Summary of "The Crucible"

"The Crucible" basically tells the tale of the Salem, Massachusetts community in the year 1692. During this year the infamous Salem Witch Trials took place. Salem was quite a peaceful town until Abigail Williams and her friends began to accuse people of witchery. If a person was in fact accused of witchery, he or she was jailed and hanged, unless he or she confessed to witchery. Many innocent lives were taken during this time period. "The Crucible" displays the Salem Witch Trials for what they were: a period of betrayal, deceit, and corruption in society.

Abigail Williams was a vengeful little liar, who everyone in Salem, Massachusetts seemed to believe. When she was caught conjuring spells in the woods, she accused others of witchery in order to save herself. She convinced her friends to also follow her incomprehensible scheme, which caused many people in Salem to believe her false antics. Abigail and her friends sat in on the trials and began their antics in order to falsely accuse innocent people of witchery. Their sick and twisted schemes caused many innocent people such as John and Elizabeth Proctor to go to jail. Abigail wanted John to be her husband, so she proclaimed to the court that Elizabeth Proctor was a witch. Not all schemes go according to plan, though.

John testified to the court and eventually went to jail. John and Elizabeth were both accused of witchery. John did not want to die so he decided to confess to witchery (even though he was not a witch) in order to be granted his life. John signed the paper, but then decided to rip the paper up, so therefore, his freedom was not granted. John Proctor, along with many other people, was hanged for witchery (even though the accusations were false). Abigail Williams left before John was hanged and later became a prostitute. Abigail's horrible lie caused great disaster, despair, and destruction to the small town of Salem.