Point of View

The Crucible is a dramatic work written in dialogue, or the exchange between actors onstage. The structure of dramatic texts often relies on first and second person point of view, as the characters speak directly to one another. In addition to dialogue, the author includes stage directions and notes regarding specific characters, the setting, and the general mood of the play. The first example of this is in the opening of Act I, where Miller describes the setting and actions of characters: "As the curtain rises, Reverend Parris is discovered kneeling beside the bed, evidently in prayer. His daughter, Betty Parris, aged ten, is lying on the bed, inert" (Act I, p. 3).

In reading or watching the play, the strongest viewpoint is relayed through the character of John Proctor. It is Proctor's voice with whom the audience/reader is directed to sympathize with, and whose inner...