The Crucible: Exploring the Role of Religion
The Crucible is one of the famous plays that were written by an American playwright Arthur Miller back in 1953. The Crucible is a partially and dramatized fictionalized narrative examining the Salem witch trials done in the Massachusetts Bay colony. The crucible was written to respond to the persecution that was being done by the United States government against individuals who were taken to be in support of the communists. This paper provides a detailed insight of the crucible in some aspect such as the plot and in specific it examines the theme of the role of religion in their world. The puritans believed in a theocracy in which there was no separation of church and, and there is only one official religion.
The Importance of Religion in Salem
The novel Crucible the author of the play uses different themes across the book to derive different message to the people. Of all the themes that are used in the novel religion has been used as a critical point. The play is based on a theocratic community whereby the state and the church are joined into one in which religion is taken strictly. As a result of the theocratic set up, the state laws on the moral codes are merged into one in the status and sin of a person are viewed as a public concern. Religion has been planted on the mind of the characters whereby if something goes wrong in the community religion is sought to provide the answers. For example when the community impacts on the witch trials the devil is perceived as the source of trouble.
Religion as a Binding Force
Arthur Miller uses the theme of religion to demonstrate to the audience how critical religion is to the citizen of Salem. In the being of the novel, we kick start with prayers from Reverend Parris undertaking prayers which demonstrated the importance of religion to the people of Salem. In the Salem community religion does not permit room for the people to make any deviation from the outlined social customs. Religion is so strict in that a person whose personal life doesn't go hand in hand with the formulated moral laws poses a threat not only to the all public but also to the religion and God himself. In the Salem community, everyone and everything belongs to either the devil or God, and any act of unlawful undertaking is seen as malicious activities. The aspect of religion acts as the basic logic for the ever ending witch trials that undertake place in Salem. For example, in the act 2 of the play, one of the characters Danforth make the following statement "individuals are either with this court or on the other hand, he must be counted against it."
The Manipulative Power of Religion
Further when it comes to second act the meaning of the word religion changes than before. Religion is used in the community whereby it is used as a manipulative tool for the people to acquire what they need. For example, some of the girls alongside Abigail use Mary Warren because she has turned against them, Abigail depicts Mary as a yellow bird which is taking over the spirits and accuse her of witchcraft the priest Danforth is faster in believing Abigail and turns to Mary. Further, the theme of religion is illustrated in act two whereby the author makes the people of Salem understand the importance of faith. In Salem, community religion has been used as a slavery tool, for example, one of the characters Sarah Good is taken to the prisoner because she was not in the position to recite all the all commandments.
