Identity, apology, and forgiveness are three concepts that define The Crucible by Arthur Miller. These traits are shown through the characters and the events in the play. Each offer definition to the happenings and outcome of the story as well.
Identity is what the story is about. Identities being questioned, identities being fought for, identities being developed and changed al throughout the story. The power held by the “afflicted girls” gave them the ability to say anyone is a witch, and instantly put their identity under speculation. As shown in the end of Act II, the girls cry out names of women that they had “seen with the devil.” Instantly the names of Sarah Good, Sara Osbourne, etc., are called out as being affiliated with the devil. Throughout the trials, these women’s identities are destroyed. Abigail Williams’ identity is also changed throughout the story. She starts as Reverend Paris’ niece, a good girl as known to him, but in the town, there is a “blush” surrounding her name. It is said in town that she and John Proctor had “known” each other while Abigail was working in his home. Abigail believes that John Proctor’s wife Elizabeth is the one starting the rumors. During the story, however, Abigail rises as the head of the afflicted girls, and obtains the power to deface anyone’s name in the town. She uses this power to get back at Elizabeth. Though Abigail stretches her power too far, also with help from John Proctor and Mary Warren coming forward and confessing, and is found to be a fraud. Once again, Abigail’s name is no good in the town, so she flees. John Proctor’s name is also put up for trial. He is accused of being the devil himself. On the morning of the day he is scheduled to be hanged, Judge Danforth has Proctor sign a paper that states his confession. Danforth says that this will save him, and other accused people, from hanging, but it will be hung on the church door for the public to see. Proctor denies that the statement is true, stating that “it is my name!…I have given you my soul; leave me my name!”. Proctor is hung because of his unwillingness to sign away his name as a witch, and is hung. This shows that identity is a major concept in The Crucible, and that it changes the outcome of the story.
Apology is a concept that is important in the text. Abigail Williams and the other “afflicted” girls put these people in a horrible situation; they were forced to apologize to the town for their actions, or they were hanged. They could lie and sign their name away as a witch, and be looked down upon for the rest of their lives, or they could tell the truth and refuse to apologize, but then they were killed. Apology weighs heavily in The Crucible because it decided so many of the peoples’ fates. Abigail is also affected by apology. Once she is found to be a fraud, she could have apologized, she could have even admitted that she was using her power for her own revenge, but instead she runs away. Abigail claims no responsibility and does not apologize for her decisions.
Forgiveness is a concept in The Crucible as well. Once Abigail no longer has power over the town, she goes to John Proctor in the jail and asks him to run away with her. He could have forgiven her for all the torment that she has put he and his family through, and run away with her to Barbados, but he remains in Salem. This shows that he does not forgive her. John asks forgiveness from Elizabeth for committing adultery with Abigail, and Elizabeth forgives him. She suspected that he had had some sort of relationship with Abigail while Abigail was working for them, and when she learns that her speculations were true, she forgives John anyway. Had she not forgiven him, the outcome of the story may have been completely different.
These three concepts of identity, apology and forgiveness all have an impact on the people in Salem in The Crucible. Without these three concepts, the outcome of the Salem witch trials shown in the text could have been very different.
