1. Full title The Crucible

2. Author Arthur Miller

3. Type of work play

4. Genre tragedy allegory

5. Time and place written America, early 1950s

6. Protagonist John Proctor

7. Antagonist Abigail Willams

8. Setting (time) 1692

9. Setting (place) Salem, a small town in colonial Massachusetts

10. Tone serious and tragic; language is Biblical

11. Themes intolerance, hysteria, reputation

12. Symbol The play is symbolic of the Communist witch hunts of the l950s

13. A work of literature that traces the downfall of its protagonist tragedy

14. Key literary terms

15. allusion a reference to a person, place, event, or another passage allusions can originate in mythology, biblical references, historical events, legends, geography, or earlier literary works

16. allegory any writing that has a double meaning usually involves moral or spiritual concepts that are more significant than the actual described in a narrative

17. dialogue a conversation between two characters

18. cast of characters A list of characters in a play in their order of appearance

19. stage directions actions or activity for the actors to engage in

20. scene subdivision of an act in a play

21. act A major division in a play

22. Paradox (oxymoron) A contradiction in which both ideas make sense Ex: “Without laws, we can have no freedom”

23. props handheld objects, furniture and similar items on stage apart from costumes and the stage scenery used by actors

24. scenery The visual environment created onstage using a backdrop and props

25. motivation The reason behind a character’s actions

26. Verbal irony statement in which its actual meaning differs sharply from the meaning that the words express

27. dramatic irony (the most important type for literature) involves a situatioin in which the reader knows something about present or future circumstances that the character does not know

28. situational irony accidental events occur that seem oddly appropriate

29. tone describes the author’s attitude toward the subject tone may be formal or informal, playful, ironic, optimistic, pessimistic, or sensual

30. atmosphere (mood) emotional feelings inspired by a work

31. metaphor A comparison or analogy stated in such a way as to imply that one object is another on

32. simile An analogy or comparison implied by using an adverb such as like or as

33. personification

34. Logical fallacy

35. theme a central idea or statement that unifies and controls a literary work meaningful insight or a comprehensive vision of life

36. idiom expression in a language that cannot directly translated

37. foreshadowing hints of future events

38. http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/lit_ter ms_M.html