Examples of how Guilt and Revenge are Presented Thematically, and what Effects they have on the Characters

Throughout the play there are several major themes located in The Crucible; how fear and suspicion are infectious and can turn in to mass hysteria, and the destructive powers of guilt and revenge. From previous passages located in Act IV examples of guilt and revenge are present in many major characters. Reverend Hale realizes throughout Act III into Act IV that he has had a misconception of people throughout Salem, and he has also judged them too harshly. During the end of Act IV he is striving to save as many lives as he can by going door to door asking the accused to give into terms of witchcraft so they can only suffer jailtime in the longrun. He also realizes that the girls have been misjudged and they are faking their emotions. Reverend Parris is equivalent to Reverend Hale by the amount of guilt he portrays within Act IV. When Parris finds out that Abigail has stolen his money and ran away he comes to terms that the situation was a hoax carried out by his own niece. Later, he acts just as Hale, trying to save as many of the accused as he can including Proctor. Elizabeth Proctor shows guilt towards John in Act IV. She is sympathetic to why John actually committed adultery and apologizes for not being as good of a wife as she should have been. Proctor, on the otherhand, also has guilt for committing adultery, but you can also sense some revenge within his character towards the end of Act IV. When John is offered a chance to save his own life he considers the offer, but later he realizes that his own name is more important than a lie that would save his life. He does not want to be a bad example to those in his town or to his sons. Proctor's revenge is used as a punishment in a way to those located within the court who wanted to save his life in the end, but in the beginning they were actually the ones who decided his terms of death. Lastly, Abigail Williams has provided enough revenge all the way up to Act IV to which guilt finally emerges. Once guilt overtakes her and she realizes that she has caused a mass hysteria her solution to the problem that she has caused is to run away. This is why many of the characters throughout The Crucible recreate a sense of both guilt and revenge througout Act IV.