The Crucible: An Analysis This play is named The Crucible, which means a severe test or trial, because the accused, the families, and the girls are being put through a Foremost, this is the most difficult for the men and women accused by the girls. They were actually put on trial and sent to jail, torn between the decision of lying under oath or being hung. In the Puritan society, it was unheard of the lie under the oath of God because of their deeply religious beliefs; they thought they would be sent to Hell. This put a great strain on their minds and forced them to go into an even deeper trial th