Three major concepts that inform The Crucible are identity, apology, and forgiveness. These notions shape both the events and the outcome of the play. The Crucible is rigorously based upon the strict rules of the court and the status of the people in the village. There is no sense of apology or forgiveness whatsoever. Convictions in the witchcraft trials are based on the suspects identity or status in the village of Salem.
The Crucible is highly structured around Salem’s court system. This court system involved a policy of guilty until proven (or confessed) innocent. The system is also highly based upon their religious views. When the accused confess, they are saved from being hanged. They are sentenced life in jail and a bad reputation from their neighbors in the village. If the convicted do not confess, they are sentenced to hang. No “solid” evidence is required to accuse these men and women of witchcraft. Apologies are not even considered and forgiveness is denied. Grudges are held and things are very uncomfortable due to the lack of apology and forgiveness.
Certain individuals seem to have a superiority over others, as well. The poor, unsuccessful people are often the targets in the village, like Sarah Good and Goody Osbourne. Sarah Good is a poor beggar woman, who people thought mumbled spells. Goody Osbourne is an alcoholic woman who was disliked by the people in the village. Also accused is Rebecca Nurse, an old woman who is a mid-wife to many of the women in Salem. Goody Putnam accuses Rebecca of witchcraft, claiming that her babies died because of Rebecca. Elizabeth Proctor is accused by Abigail in order for Abigail to become involved with John Proctor. Since Parris, Abigail, Putnam, Hale, and the judges are considered “holy” or have a great deal of money & popularity, they are not accused. Even though Abigail lies several times and the accused cry out innocence, Abigail is trusted over them. The courts trust Abigail more based on her identity, the niece of Reverend Parris. Reverend Hale’s wife is not allowed to be accused as well because she is the Reverends wife. A Reverends wife would never turn to the devil, according to the courts.
The Courts not only make the accused confess to God, but also to the people of the village because of the focus on identity. As John Proctor states in Act Four, “I have confessed myself! Is there no good penitence but it be public? God does not need my name nailed upon the church! God sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough.” Proctor explains indirectly that God is really the only one that needs proof of the confession. The people of the village only want to gossip and put down John Proctor, or any other accused person.
Within the court system, the power of sin controls the decisions of the court. The court system allows too much punishment for sins. Their religion does explain that God forgives their sins. The court forgets about forgiveness and turn their focus upon the fact of being sent to Hell as punishment. The accused are allowed no explanation, therefore no apology or forgiveness is given. Never once does an apology appear in The Crucible.
Thinking back to the start of The Crucible, you notice the actions of Abigail the obvious cause of these trials. Abigail avoids getting in trouble for dancing in the woods by blaming her bad actions on people in the village she dislikes. If Abigail would simply apologize and serve her own consequences, the witchcraft trials of Salem would not continue, or even exist. In reality, the only sinners are Abigail and the other girls. They are the cause of deaths, and they are also technically the murderers.
With more apology and forgiveness, and less focus on identity, the witches accused would be saved. The court system during this time needs to change their outlooks on these three notions in order to effectively accuse and punish.
