Truth Benefits, Dishonesty Harms - The Crucible Play (Essay Sample)

Name Tutor Course Date Truth Benefits, Dishonesty Harms - The Crucible Play By means of the actions, utterances, and dispositions of various characters, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible play advances an argument about the concepts of truth and dishonesty. Basically, the playwright indicates that while truth has the potential of bringing about pleasant consequences, deceit is a recipe for disaster. Owing to his dishonesty, John Proctor, a Massachusetts farmer, refuses to expose Abigail Williams’ treacherous nature, thereby leading to the false incrimination of both Proctor and Elizabeth. Abigail is Proctor’s illicit lover while Elizabeth is Proctor’s wife. It is plausible that had Proctor not involved himself with Abigail, he would not shy away from revealing the lady’s dark side, thus possibly saving both Proctor and Elizabeth. Another instance of disastrous deceit relates to Elizabeth’s failure to confirm Proctor’s infidelity, an action that prompts Judge Danforth to consider Proctor a liar and thus an unreliable witness. If Elizabeth spoke the truth, the lady would have confirmed Proctor’s truthfulness, thus rendering the husband’s statement honest. All in all, via the sad experiences of Proctor and Elizabeth, Miller’s The Crucible play illustrates that truthfulness brings about pleasant consequences while dishonesty causes suffering. To expound, Proctor engages in deceit by having an affair with Abigail, a situation that dissuades Proctor from exposing the lady’s treachery, thereby setting the scene for the man’s humiliation. When Elizabeth asks Proctor to publicly proclaim Abigail’s deceitful nature, the husband refuses to comply. Proctor probably declines Elizabeth’s suggestion on account of a past encounter the husband has with Abigail. During this cordial exchange, Proctor says ‘Ah, you're wicked yet aren't y'!’ (Miller 22). Proctor’s words imply his opinion that Abigail is innocent. Consequently, Proctor turns down Elizabeth’s suggestion. Proctor says that ‘it is not easy to prove she’s [Abigail’s] fraud (Miller 264). At this time, Abigail has falsely implicated Elizabeth of witchcraft, a punishable offense. Proctor’s illicit relationship with Abigail is likely to be the main motivation behind the man’s trashing of Elizabeth’s suggestion. This deceitful extramarital affair thus deprives Elizabeth of a reliable way of demonstrating Abigail’s dishonesty. Miller therefore outlines the peril of being insincere. When Proctor finally decides to unmask Abigail’s insincerity before the court, Elizabeth demonstrates dishonesty that robs the husband of the moral authority to offer any defense. In response to Abigail’s false accusation of Elizabeth, Proctor cites the accuser’s past relationship with the farmer. Proctor exclaims, ‘I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face’ (Miller 311). This statement refers to Proctor’s dishonorable past. When asked to corroborate such claims, Elizabeth employs deceit, thus refuting Proctor’s allegations. Although well-meaning, Elizabeth’s untrue testimony maligns Proctor before Judge Danforth, thereby depicting the husband as an untrustworthy fraud. Consequently, Judge Danforth finds it easy to believe Abigail’s claims that Proctor practices witchcraft. Despite the Judge’s views, Proctor exclaims ‘I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor’ (Miller 156). This statement illustrates the harm that Elizabeth’s deceit has done on Proctor. Elizabeth’s deceit facilitates Proctor’s false incrimination, thereby highlighting the danger of dishonesty. Through Elizabeth and Proctor’s sad fates, Miller indicates that truthfulness is a desirable quality. This idea becomes evident when one examines the possible scenario had Proctor and Elizabeth employed honesty. If Proctor were honest, he would not have become entangled in an illicit live affair with Abigail. The man would thus not have found it hard to speak out about Abigail’s treachery, thereby possibly clearing Elizabeth of the witchcraft charges. On the contrary, Proctor chooses the easier path of dishonesty....