To truly understand the characters in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, as well as their motivations for their actions, it is necessary to refer to Kohlberg’s moral precepts. Kohlberg’s precepts are separated into three categories. Each one is meant to explain an individual’s motivation for acting in a specific way. This essay will focus on the pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional behaviours. These three distinct categories will be defined initially and then discussed in further depth. Finally, particular characters will be used to illustrate each of the three groups. Each category will analyze three different characters and their situations throughout the play.

There are many examples of pre-conventional Characters found in Arthur Miller’s book the Crucible. Preconventional is when a character behaves in a specific way for them to avoid punishment and obtain a reward. Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and Tituba represent the pre-conventional stage of morality. Abigail’s false confession “I want the light of God, I want the sweet love of Jesus, I danced for the Devil, I saw him, I wrote in his book, I go back to Jesus” demonstrates that she manipulates the truth to protect herself from punishment and gain control. Similarly, Mary Warren admits, “I cannot charge murder on Abigail. She’ll kill me for saying that. I cannot. They’ll turn on me.” Her motive is based on protecting herself rather than ethical behaviour, as shown by the fact that her fear of Abigail’s revenge outweighs her sense of right and wrong. Tituba also acts from fear when she says, “Mr. Parris, no goodly man. Mr. Parris mean man and no gentle man. And he bid me rise out of bed and cut your throat.” Tituba’s confession is motivated by self-interest and safety rather than the truth. Whatever will keep her safe from harm, she says. All three characters demonstrate how the pre-conventional stage of moral reasoning is controlled by fear and self-interest.

The conventional stage is when people follow rules and do what society expects in order to fit in or avoid discord.  Betty Parris, Mary Warren, and Judge Danforth all display this behaviour in The Crucible. When Betty states, “I saw George Jacobs with the Devil,” she joins the other girls in blaming others to avoid getting herself into trouble. She is not thinking for herself, instead, she mimics what others are doing. Mary Warren demonstrates this type of behaviour when she tells Abigail, “Abby, I’ll never hurt you more.” Despite knowing the truth, Mary gives in to societal pressure and joins the group. Danforth’s line, “A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it. There be no road between,” illustrates his belief that individuals must obey authority without question. The conventional stage emphasizes cooperation and fitting in, as seen by the fact that all three individuals behave according to social expectations rather than their own moral principles.  

Lastly, the post-conventional stage is the highest level of moral reasoning, where people make choices based on their own sense of right and wrong, even when society disagrees. In The Crucible, Giles Corey, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor each show this kind of moral strength in different ways. Giles refuses to give in to the court’s demands and only says, “More weight,” as he’s being crushed to death. His silence protects others from being accused and shows his bravery and nobility. Elizabeth also demonstrates moral maturity when she says, “He has goodness now. God, forbid I take it from him.” Instead of begging her husband to wrongfully lie, for him to stay alive. She lets him choose honesty, showing that she values integrity over personal comfort and keeping her husband. Finally, John Proctor’s emotional statement, “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies!” reveals how much he values his personal truth. By choosing death rather than living with guilt, John proves to us that moral principles are stronger than fear. Together, these characters represent the post-conventional stage by standing up for what they truly believe, even when it costs them everything.

To conclude this, Kohlberg’s stages of moral development make it easy to understand Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which is a strong examination of human morality. Betty Parris, Mary Warren, and Judge Danforth show how hard it is to follow social norms in the conventional stage. On the other hand, Abigail Williams, Mary Warren, and Tituba show how fear and self-interest can lead to pre-conventional behaviour. At the highest stage of morality, Giles Corey, Elizabeth Proctor, and John Proctor show post-conventional morality by putting their own honesty, fairness and moral principles ahead of social pressure or fear. Kohlberg’s system helps us understand the moral choices and motivations of the characters in the play better. It shows how social pressure and individual morality affect how people act in times of crisis.