each other to make them innocent. Self-preservation was the cause of the Salem Witch Trials.