FREE ESSAY ON THE CRUCIBLE

THE CRUCIBLE

It had been a few years since I had last attended to play. I had just seen the movie
version of The Crucible and was incredibly excited about getting a chance to watch a
theatrical presentation of it. When I first heard that I'd get the chance to see it I was
very excited that I could hardly wait. I must say, however, it was well worth the wait.
Everything and everybody inside the auditorium was much more professional than I had
assumed. I figured that this play would be nothing more than college students attempting
a performance of a very famous play. I could not have been more wrong. From the ushers,
to the performers, this play had every making of one on Broadway. I can honestly say,
that I enjoyed this performance more than the last play I saw, Cats, which I did see on
Broadway, not too long ago. This performance was truly remarkable nudges because of the
actors and people behind the stage, because it exceeded all my expectations.
The behavior of all the personnel involved in this play was very professional. Through my
studies class, I have come to realize how many people it takes to put on a production.
Every person I came into contact with was very friendly and very helpful as well as very
knowledgeable about what they were doing. The people working the box office were very
helpful and informative and I was purchasing my ticket. They pointed me to all the seats
that were open on the computer monitor. They also went beyond that, they showed me where
to sit so that I would have the best view in the house. It was almost going beyond the
call of duty. Upon arriving at the auditorium, I showed my ticket to the doorman and was
allowed to enter inside. I was a little late so an usher assisted me to my seat and gave
me the necessary information to verify my attendance. The usher was also very friendly
while he showed me to my seat. During the course of the play, but to note that the ushers
remain by the doors in case anybody needed assistance. The audience in the theater acted
and behaved exactly as would have been expected. I believe that as a whole, the audience
became attached to the play and sat on the edge of the seats. They clap of those
necessary, and they laughed on those necessary. It was a typical audience. And at the end
of the play, they applauded with a standing ovation.
The action of the play was much like I remembered when I watched the movie a couple years
back. Set in 17th-century Massachusetts, The Crucible, centers on the Salem witch
hysteria. The trouble begins when a group of girls joined together in the forest for
innocent fun. However, the Reverend of the town discovers the frolicking one night. He
does not think much of it, until two of the girls who are in the forest dancing cannot
wake up one morning. The town members determine that it was witchcraft which is kept the
girls in their beds all this time. The girls are all questioned and told that if any of
them say who summoned the devil into the forest they can all be saved. Before long the
girls implicate each other as well as many of the other townspeople. Many arrests are
made as word of the witchcraft spreads. People are put on trial and told that they
confess they can be saved. Many people are condemned and faced with this horrible
situation. In the end three of the main characters are hung because other moral
obligations to God, that they cannot confess to witchcraft.
Of all the characters in this play, only two of them strike me as being worthy of praise.
I like these two men because they hold their own beliefs and morals, and not fall into
the popular beliefs. Judge Danforth is very respectable because of his authority.
Although he condemned many innocent people to death, he remains one of my favorite
characters in this play because he held true to his beliefs. Many people were hanged to
just to prove that his word was authoritative even though it was wrong. The judge's stern
voice, and stern movements related to his thoughts deeply. Another character whom I found
that I respected was Reverend John Hale. I like this Reverend because he came to the
realization that he was wrong during the ending acts of the play. Unlike the Judge, he
changed not because of popular believe, but more because of his moral instability. I
gained respect for them when he tried to convince all the condemned to confess because I
of the beliefs that he came to realize; life is more important than anything else. Still
yet another man whom I gained the up most of respect for, is John Proctor. He refuses to
admit to being a witch even in the face of death. However, he decides that he does not
want to die such a useless death and plans to make a false confession. Eventually he made
the confession, but he retracts this confession upon hearing that it had been made public
and hung above the church door. But he does this to preserve his friends names, into die
with a good name himself. Any man can respect this behavior. Death before giving up one's
honor, exemplifies a man from a boy.
The actors worked as well in this play as any I have ever seen. Although it was still a
play, it merely had a movie theater atmosphere. I found that the sound in the auditorium
was magnificent. Every word spoken I could hear with great accuracy and clarity. The
comparisons between the play in the movie or very similar and can be seen in the way that
the actors worked together. I was never lost any point in this play. The actors and
actresses kept the play flowing as smoothly as a piece of ice. Throughout the transition
from set to set, the actors remained in tow and never skipped a beat. Although this play
with was lengthy, they ended in an as upbeat tone as when they began. 
The scenery supporting the story wasn't supreme quality, but it was good enough to
explain what was happening in the story. I was still impressed with the quality even
though it was obviously of a small budget. The costumes worn by the characters, were far
more impressive than I had imagined they would be. The costume designer out did himself
when he came to putting the characters into their chronological time setting. Even though
Puritan dress is as simple as can be, the simpleness of the costumes made them. They did
not try to be too fancy, yet they were just fancy enough to tell the story the way should
be told. The overall scenery in costumes was precisely accurate, thus led to the precise
telling of the story.
The ideas in the play dig deeper than the time period they are told in. The problems with
witchcraft still holds true today, even though it is hidden more by today's society. Many
people in today's world are proud to claim that they are devil worshipers. I personally
did not believe in it, and find it to be very wrong. But society accepts it, for what it
is worth. People, as a whole, very much differently than they did back then. Any person
in today's culture can openly say that they are a witch without feeling any worries of
being arrested, outcasted, or even scolded. Therefore, the ideas in this play can almost
be more relevant to today than two-hundred years ago. However it is still different. The
question is: if the same repercussions that existed back then still existed in today's
world, would people still be as open to admit that they are involved in witchcraft? Or
would they simply be in hiding like they were in the times of the Salem witchcraft
trials?
Overall, I found my first play at this university to be a treat. I am looking forward my
next play that I am able to go see regardless of whether it is an assignment or not. The
Crucible was especially enjoyable to see, because of its historical significance.
Witchcraft two hundred years ago played an important part in this country, and the way
it's judicial system came to be where it is today. The Crucible, even though it is
factual, it is based on truthful information, which is important. The idea behind the
teaching of history, is to teach it so that it will not repeat itself. Arthur Miller's
play will remain in history as one of the greatest historical plays ever written.