Review of 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller

We studied the play 'The Crucible' in English last year. I don't know if othe people feel like me, but I seem to feel differently about the characters (and indeed the play) than a majority of my friends do. For example, I absolutely loathe and despise John Proctor. Has there ever been a more selfish coward to ever walk the stages of the world? He is so infuriating and such a hypocrite. He is so quick to point out the flaws in other people that John is blinded to his own. So annoying.

And then there is Elizabeth Proctor, she is currently in contest with her husband John and Rebecca Nurse for most annoying. While John is imperfect and cannot see it in himself, Elizabeth and Nurse are both perfect and know that they are. They are so saintly, it's not natural and it is almost unrealistic. But not, which makes it all the more annoying. If they were just the stereotypical 'good' characters I could write them off as Arthur Miller's cracks in his play.
Now to Abigail Williams. She is is the antagonist of the play, she sets off all of these awful events and does not seem to mind. She is characterised as the classic villain. However, she is also my favourite character. I believe that she knows that she is doing wrong in the eyes of society but feels intrinsically that it is right. Which makes her a fascinating subject of analysis (which I intend to do, we are required to write an essay and I'm fairly sure that I am going to do her). Abigail is a young woman in love with John Proctor, and Miller does not underestimate the power of that. I believe love is a disease and it is shown in this play to be so. It takes hold of Abigail and makes her do anything within her power to be with John, including an elaborate plan which would eventually result in the death of his wife.

Overall it is an excellent play and I would recommend it to anyone. And if you are a cool kid and have already read it (or seen it which would, one would imagine, be spectacular), then kudos to you.

xoxo,
Megan