The Crucible is a dramatic work by Arthur Miller that has a direct link to McCarthyism and how the witch trials and false accusations were linked to the fear that someone was Communist. Generally, the story is about a relationship between two main characters who live in a village ruled by theology. The secret of the matter should have been secured until things came out when the truth was on the verge of being in the spotlight and instead a huge lie came out. This lie led to false accusations that some people believed they were engaging in witchcraft. Therefore, situations became much riskier as people were left hanging due to whether or not they confessed to being part of witchcraft. Through the play, the character Mary Warren is depicted as a shy and helpless girl until she finally gains some control over people's lives through her lies. This results in her being labeled as an antagonist of the story, but has protagonist-like traits that contradict her character. Ultimately, Mary Warren is still a villain due to her selfish and reckless actions in the play. Mary Warren is an evil character due to her poor choice of actions. Mary uses excuses to avoid problems and gain some power through this. Elizabeth states, “He is no longer a mouse… 'I must go to Salem, Goody Proctor; I am an official of the court!'” (192) It is given that Maria had changed the situation towards her masters and had decided to put her foot down. She states that because she is an officer of the court, she cannot be restrained from anything that is not as important as going to court to do her job. If she were a true heroine, she would keep her word: she will fulfill her duties at the Proctor house when the time comes, and will not strive to declare whether ... middle of paper ... ...fish is hidden between the lines and also how it is read. With factors such as: being under pressure, the situation has become horrible and everyone in the court is looking at it. Mary has given up hope and found comfort in the lies provided by Abby and the rest of the town. It was her sheer selfishness that drove her to continue lying just to protect and sustain life a little longer. In conclusion, Mary Warren knows what is right and what is wrong. However, she is more concerned about her health and well-being than anyone else's. She becomes arrogant when given power and betrays anyone she can when pinned against a wall. As long as things are bad for her, she would be willing to call anyone to save herself. Therefore, she is an antagonist of the work with very little similar traits when juxtaposed to a typical protagonist. Works Cited: Miller. Arthur. The Crucible