The drama, The Crucible, is based on a historical event, the Salem witchcraft trial, which took place in Massachusetts during seventeenth century. The entire play centers around Elizabeth, Proctor's wife, and John Proctor, who commits adultery with Abigail, a young, prominently independent girl. Because of desire and love toward John against Elizabeth, Abigail accuses her of witchcraft in order to get rid of her from the presence of John. The play establishes an intense climax in which both John and Elizabeth come through a series of testing regarding how honest they are to each other, the double-blind effect used on court reveals their innermost lies, and eventually ends up in jail that leads to the end of their lives. John undergoes a difficult situation that he has to make a choice between lying to people who he loves, or sentencing to death to maintain his integrity. At the end of the play, Proctor refuses to sign a document which could save his own life because signing it would require him to lie and he chooses death. Throughout the play, John Proctor displays some ideal attributes that are not found in the other characters. Proctor is a man of integrity because he shows honesty, he stands by his beliefs, and he makes sacrifices. .
People speak out against injustice of the magistrates of the court by refusing to accept the corrupt command of the court that kills so many innocent people, particularly, John refuses to give up his integrity and sign his name on a confession which he thinks is false. He has already give enough lies to the court, and cannot bear to sign a confession when others have died for refusing to do so. "Dame the village! I confess to God and God has seen my name on this! It is enough! You came to save my soul, did you not? Here! I have confessed myself; it is enough!" (Crucible, Act 4, 132) He realizes that he should be confessing to God, not to the court he abominates.
