Miller’s title, The Crucible, is appropriate for the play. A crucible is a container made of a substance that can resist great heat ; a crucible is also defined as a severe test. Within the context of the play the term takes on a new meaning: not only is the crucible a test, but a test designed to bring about change or reveal an individual’s true character. The witch trials serve as a metaphorical crucible, which burns away the characters’ outer shells to reveal their true intentions and character beneath. Throughout the play, Miller carefully peels away the layers of each character so that the audience not only can identify the character’s motivation, but also can reevaluate the character through his or her actions. In other words, the audience observes the character as he or she is tested, and the audience ultimately determines if he or she passes the test.
Proctor provides an excellent example. His affair with Abigail results in a fall from grace, not only with his wife Elizabeth, but also within himself. Proctor believes he is damned and cannot possibly regain Elizabeth’s love and respect, not to mention his own self-respect and moral uprightness. Proctor is tested severely when he goes to the court to defend Elizabeth. In order to save his wife, he must publicly announce his sin and, therefore, lose his good name. Although he gives up his good name in court, he regains it at the end of the play by destroying his signed confession. The audience watches Proctor as the play progresses and judges his actions according to his motivations and reactions to the various “tests” through which he passes. As the audience observes the characters, the audience itself is tested and forced to acknowledge that desire — whether positive, such as the desire for pleasure, or negative, such as lust, greed, or envy — is a realistic part of life. The realization that desire affects individuals and their behavior keeps the audience engrossed in the play. The Crucible is divided into four acts; however, Miller does not include scene breaks within the play. It is possible to break each act into several scenes based upon shifts in location, and the entry and/or exit of characters.
The original version of the play included an encounter between John Proctor and Abigail in the woods; however, Miller chose to remove Act II, Scene 2, as it changed the dynamics of the play. This scene is generally included in the appendix of publications, but is rarely included in production of the play.
