The Crucible Title Analysis

“The Crucible,” the title Arthur Miller’s gave his play. Nowhere in the whole play is the title even mentioned. This makes one curious to find out the reason why. Why would Arthur Miller name his play “The Crucible” and not mention it in his play? There could be many reasons why he chose this title. Webster’s dictionary defines crucible as a vessel of a very refractory material used for melting a substance that requires a high degree of heat. Crucible is also defined as a severe test. The last definition of crucible is a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development. Just as there are three definitions for crucible in the dictionary, there are three meaning for the title of the play. When considering the title of the play “The Crucible” and the first definition in the Webster’s dictionary, one may gain insight into Arthur Miller’s title selection. Crucible is a vessel used for melting at a high degree of heat. The village of Salem can be compared to this. The village was a very strict Puritan village.
The title of Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” is also defined as a severe test. Many were testing in “The Crucible”. This may also be the reason for the title. For example, John Proctor persevered in his most severe test. The ultimate test that John Proctor had to go through is the final decision that he made before he died. John Proctor chose peace with his wife, himself, and peace with God. He ultimately made the correct decision. He passed the severe test by having faith in himself and not letting go of his good name by signing a confession. In contrast, the town of Salem failed their test when they trusted Abigail enough to believe the things that the young, dishonest girl said. They did not believe the honesty in John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, and Reverend Hale. The trials and severe tests brought out most of the characters true