The Crucible teaches us that being “real” Puritan was the most important thing of this period. John Proctor, Abigail Williams’ only relative, is John Proctor. Abigail Williams was convicted of worshiping the devil. His wife was also accused of witchery. This makes him the central character in the story. Abigail Williams was accused of practicing witchcraft. John Proctor, however, is hanged. Abigail was not a member of the Puritan church and did not practice witchcraft. Abigail is seen breaking Commandments, such as lying and worshiping the Devil. John Proctor should be considered a “real Puritan” and not Abigail.
Britannica says that Thomas Dale introduced Puritanism to Virginia to establish a church government. Puritanism emerged in England between 16 and 17 centuries. They tried to make religion a lifestyle. Puritans have a religious foundation and allow the church make the rules. Puritan beliefs and life are strict. They believe that following these rules will ensure a peaceful afterlife. Witches have been known to perform rituals and to communicate with the devil. Abigail, who was part of a ritual that her uncle was involved in, was captured by him. She killed Elizabeth Proctor’s husband to get John Proctor. He refused to go with her, so she accused Elizabeth of witchcraft. She also claimed that Elizabeth had Voodoo dolls at her home. Abigail falsely accused several women of doing the Devil’s work. She would not underestimate her chances of getting into trouble. Abigail was too busy performing Devil rituals to attend church. John Proctor gave the town good reasons for why he didn’t go to church. He doesn’t like Reverend Parris’ views. Reverend Parris was her uncle and saw Abigail and other girls engage in witchery. This shows Abigail is not interested in the Puritan lifestyle and going to church. John Proctor attempts to stay as far away from Abigail as possible. Abigail breaks many commands throughout the play. The ninth commandment that she violated was lying. She lies about her devil-worshipping ritual, Mary’s taking over of her body and her affair. John Proctor did tell the truth about his affair. He eventually confessed to it and asked for forgiveness. Abigail also broke another commandment: worshipping anyone other than God. It has been proven that she used rituals and drank blood to practice witchery. John Proctor never worshipped anyone other than God. Abigail also broke another commandment, the seventh: adultery. John Proctor was also a partner in her sex, and Elizabeth Proctor is his wife. John Proctor is also guilty. However, he admits to having sinned before the judge. It is clear that Abigail broke a greater number of commandments than John Proctor. John Proctor even admitted to breaking the commandments. Puritanism has become the standard of living in this community. My paper shows that Abigail doesn’t even come close to being a puritan. It is exactly the opposite. John Proctor made mistakes, but he is still human and should be able be called a “real Puritan”. While he might not always follow all the rules, he is a good person and lives with God. John Proctor is, in my opinion, the most authentic Puritan. Citing references
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible is a play about the Salem witch trials. It is a story about the consequences of hysteria and intolerance in the small Puritan community. Cliffs Notes Inc., 1998.
“Puritanism.” Edited by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclop?dia Britannica, Encyclop?dia Britannica, Inc., 21 Sept. 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/Puritanism.
