1. The Crucible
By Arthur Miller
. . . When History and Literature Collide
2.The Crucible is . . .
Puritanism
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Witchcraft
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McCarthyism
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Arthur Miller
3.What does “crucible” mean?
a vessel or pot used for melting substances at a high degree of heat
a severe test or trial
a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development
4.Reverend Parris
Reverend/Pastor of the church in Salem
Mid forties
Thinks children should be seen, not heard…
Wife died/he is a widower-
He is the father of Betty and the uncle of Abigail Williams.
He believes that he is being persecuted
Believes the townspeople do not respect his position as a man of God.
Worried he will be blamed for the ‘problems’ in Salem
5.Betty Parris
Daughter of the Reverend Samuel Parris
Her mother died when she was a baby
10 years old
Raised by Tituba, their slave
cousin to Abigail Williams.
Pretends to be ‘sick’ to avoid punishment
She is afraid and goes along with her cousin, when Abigail threatens her.
6.Abigail Williams
Orphaned niece of Rev. Parris
Cousin to Betty
Works for the Proctor family –fired for sleeping with Mr. Proctor
Has affair with John Proctor
Still loves/desires John Proctor
Leads “crying out” against witches during the trial
Uses her power to rid herself of Elizabeth Proctor
She is the leader of the girls.
Seventeen years old
Beautiful
Deceitful – can’t be trusted
7.Tituba
Slave for the Parris’s
In her forties
Loves Betty like her own daughter
She is a native of Barbados.
She casts spells and creates charms for the girls.
Confesses to witchcraft and to “consorting with the Devil” to save herself when Abigail turns on her and in order to live!
Names others as witches, due to pressure and fear.
8.Mrs. Ann Putnam
Wife of Thomas Putnam
A twisted soul – haunted by her dreams
Forty five years old
Mother to Ruth, one of the ‘afflicted’ girls
First plants the idea that the girls are bewitched
All of her children except one have died, seven died, one lives, Ruth.
Sent her daughter to Tituba to cast a spell to discover the supposed murderer of her children
9. Thomas Putnam
Vindictive, bitter villager who believes he has been wronged and cheated
Fairly wealthy, owns a lot of land
Late forties
Father to Ruth Putnam
Husband to Ann Putnam
Leading village voice against the witches
All but one of his children have died – he needs someone to blame
He is accused of coercing his daughter to accuse people, for example, George Jacobs, in order to gain their forfeited land.
10.John Proctor
Husband to Elizabeth Proctor.
A farmer in his middle thirties
Good man with human frailties
Often the voice of reason in the play
He had an affair with Abigail when she worked in his household.
He knows the girls are pretending but cannot tell without revealing his affair with Abigail.
Thinks Parris is a ‘fallen’ reverend
Fighting with Mr. Putnam over land
He refuses to admit to witchcraft.
Accused of witchcraft
Has three sons
11.Elizabeth Proctor
Wife of John Proctor
Has three sons
Probably in her early thirties???
She discovers the affair between her husband and Abigail Williams and fires Abigail.
She is Abigail's main target –Abigail wants her dead…so she can have John Proctor to herself.
She loves her husband but doesn’t trust him.
She feels responsible for driving her husband to infidelity.
12.Rebecca Nurse
Seventy two years old
Wife of the respected Francis Nurse
Needs a cane to walk
Respected Midwife
Exemplary Christian
Has 11 children and 26 grandchildren
Accused of being a witch
Refuses to admit to witchcraft and is hanged/Won’t lie to save her life
News of her arrest and execution shows how out of control the situation in Salem is.
13.Reverend John Hale
In his late 30s
Intellectual
Specialist/Expert/knowledgeable on witchcraft
Completely believes in ‘unseen’ terrors, criminals etc like Lucifer, witches, incubi, etc.
From Beverly, married, has two daughters
Truly religious and believes in light, goodness etc.
14.Giles Corey
In his eighties
Married to Martha Corey/3rd wife
Has lots of children!
Best friend of John Proctor
Knows a lot about the law – has sued many neighbors…
Thrown in jail for not ‘naming names!’
Inadvertently accuses his wife of witchcraft
Pressed to death when he refuses to enter a plea to the charges (pleading guilty or conviction would have meant forfeiture of his land, leaving his sons with no inheritance)
Dies for truth and honor. His last words were “more weight.”
15.Mary Warren
Works in the Proctor household, as a servant
Eighteen-year-old girl
An easily swayed, weak young girl who ‘plants’ the evidence of witchcraft on Elizabeth
Abigail uses her to effectively accuse Elizabeth.
John Proctor takes Mary to the court to confess that the girls are only pretending. She is not strong enough to fight Abigail and as soon as Abigail leads the other girls against her, Mary caves in and runs back to Abigail’s side by accusing Proctor himself.
16.Deputy Governor Danforth
He feels particularly strong that the girls telling the truth about being bewitched
Sixties??
Feels superior and righteous
He believes in the presence of the devil
Feels his word and judgment is the highest law of the land
Would gladly hang all people accused of witchcraft if he could
17.Martha Corey
Married to Giles Corey
His third wife
Reads “strange” books!
Accused of witchcraft
Will not confess and so forfeits her life
Strong-willed
Middle-aged
18.Francis Nurse
Married to Rebecca
In his late 70s
Lots of family
Well-respected
Owns a lot of land
Feels guilty for the petition with 92 names that are going to be arrested…
19.The Other Girls
Susanna Walcott- One of the girls. She is initially sent between Parris and Dr. Griggs to determine the cause of Betty's ailment. She is easily guided by Abigail.
Mercy Lewis- Servant to the Putnam household. She is a merciless girl who seems to delight in the girls' activities. 18 years old, sly…
Ruth Putnam – Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Putnam – acts ‘sick’ and accuses George Jacobs, a very old man in the community. It was said her father wanted George’s land.