SETTING : The Crucible is set in the last decade of the 17th century in Salem, Massachusetts, which was then a modest village peopled by Puritan settlers. The Puritans were very religious but also highly superstitious – often “bad things” in Salem were attributed to the work of Satan. The infamous Salem witch trials of 1692 were the basis of this 4 Act play.
AUTHOR: Arthur Asher Miller was born October 17, 1915, in Harlem, New York City, the 2nd of three children of Polish Jewish immigrants. His father owned a women's clothing manufacturing business employing some 400 people. In 1938, Miller received a BA in English from the University of Michigan. Miller’s plays became commercial successes and won many awards. After the director of several of his plays was called before the House Committee on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), Miller went to Salem, MA to research the witch trials of 1692. He then wrote The Crucible, in which he likened the situation with the House Un-American Activities Committee to the witch hunt in Salem in 1692. Though widely considered only somewhat successful at the time of its initial release in 1953, today The Crucible is Miller's most frequently produced work. The HUAC took an interest in Miller himself not long after The Crucible opened. In June 1956, Miller married Marilyn Monroe. When Miller applied in 1956 for a routine renewal of his passport, the HUAC subpoenaed him to appear before the committee. Before appearing, Miller asked the committee not to ask him to name names, to which the chairman agreed. When Miller attended the hearing, he gave the committee a detailed account of his political activities. Reneging on the chairman's promise, the committee demanded the names of friends and colleagues who had participated in similar activities. Miller refused to comply, saying, "I could not use the name of another person and bring trouble on him." As a result, a judge found Miller guilty of contempt of Congress in May 1957. Miller was sentenced to a $500 fine or thirty days in prison, blacklisted, and disallowed a US passport. In 1958, his conviction was overturned by the court of appeals, which ruled that Miller had been misled by the chairman of the HUAC. (Wikipedia)
The Title: The word crucible is defined as a metal container in which metals or other substances are subjected to high temperatures. In the play, each character is metaphorically a metal that is subjected to the heat (the emotional trials) of the surrounding situation. The characters whose moral standards prevail in the face of death, such as John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse, symbolically “refuse to melt”. Thus, the word "Crucible" could also refer to the literary technique in which characters are placed in an inescapable situation and forced to go through conflict.
LIST OF CHARACTERS
Major Characters: Student’s Notes:
Reverend Parris / The recently appointed minister in Salem and father of Betty Parris and Uncle of Abbie Williams. Parris is dogmatic in his opinions, intolerant of opposition, and suspicious of those whom he does not like. His belief in witches and his desire to punish his enemies set in motion the chain of events that leads to the hysteria in Salem. During the witch trials, he pressures Danforth (chief judge) to punish those who, in his opinion, are possessed/in league with the Devil.John Proctor / A young, upright, outspoken, successful farmer in Salem. He loves and respects his wife and is repentant of the one act of adultery he has committed with Abigail Williams, his former children’s nanny. He resents the greediness and holier-than-thou attitude of Reverend Parris.
Elizabeth Proctor / John's young wife and the mother of his three sons. She is pregnant with a fourth child. Though she has become somewhat cold towards her husband because of his liaison with Abigail, she greatly loves and respects him.
Abigail Williams / Reverend Parris' niece. An intelligent, resourceful, and highly mischievous girl of seventeen, Abigail is the natural leader of the other girls in Salem leads them in accusing many of the town's citizens of witchcraft. She is also infatuated with John Proctor and keen to take Elizabeth's place. Quick-thinking and highly manipulative, Abigail extricates herself from awkward situations and promotes her ends by bullying, subterfuge, and convincing acting.
Reverend
John Hale / A minister from the nearly town of Beverly who is called by Reverend Parris to investigate his suspicions of witchcraft in Salem. As he becomes aware of Abigail's, Parris', and Hathorne's hidden agendas, he begins to question the validity of the trials, in which he acts as a judge. He then tries to convince Danforth of the truth, but lacks the courage and conviction to openly oppose him.
Judge Hathorne / One of the judges who brings his prejudices to the proceedings and tries to interpret all evidence so as to support his pre-determined conclusions. He takes every opportunity to make Danforth see things his way.
Deputy Governor Danforth / The judge appointed especially for the Salem witch trials. Though basically fair and open-minded, he is over-confident in his ability to judge the truth. Danforth feels that it is his duty and destiny to purge society of evil. He is, therefore, temperamentally inclined to interpret all evidence as proof that Satan's forces are operating in Salem. /
Mary Warren / The young nanny of the Proctors. Although Mary is honest and well-intentioned toward the Proctors, when faced with the prospect of suffering, her sense of self-preservation overrides her natural goodness. She is very much afraid of Abigail and also does not want to be cut off from the other young girls.
Francis Nurse / A well-to-do, respected farmer. He is helpful toward his friends and active in the community. When he tries to stop the court's investigations, he is arrested.
Rebecca Nurse / The wife of Francis Nurse. Rebecca is highly respected in Salem for her helpful nature. She is very firm in her opinions and willing to make any sacrifice in the cause of truth. She is accused of being a witch on the prompting of the Putnams, who are jealous of her good fortune.
Giles Corey / A sincere, well-intentioned, though cantankerous, old farmer. He is frank and forthright in his thinking and utterances. He is on good terms with John Proctor and Francis Nurse. When accused of practicing witchcraft, he faces his death by torture with singular bravery and courage.
Thomas Putnam / A rich, unscrupulous farmer who is out to expand his land holdings by any means. He is manipulative, close-minded, and domineering. He expects everybody to respect him and accept his opinions.
Minor Characters : Student’s Notes:
Tituba / The Black slave of Reverend Parris, believed to be practicing witchcraft. After Betty’s mother died, she really raised her.Ann Putnam / Thomas Putnam's wife. A firm believer in witchcraft, she is convinced that her seven daughters died of unnatural causes.
Sarah Good / A simple beggar woman falsely accused by Abigail and her friends of witchcraft
Betty Parris, Susanna Walcott, &
Mercy Lewis / Young girls of Salem involved in the midnight dance in the woods. Loyal followers of Abigail Williams, they support her both out of fear and a sense of allegiance. Betty is the ten-year-old daughter of Reverend Parris, Susanna works as a maid with Dr. Griggs, and Mercy is a nanny of the Putnams.
Ezekiel Cheever, Marshal Herrick, and Hopkins / Minior officials of the court functioning under Deputy Governor Danforth. /
Vocabulary in Context: while reading, write the definitions of the following words:
ACT I:
1. Ingratiating2. Lucifer
3. dissembling
4. blink
5. Goody
6. (name is..)
white
7. Succubi
8. predilection
9. calumny
ACT II:
10. pallor11. ameliorate
12. base
13. deference
ACT II:
14. contentious15. deposition
16. imperceptible
17. anonymity
18. effrontery
19. incredulously
20. affidavit /
21. gulling
ACT IV
22. beguile23. cleave
24. conciliatory
25. allegory
As you read, thing about these questions . . . and write your thoughts
ACT I:
1. "So now they and their church found it necessary to deny any other sect its freedom, lest their
New Jerusalem be defiled and corrupted by wrong and deceitful ideas." What is the irony in
this statement?
2. . Parris says, "Oh, Abigail, what proper payment for my charity! Now I am undone!" What
does this statement mean?
3. Explain the political relationship between the Putnam and Nurse families.
4. "There are wheels within wheels in this village and fires within fires." Explain what this sentence says.
5. What is Proctor's reason for his not regularly attending church?
6. What exactly did Tituba confess to? Why did she confess?
7. Page 1137, 6th line: “We danced.” Why is the pronoun “we” so important?
8. Page 1143: Parris is arguing about “his wood”. What does this argument start to make the
reader think about the type of man Parris is? (Be specific)
9. Page 1156: Tituba names Sarah Good as someone she SAW with the DEVIL. Why did she name
Sarah instead of someone else?
Act II:
1. As this act opens, describe exactly what John does with salt:
2. What does John do when he “hears her footsteps on the stair”?
3. What does this dialogue (question 2) SHOW the reader about
John and Elizabeth’s relationship?
4. Page 1162: (in middle of page) John says “It’s winter in here yet” …BUT, they have just been
talking about flowers, and said it was summer. What information does this ONE sentence give
the reader without actually saying it?
5. According to the top of page 1163, how many people are already in Jail as witches?
6. Page 1163: Abigail says – “I think you must go to Salem, John.” Why does she say this? What
does she want John to really do once he is in Salem?
7. What gift did Mary give Elizabeth?
8. What was the "evidence" against Sarah Good?
9. Why does Elizabeth think Abigail wants to kill her?
10. Why did Hale come to Proctor's house?
11. What things are "suspicious" about Proctor and his family?
12. Explain the significance of the needle in the "poppet."
13. What will happen to Proctor if he tries to “discredit” (prove what is said is a lie) Abby?
14. Why doesn't Mary want to testify about the doll?
15. Page 1163, What does Elizabeth’s allusion to Moses’ parting of the Red Sea reveal about
Abigail’s NEW standing in the community?
16. What impact do you think the charge of lechery would have on Proctor and his
Family in the play’s time period?(pg1180)
Act III:
1. When Danforth hears that Elizabeth is pregnant,
what does he say?
2. Why is he saying this to Proctor?
3. According to page 1197, how many people in Salem
by this time have already been sentenced to die
because they are witches?
4. Of what does Giles accuse Putnam?
5. What is Hale's problem as Proctor and his friends present evidence to Danforth?
6. Hawthorne thinks of a test for Mary. What is it? Can she do it? Why or why not?
7. Proctor calls Abigail a whore, and he confesses his lechery. Danforth tests Proctor's statement
by calling for Elizabeth and asking her why Abigail was dismissed. What does Elizabeth say?
Why?
8. What do the girls do to Mary? What is her response?
9. What does Abigail claim to see in the rafters?
10. Why does Mary change her “story”?
11. What happens to Proctor?
10. What does Hale do?
Act IV:
1. What did Abigail do?
2. How does Abigail’s action affect Parris?
3. Parris says, "You cannot hang this sort. There is danger for me." What "sort" does he mean,
and what is the danger to him?
4. According to page 1222, how many people have already been killed for being witches?
5. Why has Hale come back to Salem after 3 months?
6. What does Hale want Elizabeth to do?
7. What happened to Giles?
8. Proctor says, "My honesty is broke, Elizabeth, I am no good man." Explain.
9. What did Proctor do after he signed the confession? Why?
11. Explain: "I have given you my soul; leave me my name!"
12. "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!" What
does Elizabeth mean?
Complete the following charts
1. Think about John Proctor’s final decision. List the reasons for and against his making that
decision.
John was right/ correct in making his decision because . . . : / John should not have made his final decision because . . . :2. Could something like this (maybe a different topic – not witchcraft – but some topic) –happen in America 2014? Explain why AND why not. Topic you are thinking about: ______
Reasons why something like this could NOT happen in 2014 in America: / How something like this could happen in 2014 in America: