What is the conclusion of The Crucible?

The Crucible ultimately ends as a tragedy. In Act IV, the audience is transported to the Salem jail cell. At the top of the act, Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor are both scheduled to be hanged. Both of the characters have resisted a confession, which sentences them to death. Reverend Hale, however, arrives to attempt to coax a confession out of them, as a confession would guarantee these characters' safeties. Since Proctor's sentence, over 100 people have saved their lives by confessing guilty to crimes of witchcraft. Of course, these confessions are lies, but lies used to secure safety. Proctor is brought the confession to sign, but he cannot bring himself to sign it, as this would be a lie and his sons and community members would see it pinned to the church door. Consequently, Proctor does not sign the confession and he is taken to be hanged. This is where the play ends.