Theme of Moral Integrity in The Crucible (Play Analysis)

The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller is a historical fictional play about the infamous Salem Witch Trials, starting in 1692. Arthur Miller was inspired to create this work because of the similarities he saw between the Witch Trials and the Red Scare, which occurred in 1917. One theme that is distinctly visible throughout the play is moral integrity; and in some cases the lack thereof. Through reading The Crucible it becomes more and more clear that a lot of the characters have a great lack of moral integrity. During this story, lying, something that is generally looked down upon, is actually used to gain an advantage. This is seen particularly during the trials and when characters are accused of witchcraft. There are however some rare occasions in the play, where characters reach an epiphany and realize that dishonestly is wrong and their own morality is more important.

One of the first instances of the theme of moral integrity is seen right off the get go, in the first act of The Crucible. However, this particular moment showcases more lying and lack of moral integrity. The scene starts off with Betty, Abigail Williams' cousin and Reverend Parris’ daughter, sick and unconscious in bed. Abigail Williams, Betty, and some of the other girls in the village were caught dancing in the woods at night, causing suspicions of them practicing witchcraft. Reverend Hale suspects that the devil could have possessed  Betty while she was practicing this so-called “witchcraft”. Reverend Hale first questions Abigail about the ordeal, asking if the devil was conjured that night. This is when Abigail insists that Tituba (an enslaved woman from Barbados, who was also there the night in the woods) had conjured the devil and forced the girls to drink blood. It is assumed that this is false and Tituba is innocent of witchcraft. But Abigail knows that lying by shifting blame on Tituba will save her from the accusations of witchcraft being thrown her way. In the end, being dishonest proves to be helpful to Abigail, as the blame of witchcraft is distracted from her and onto Tituba. 

Another example of the theme of moral integrity is at the end of The Crucible. This specific occasion is actually more positive and displays the character John Proctor finally being truthful and having moral integrity. This occurs after John Proctor is accused of being affiliated with the devil by his servant Mary Warren. For this reason Proctor is put in jail and marked to hang. In the jail cell Danforth and Hathorne attempt to get Proctor to confess to doing the devil’s work. At first he is compliant, admitting to the accusations even though he knows they are false. His judgement takes a turn though when Danforth asks if Proctor had ever seen Rebecca Nurse and other women in town with the devil. He refuses to lie and spoil the names of other people, just so the court can get his confession and show that there is a reason for their hanging. Reverend Hale then insists to Danforth that Proctor’s own personal confession is enough. Danforth then asks Proctor to sign the confession. Proctor hesitates at first but reluctantly ends up signing it. But when Danforth attempts to take the confession from Proctor, explains that it is enough that he signed and that the village does not need proof. Danforth asks Proctor why he seems to deny this confession and why he does not want there to be legal proof of his confession. John Proctor then says, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Miller 133). After this Proctor tears the piece of paper with his signed name and confession on it. In his last quote of the play John Proctor says, “You have made your magic now, for now I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs.” (Miller 133). John Proctor showed an immense amount of growth in this scene. For a majority of the play he was seen as being a dishonest character, particularly with his wife Elizabeth. In the beginning of the story, it is revealed that Proctor and Abigail had an affair. For a portion of the story, Proctor does not confess to the courts that he and Abigail had an affair, even when it could help Elizabeth after she had been accused of witchcraft. But towards the end he makes a big shift in character and starts to own up to his mistakes and become a better person. That is shown here when he refuses to lie by committing to a false confession. Proctor finally gets to a place where he has stronger moral integrity.

Not only is the theme of moral integrity present in The Crucible, but it is also highly present in today’s modern world. Moral integrity is a subject that we are faced with and see every day of our lives. Choosing right from wrong is something we are often taught about as soon as we can understand. But one specific area where moral integrity is regularly put to use, is in our justice system. Through our justice system, judges and juries a lot of the time have to decide what is moral or immoral when presented with a case. An occasion where moral integrity is questioned is in our justice system where there is normalized dishonesty. It is no secret that the justice system is not always fair and lying is frequently used to get away with a crime. Unfortunately dishonesty is a major flaw that has plagued our justice system and made for a lot of unjust outcomes.

After reading The Crucible and analyzing the text it is evident that Arthur Miller added the theme of moral integrity largely in this play. This is clear when it is portrayed that oftentimes the characters in the book do not have any concerns when being dishonest. Such as when Abigail falsely accuses Tituba of being a servant to the devil. In a way you cannot blame the individual characters, but more so the circumstances in which they lived in. During the Salem Witch Trials, falsely accusing a neighbor to get yourself out of conflict was at times the only way to save your life. At that point it is simply up to the individual to decide whether their life or their moral integrity is more valuable. However, there are instances where the theme of moral integrity is shown in a positive light, as opposed to dishonesty. This is seen with the character John Proctor, who at the end of the play decided he’d rather be hanged than compromise his moral integrity by succumbing to the admission of a false accusation. Moral integrity isn’t only illuminated in The Crucible, but also in our everyday lives. As humans we have to decide right from wrong on a daily basis. And of course sometimes we will falter and turn to dishonesty, but as individuals it is our responsibility to try our best to have moral integrity.