The Crucible (1953), written by Arthur Miller, is a dramatic play that relates to the events that took place during the Salem witch trials which took place took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692-93. In the Puritan town of Salem, a group of girls went dancing in the forest with a black slave named Tituba. While dancing, they are caught by the local minister, Reverend Parris. One of the girls, Parris's daughter Betty, falls into a near-coma state. A crowd gathers at the Parris home as rumors of witchcraft fill the town, leading to a number of accusations being spread. Miller uses a range of conventions such as characterization and dialogue in order to emphasize the relationships present throughout the novel and position the audience to respond to them in a way they can identify with in his personal life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Trust is often considered the foundation of a healthy relationship. In The Crucible, aspects of trust are revealed numerous times, most notably through the characterization of John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth. For the most part, the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor is strong and loving. But John's affair with Abigail put a strain on their marriage. Although Elizabeth's trust in Proctor is clearly diminished, she does not use it against him and seems rather forgiving, as shown in her dialogue: "I'm not judging you. The magistrate sits in your heart and judges you. I never thought you were a good man, John – only somewhat baffled. This characterizes Elizabeth in a forgiving way and highlights the unconditional love she has for her husband. This becomes clearer later in the play when she does everything she can to protect her reputation. Elizabeth is forced in the middle of Act 3 to testify in court about her husband's involvement with Abigail and when questioned about John's character, she states: "Your Honor, I was ill at that time . And me – my husband is a good and just man. He is never drunk like some people are, nor does he waste his time playing with shovels, but always at his work. But in my illness, you see, sir, I was ill for a long time after my last baby, and I thought I saw my husband turn away from me a little. Relationship and marriage expert Sheri Stritof said in a recent article "How to Practice Forgiveness in Marriage" that "being able to forgive and let go of past hurts is an essential tool in marriage." Additionally, being able to forgive is a way to stay emotionally and physically healthy. This philosophy is clearly reflected in Elizabeth's actions, as she is able to forgive him for his previous wrongdoings and only says good things about him in court in an attempt to salvage his reputation. The construction of the relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor positions me to relate to relationships in my life that hold similar values. For example, being forgiven by my friends and family after doing something that upset them or having the strength to forgive someone who may have wronged me. Through the characterization of Elizabeth Proctor and her relationship with John, I am led to respond to this with personal reflection and connection. The tension in the relationship between Rebecca Nurse and Ann Putnam is highlighted through aspects of the play's construction. Focusing on Goody Putnam's internal conflict throughhis characterization and juxtaposing it with Rebecca's rather contrasting situation, the conflict between the two becomes very evident. Perhaps the play's clearest example is in Act 1, when it talks about Betty, a girl who is supposedly sick from witchcraft: "I have eleven children, and I am Grandma twenty-six times, and I've seen them all. through their foolish seasons, and when it comes upon them, they will run the devil bow-legged to continue their misdeeds. I think she'll wake up when she's tired of it. This statement hurts Goody Putnam because almost all of his children are deceased. Rebecca's cheer towards her large family of children and grandchildren causes Ann to react maliciously and perhaps out of jealousy, Goody Putnam speculates that Rebecca might be responsible for her children's deaths. This example shows how jealousy can lead people to make irrational judgments and can lead to the downfall of a relationship. Suzanne Degges-White is a professor and chair of the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University. In her article “How Jealousy Can Poison a Friendship,” she said, “Jealousy can be a complex and painful emotion. This may reflect our own feelings of inner insecurity and insufficient self-esteem. This relates to the relationship between Rebecca Nurse and Ann Putnam, as Putnam's internal conflict regarding the death of her children leads her to feel a sense of jealousy when Rebecca comments on her children. Ann's jealousy derived from her "inner insecurity" leads her to create a rumor about Rebecca in order to demean her, leaving a big mark on their relationship. Through these examples throughout the play, Putnam is characterized as a jealous, insecure, and even mean person, but I think she is quite misunderstood. This relationship, constructed through the characterization of Goody Putnam, leads me to react with insistence towards her and the unfortunate story she went through. I believe Putnam is only acting this way because she is still grieving and doesn't know how to control her emotions. However, I am also led to respond in a disappointed way because even though she has had a difficult past, she should not use that as an excuse to put down the people around her because of her jealousy. Through the characterization of Rebecca Nurse and Ann Putnam and the juxtaposition between the two's different situations, elements of their bitter relationship are exposed, leading me to respond with a mixture of empathy and disappointment. The relationship between the Proctors and Mary Warren is rather strange. one, as shown in Mary Warren's characterization and dialogue throughout the play. The relationship between Proctor and Mary Warren is above all one of service; that is, Mary is a servant in the Proctor household. At first, she is characterized as a rather shy girl and appears to be a loyal servant to John and Elizabeth, but this appearance unravels when Mary testifies in court and turns against John. She says: “He comes to me at night and every day to sign, to sign, to… My name, he wants my name. “I will murder you,” he said, “if my wife is hanged!” We have to go overthrow the court,' he said!… He woke me up every night, his eyes were like coals and his fingers scratched my neck, and I sign, I sign…” This is said when Mary realizes that Abigail and the other girls will persist in their accusations against her in court, and so, in fear of these girls, she is led to turn against John. Mary Warren's decision to turn on John perhaps highlights that their relationship is not quite what it seemed to be from the beginning of the play. HAS..