Religion played an important role in Puritan life. Arthur Miller's, The Crucible, reflects how the Puritan lifestyle should be lead. However, some did not live up to those expectations and later suffered the consequences by either imprisonment or death. .
In the Puritan lifestyle every man, woman, and child was expected to attend the meeting on the Sabbath without question. Puritans were required to read the Bible which showed their religious discipline. If they didn't read the Bible, it was thought that they were worshiping the devil. They were supposed to be acquainted with and abide by the Ten Commandments. Woman of the puritan lifestyle were considered to be "God's helpmates", must be submissive, no self- advancement, have no self fulfillment, and raise their children. .
Throughout the play there was always one character that displayed the roll of a superior Puritan. In this particular play the roll was portrayed by Elizabeth Proctor. She was an excellent mother; devoted wife that supported her husband, and for the most part was an honest woman. Despite the fact that she did lie in court, the reason being she wanted to protect her husband from being executed. She lived her life according to the Bible and the Ten Commandments. Overall, she was a prime example of what a Puritan was supposed to be.
On the contrast, Abigail Williams deviated from the ideals for a proper Puritan. She manipulated the court and towns people into believing her deceiving ways. She was self centered and only cared about being with John Proctor even at the cost of others lives. She violated several of the Ten Commandments, one being that she lied in court about claiming to see the devil and condemned others of witchcraft. Abigail was the total opposite of what was expected from a Puritan.
In The Crucible, Arthur Miller showed the reality of what life in the 17th century for Puritans was really like. Although they were supposed to conform to a simple life of honesty and integrity, some did lie, cheat, and steal to get what they wanted.
