The+Crucible

The Crucible

Salem is run by Reverend Parris whose slave takes his daughter Betty out with them and they go dancing in the moonlight. Witchcraft is outlawed. Betty falls into a coma, Reverend questions Abigail about this and she says Tituba, Parris' slave forced them to do it with withcraft. Tituba is blamed for this and she names many other townsfolk. As things grow, Abigail becomes the person who "spots" those who are witches. Among those accused is Elizabeth who is the wife of the man that Abigail had an affair with and fell in love with the summer before, Proctor. The story escalates as trials begin and more people are stoned and accused. Orphans become common and more girls accuse others of witchcraft. Proctor becomes accused of witchcraft himself when he refuses to cheat with Abigail. Proctor is killed along with his wife and all those accused with the trials' ending. Proctor- A local farmer, husband of Elizabeth Proctor. Stern, fair, and critical of hypocrisy. A stern, harsh-tongued man, John hates hypocrisy. HIdden sin is his affair with Abigail which brings about his downfall. Pride prevents him from confessing. Elizabeth- John Proctor’s wife. Fired Abigail when she suspected the affair. Pious and virtuous, but cold.
 * Key Plot Events
 * Key Characters

Abigail Williams- Reverend Parris’s niece. Intelligent and manipulative, Abigail is a good liar, and vindictive when crossed.

Reverend Parris- Reverend Parris is power hungry and his main concern is to increase his position. Disliked by most of the townspeople, but especially John Proctor.

Tituba- Reverend Parris's black slave. Agrees to do voodoo for Abigail. Is the scapegoat for the witchcraft.

Mary Warren- Another servant in the town who is aware of the lies about the witchcraft. She is shy and easily influenced by the other girls and ultimately fails at exposing the lies.

Reverend John Hale- Expert in witchcraft, also a young minister.Called by Reverend Parris to examine Betty. Though a devout Christian, his intelligence prevents him from being caught up in the fervor of the witchcraft. When he arrives, the hysteria reaches a peak. Later he feels bad for the unfair prosecutions. Salem Witch Trials, Massachusetts, 1692 More on Salem: The colony was under British rule, with no charter to enforce laws. In the Puritan society it was against the law to not attend church. They believed that all sins were punished by God; a sick child was attributed to "God's will." The Puritans believed in the devil, and followers of Satan were witches. Being convicted of witchcraft meant death. -The important theme is of power hungry, how the girls take advantage of the naivety of the townspeople who rely on their faith and are willing to turn on their neighbors out of fear. It is human nature's fear of the unknown as well as those who are greedy and manipulative to take advantage of that such as Abigail. -There is also betrayed love in Abigal falls for Proctor and seeks revenge on him when he won't leave his wife for her. -Man has a "wider responsibility to the society in which he lives" (-Arthur Miller): Once Proctor is also accused of witchcraft, he experiences an internal struggle. At first Proctor confesses to witchcraft, which is a lie, in order to save his own life. Once he signs the confesssion, Danforth asks for the names of people Proctor saw with the devil. Proctor sees the repercussions of his confession on his friends and he begins to worry not for his own soul but for his peers. He claims "You will not use me!" and refuses to offer any names. His false confession would also have been a betrayal to the men and women who had already died because they told the truth. When Proctor rips of the confession and is sent to the gallows to die, he becomes a martyr for truth and his society. Proctor is a morally triumphant character who exhibits a wider responsibility to his society.
 * Setting (time and place)
 * Key Symbol(s)
 * Witch Trials and McCarthyism
 * Crucible written by Miller as commentary on Red Scare
 * Hunt for witches in Salem symbolizes hunting of Communists in 1950s America both in terms of hysteria and intolerance
 * Key Image(s)
 * books- Reverend Hale brings books to Parris' house to help Betty. The books are of prayers to cure her from her bewitchment. They are authority's response to witchcraft.
 * frog- When Hale asks Parris if he saw anything in the kettle the girls were dancing around, he says that he saw some movement in the soup. Abby says that a frog jumped into the kettle. A frog signifies dealings with the Devil.
 * poppet- Elizabeth Proctor is arrested for having a poppet in her house. It really belongs to her servant Mary. A poppet is a doll associated with witchcraft.
 * Key Theme
 * Key Structural Elements
 * Prose inserts- These explain the action that is taking place in the dialogue of the play. By including these, Miller flashes out his characters, concentrating mainly on their motives and pyschological states to add to the tragic nature of the play. He also uses the prose inserts to provide background information on the witch trials.