A time when man was seen as a sinner and unworthy to be saved, with little individuality, many things went wrong. Life was very different in Puritan culture. The Puritan culture revolved around God’s teachings. Puritan culture was very religious and held a high moral code. Worship and prayer were of paramount importance. It was considered sinful to not attend church. Puritans were also very interested in witchcraft. Men played a more important role in society than women or children. Men were employed as Reverends, Preachers and housewives, while women looked after the children and did household chores. Children were not given much respect and were forbidden to even look adults in their eyes. This was seen as a sign that they did not respect them. The Puritan way of life, particularly the roles that women and kids played, the influence of religion on society and the importance of community over individuality were all major factors in the success of Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. Puritan religion and culture had a major impact on the events of the play. The Puritan’s culture placed religion at the core of their lives, which gave the Salem Church and its reverends the greatest power during the Witch Trials. The church that had the most influence was particularly unfortunate, as it was unable to be overthrown and became increasingly corrupt. Reverend Hale says in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, “We can no longer blink.” This court is the subject of a great deal of fear in this country (Miller, 513). People were afraid to criticize the court after the arrests and hangings in the town. Just like Puritan culture they believed that religion was important and going against it would lead to suspicion. They could even be accused. If Puritan cultures were not so strict or if the church had more power, then the play might have turned out differently. Because people would have not been afraid to speak against the church and spread lies. Puritan culture and religion being at the heart of their communities affected the other aspects of this play. Reverend Hale, who had been questioned by Abigail about Elizabeth Proctor’s accusation of witchcraft and asked Proctor to repeat his commandment, found that Proctor had forgotten to do so. Proctor’s failure to remember one of his own commandments increased suspicions of him and Reverend Parris. Hale writes in the text: “Sir, Theology is a Fortress. No crack within a fortress can be considered minor. (He raises his head; he now seems concerned.) He paces, deep in thought. (Miller 496). Reverend Hale became suspicious when Proctor neglected to keep one of Proctor’s commandments. It may not seem significant, but in Puritan society, it is a major issue. Puritanism placed a lot of emphasis on religion, community and overall values. Individuality was not emphasized. Many characters in The Crucible were not able to express their individuality. However, others, such as John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse, did. They were punished because of this. Proctor says in the text that he might have a dragon on five legs living in his house with Elizabeth. However, no one had ever seen him. Proctor has a strong opinion and is committed to honesty. Unfortunately, this can get him in trouble. Rebecca Nurse Giles Corey John Proctor did not confess when they were accused of witchcraft. The text states,
Salem was a town where it was nearly impossible to tell the truth because of Puritan culture’s focus on community, which lacked individuality. The fear of being judged by the rest was what drove people to fabricate lies and create hysteria. Some of the characters died because of the lack of individuality in the play. In addition, the lack individuality of Puritan society and Salem’s town led some of its characters to rebel against rules and act impulsively. Abigail was aware that it was against all rules to go out in the woods after dark with the girls. However, because the girls were puritan children and had limited rights, the girls did so anyway. The text states: “
