Die honorably or live dishonorablyHonour, dignity and integrity are traits that are becoming increasingly rare in our society. The Crucible, a play written in 1952 by Arthur Miller, is based on the Salem witch hunts of 1692 and parallels the Red Scare and McCarthyism in the 1950s. In the play, Miller attempts to focus his themes around traits such as honor, dignity, and integrity, and as a result, the theme of "it is better to die honorably or live dishonorably" becomes vital to the story and well conveyed in it . Characters who exemplify this idea are John Proctor and Giles Corey, who both die at the end of the play, and Reverend John Hale and Abigail Williams, who survive the trials. John Proctor is an honest, if harsh, man who is clearly the protagonist of The Crucible. Before the start of the show, John was in a relationship with Abigail Williams, a girl who worked in his household, which was abruptly ended when Elizabeth Proctor, John's wife, fired her. This event causes Abigail to desire revenge against Elizabeth while she still pines for John. Once the trials are well underway, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of being a witch, which leads to her arrest. John goes to court in defense of his wife, where he reveals that he actually committed adultery with Abigail in an attempt to expose her as a fraud and liar. Unfortunately, John's appeal falls on deaf ears and he too is arrested. While his wife manages to get a temporary stay of execution, as she is pregnant at the time of the trials, which ultimately saves her by ensuring her life until the chaos, hysteria and persecution ends, John is sentenced to death. The play ends with his hanging, but his death puts an end to the trials. Although he makes some mistakes, John Proctor is essentially a good man. In the first act, Proctor exchanges angry words with Reverend Parris and says, "I could tell my heart, I think!" (30). Parris is more interested in money than God, and John talks honestly about how wrong this is even though it would get him in trouble. When Reverend Hale asks him why his third child wasn't baptized, John replies, "I don't like that Mr..