Theme Of Reputation In The Crucible

In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, a play set in Salem Massachusetts, preserving one’s reputation is a prevalent theme shown in many of the characters. Having a good name in the village is everything to the people of Salem; it was how others perceived you and thought of you. Three characters in particular that share this trait are Reverend Parris, Judge Danforth and John Proctor. Rev. Parris is the religious figure in Salem. He is the head of the church and is a very important person as the peoples’ lives revolve around their religion. Judge Danforth is the harsh judge of the Salem courtroom. He believes himself to be a righteous person who is known for giving “fair punishments” to those who have done wrong. John Proctor is known as a good man with proper principles and integrity.
Parris discovers Abigail and a group of girls doing a dance in the forest. He immediately worries because he believes them to be conjuring spirits rather than just dancing. As Abigail tries to explain to him that they were not doing anything wrong, Parris does not believe her and instead asks her if anyone had seen them. He is much more concerned about what the village will say if they found out that his daughter and niece have been doing witchcraft, rather than to know if they are ok. During the trials, he knows deep down that the people who have been accused being witches are actually innocent, but because he does not want to be known as the Reverend whose own family have been deceiving the church and killing hundreds of innocent people, he decides he is in far too much and cannot go back. He could loose his job if he admits to knowing that these people are