The Crucible

Conflict is born from fear. Discuss

Much of the conflict in The Crucible is motivated by fear.  First there is the general fear of witches that is felt by much of the population.  Then there is the fear of losing his job that Reverend Parris feels which causes his resentment against John Putnam.   There is the fear of losing a child that Ann Putnam has felt which causes her resentment against Rebecca Nurse.  There is the fear of exposure of his relationship with Abigail Williams that John Putnam feels which results in his lie to the courts.   There is the fear of death which Putnam feels later that causes him to confess to a crime he did not commit and then a later, and greater, fear of sullying his name that makes him recant his confession.  Reverend Hale is afraid to convict an innocent man but he is also afraid to do nothing when Satan may be lurking in Salem.  Nearly everyone in this play is afraid of something or someone.  Miller wrote the play to showcase this fear and how it can make individuals as well as groups react irrationally.  He wanted to point out the irrational fear of Communism in his time of the 1950's which was encouraged by the wild accusations of Senator McCarthy.