Honesty in the Crucible Essay

The phrase honesty is the trounce policy, appevasivenesss to Arthur Millers hi accounting-based drama, The Crucible, in a variety of ways. The accusations throughout the story build on lie after lie after lie from those trying to foster their own name, thus putting the whole townspeople in a state of confusion and chaos. Nobody in the low-spirited town of Salem, Massachusetts knows whom to trust anymore, after all of the false allegations made. on that point are three characters in particular in the story that, if they had told the uprightness from the commencement, the town would prolong been in a state of peace quite a than mayhem. If Abigail Williams, sewer watch, and Elizabeth watch over had been honest, many innocent lives could hold in been spared and Salem would non be in such disarray.Abigail Williams lies many times throughout The Crucible. In Act I, Abigail deceives Reverend Parris by claiming that the reason she was dismissed from working for the monitor lizar ds was overdue to the fact that She Elizabeth Proctor hates me, uncle, he must, for I would not be her slave (Miller 12). The humans of this statement is that although Abigail claims, there be no blush upon my name (Miller 12), Abigail was discharged from her laboring duties because she had a love contest with illusion Proctor. Abigail continues with this deception throughout the entire story, which later leads to the downfall of many others. other example of Abigails dishonesty is while dancing in the forest one night with other girls, Abigail tried to cast a charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor so she could have posterior all to herself.When the villagers of Salem received cry of this, Abigail quickly denies the accusations of witchcraft by diverting the attention to others by falsehood and claiming to have seen many people with the devil while in the forest. Another lie Abigail concocts in The Crucible is that Elizabeth Proctor sent her spirit on Abigail and claims a needle were found stuck into her belly (Miller 76), when in fact, Abby stuck herself just to wanton it appear that Elizabeth committed the heinous act. If Abigail had not continuously lie to protect her reputation, none of the suspicion of witchcraft would have occurred and innocent people would not have had to go through the burden of trials, prison, and the fear of sure death.John Proctor also lies throughout The Crucible. Although he has come clean to his wife, Elizabeth, around his love action with Abigail, it is still a secret to the rest of the citizens of Salem. John is severely ashamed of his act of adultery, and has trouble admitting it to himself. When Elizabeth suggests early on,I withdraw you must tell him drive, John (Miller 67), Proctor evades admitting the truth to Reverend Hale of his affair even though it could have been a valid exempt for the Proctor familys lack of attendance at church and Johns inability to say the commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery. In Ac t III, when John finally is forced to admit his clandestine affair with Abigail to the court, nobody believes him. Because John has waited so long to confess his affair, it just looks same a poor attempt to save him and Elizabeth from the indictments. If John had divulged the secret of his affair earlier on, people might scorn him for his sin, but he would have evaded the allegations of witchcraft.Although John Proctor and Abigail Williams are dishonest throughout the majority of The Crucible, Elizabeth Proctor remains truthful for most of the story. She does make one very large(p) mistake that sets the precedent for her husbands future. When asked, To your own knowledge, has John Proctor ever committed the crime of lechery? (Miller 113), Elizabeth lies to the court in agony answering, No, sir. (Miller 113). John, having already confessed the sin to the court, is believed a liar and sentenced to death by hanging. Although Elizabeth only lied to protect her husbands good name, if s he had been honest with the court, Johns life could have been spared.If Abigail Williams, John Proctor, and Elizabeth Proctor had been honest, many innocent lives could have been spared and Salem would not be in such disarray. They lied for antithetical reasons (Abigail out of greed, and John and Elizabeth to spare Johns reputation), but nevertheless, the falsehood lead to bedlam throughout the city, distrust, confusion, and more lies. Arthur Millers root of the theme of honesty in The Crucible is that the truth is ceaselessly meant to invariably be told, and no matter how painful the consequences, the penalties for lying will always be heavier.