Response to Acts I and II of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

In Acts I and II, the audience is introduced to the theocratic society of 1692 Salem. The whisperings of witchcraft throughout the town increasingly provide an outlet for citizens’ private grudges. Once accused of witchcraft, the only way to prevent an execution by hanging is to accuse another Salem individual of bewitching him/herself. This is extremely similar to the false confessions many victims announce when tortured. In order to prevent imminent pain (in this case, execution by hanging), one has no choice but to confess to witchcraft. However, what ultimately culminates in Salem's witchcraft panic is this: one is “absolved” of the sin of witchcraft by accusing another. Due to the theocratic nature of Salem, in which law is based on the Christian bible that asserts the presence of witches, to deny witchcraft is to deny the Bible. This impossibility allows for the rapid spread of witchcraft accusations. No one can deny witchery. The people of Salem can only free themselves from accusations by calling out the name of another.

Acts I and II also reveal an ongoing struggle for power amongst Salem citizens. Mr. Putnam is revealed to own a lot of land, which he believes should grant him great authority. However, as a theocracy, Reverend Parris technically has the greatest authority in Salem. Yet, this power is believed to be volatile by Parris, who notes that there have been several Salem ministers in the past couple years and therefore demands a house deed in an attempt to establish some sort of power security. Now, with the introduction of witchcraft accusations, Abigail Williams, Betty Parris, Mary Warren, and other young girls are also given a position of power. They are among the first to accuse others of witchcraft, and thus early on proved their “innocence.” By the end of Act II, Abigail’s power is shown to be growing, as she is successful in having Elizabeth Proctor arrested.