The Crucible

Was Arthur Miller’s treatment of women in The Crucible fair? This book was written in the 1950s, so the stereotype of women is portrayed differently than they are now in the present. During the 1690s which is when this play was portrayed, children belonged at school, men belonged at work and women belonged at home. But over decades women's social statuses have improved. The potential of a female’s position in a modern advanced society is different when it is compared with the outlook that is described in The Crucible. This essay will analyze the treatment that Miller portrays through the female characters.

Miller uses strong female forces in his play and here are a few examples, Miller (1952) wrote, “She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whore’s vengeance” (p. 102). In this quote it is John finally coming out and confessing to his affair he had with Abigail. Abigail is trying to have revenge on John and he underestimates her ability to have power but she actually does have power in which she uses to manipulate and control others in a way that is making you think that Abigail might have some kind of psychological issues. Also in another quote Miller (1952) states “ I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus; I kiss his hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!” (page 45). In this quote Abigail who is saying this quote has a lot of power which is shown in the words that she speaks and the way that she keeps accusing random girls of witchcraft and it makes you not want to underestimate her power or any woman’s power.