Introduction
The two plays Macbeth and Crucibles exemplify two cultures that believed in witchcraft. In both plays, cultures therein acknowledge mysticism to be part and parcel of their society, though its role varied. While Macbeth presents witchcraft as a reliable source of leadership insights, Crucibles demonstrate witchcraft to be a destructive act in their society and needed religious interventions. Another common place cultivated by the two cultures is how women's behavior is focused on achieving their desires, regardless of consequences. In both plays, women have seen go-getters who pursue every avenue possible to attain their goals, including killing their obstacles.
Similarities
Both plays illuminate the role of witchcraft in the societies captured therein. To start with, Macbeth's play commences by presenting three witches who were planning to approach Macbeth concerning his incoming position as the king of the land. "All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter! (Third Witch Act I, scene 1)." Upon prophesying to him that he would become the king after the then king Duncan. The three witches go-ahead to predict that a descendant of Banquo would enthrone the land after Macbeth's. Seemingly, these witchdoctors were perceived as reliable sources of information in the Scottish territory.
Given that lady Macbeth went ahead to plot homicides that would bur the three witches' predictions from happening, it is an indication that witchcraft was regarded as a force to reckon with. Equally, the play Crucibles starts with an unseen scene where Reverend Parris perceives three characters, including Betty, Abigail, and Tituba, a black slave, to delve into witchcraft. He claimed that he saw them dance "like heathens (Reverend Parris Act I scene 1)." When the reverend appears from the bushes, Betty falls and becomes unconscious. The aforementioned incident drives the town's most trusted physician to conclude that Betty could have been inflicted by witchcraft. In that regard, both plays displayed societies that gave credence to witchcraft as an essential matter in the community.
Another similarity in the two plays is that women characters were more profound insofar as deflection matters and going against societal norms were concerned. In the first scene of the Crucibles, for instance, all the characters engaging the wilderness for desires disallowed in the society were female gender. All society members were cognizant of prohibited acts in society, including carrying out activities in the wilderness that resembled witchcraft. Yet, the three girls were defiant and endeavored in that regard, nevertheless. Turning to Macbeth's play, lady Macbeth is identified as the more determined person in planning Duncan's execution. Even though she believes that it is not the right thing to do, more so that she was a woman, she endeavors to convince her husband to pursue the homicide. Besides, given that in both cases, the male gender was portrayed as the overseer of discipline in society. It is an indication that women are desirable beings that are curtailed from exploring their desires by societal restrictions.
Ostensibly, characters linked to high-ranking personalities in the two societies are responsible for appalling behaviors. From Macbeth's play, the wife to the king is responsible for pursuing her desires by plotting an execution of their cousin Duncan. "Is this a dagger I see before me, the handle towards my hand? Come, let me clutch thee (Macbeth Act 2 scene 1)." Even though she was not the one to be in charge of the kingdom, her desire to occupy the castle drove her to endeavor destructive acts towards close friends such as Macduff. Similarly, the witchcraft intrigue presented at the onset of Crucibles is embedded from harmful intentions, where Abigail wanted to eliminate John Proctor's wife. According to Abigail, killing John's wife was the only way she could have him for herself. When the proctor inquires on Abigail concerning the incident that left Betty unconscious, she denies any connection with witchcraft, though John perceives the reverend's cousin as a wicked person. "Ah, you're wicked yet, aren't you? (Proctor Act 1 Scene 1)" In both cases, women are displayed as beings who would go to extreme lengths to attain their intended results. The two plays also indicate that women are less likely to repress their desires and pursue them through whatever means possible.
Differences
It is clear from Macbeth's play that witches were honored concerning matters of predicting futuristic events. In fact, whenever a king wanted to illuminate what the future held for them, they sought witch doctors' services. Once, when Macbeth thought his throne to be in danger, he called upon the services of three witches: "… even till destruction sicken, answer me to what I ask you…" (Macbeth Act 4 scene 1). In essence, people in the Scottish community held witch doctors in high regard concerning interpretations of events beyond human understanding. On the contrary, people represented in the Crucible play perceive witchcraft to be devious. In that regard, upon the conviction that Betty was suffering from a condition, of which witchcraft was causal, Parris invites another reverend to intercede. Reverend Hale seems, however, not to be convinced that whatever afflicted Betty emanated from witchcraft. He requests Parris to debunk the perception before checking on Betty. "I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her (Reverend Hale Act 1 Scene 5)." The society presented in the Crucibles represents a society that believed more in Christianity than in witchcraft. Later in Act 1: scene 5, the three girls are seen conceding that they were involved in devious activities, albeit willing to turn against such behaviors.
Conclusion
Both Macbeth and Crucible play illuminate a traditional society where inhabitants believed in superstitious forces such as witchcraft. In the Macbeth play, witch doctors are perceived to be integral to their culture as they provided information concerning incoming leaders. On the other hand, witchcraft was deemed a retrogressive intrigue in the community and was costly in causing diseases and deaths. Besides, the two cultures presented in the play illuminate women as go-getters. They are displayed to be people who would do anything in their might to attain their goals. The two societies exemplified in the play demonstrate how witchcraft was used and influences brought in the community by women.
