The Crucible: The Tragedy at Salem The people of Salem can hardly be condemned for their actions during the witch hunts of 1692, as described in the play The Crucible, for they were merely products of their time. This is shown through an examination of the theocratic society in which they lived, the patriarchal snobbery they exhibited toward each other, their lack of medical technology and in depth knowledge of disease and of an analysis of the fear they displayed of the unknown. This is important as it shows that the Salemites were not entirely evil people, for they were only reacting to a situation in th