The Crucible and Symbolism
...y because when they are accused, they will be imprisoned and possibly hung. Putnam knows that once, somebody is killed like Francis Nurse, their property will be put up for sale so that he can buy it. Therefore, Putnam has his daughter lie, and have people wrongfully executed just so that he can purchase their land after they are gone. Putnam's actions add to the chaos of the witch trials, and get more people wrongfully accused or killed. The girls’ dancing in the woods is what starts the whole ordeal. This shows symbolism of witchcraft, but it is not set by miller, but by the beliefs of the 17th century Catholic Church. People of the 17th century would believe anything that the church fed them, because if they didn’t they would be put in jail, or if the offence is large enough they would be prosecuted until they confessed and the power of god would cleans their soul, and if they didn’t confess they would be killed. Either way you were screwed, either by not confessing which is they way proctor ended up having it, or if you did confess you would be seen as a coward for the rest of your life. The title of the play, The Crucible is symbolic because crucible means a severe test or trial, or it can also be a container made of a substance that can resist heat. The obvious symbol for the meaning of the word crucible is the actual trial that take...