1. The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Published in 1953
Based on the witchcraft hysteria that happened in Massachusetts in 1692.
20 people were executed; more than 100 were jailed

2. The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Essential Questions which will be the focus of your term paper:
Why did Arthur Miller write a play about events that happened almost 300 years before his time?
How is this play still relevant today?

3. What is a Crucible?
A pot in which substances are heated at a very high temperature or melted.
A difficult trial or challenge.

4. How to Read a Play/Drama
Guidelines:
Your main focus should be on characters:
What do they say?
What do they do?
2. Stage directions:
You should take a slight pause and read them quietly to yourself.
Turn to page 1129 for an example:

5. Act 1, Pages
What has happened to Betty, Reverend Parris’ daughter?
Why does his niece, Abigail Williams, bring Susanna Walcott to his house?
What news does Susanna deliver?
What is Parris’ reaction to Susanna’s news?
What does Parris question Abigail about?
What does Parris seem most concerned about?
What is hinted about Abigail’s relationship with the Proctors?

6. Act 1, Pages 1132-1137 The Putnams, townspeople, enter.
So does Mercy, their servant, and another girl named Mary Warren.
What are Mr. and Mrs. Putnam sure of when they walk into Reverend Parris’ home?
Who is Ruth?
Why is Mrs. Putnam sure that Betty and Ruth’s ailments are due to witchcraft? What experience has she had with bearing children?
Why does Reverend Parris finally change his mind about Abigail’s actions? Again, what is he most concerned with?

7. Act 1, Pages 1132-1137 When the girls are left alone:
What is the whole truth of what happened in the forest the night before?
Specifically, what did Abigail do?
What does Abigail demand that the girls say about the events in the forest? How does she threaten them?
What seems to be Abigail’s motives for all her actions in the play thus far?
What is wrong with Betty? Remember, she is only 10 years old.

8. Overarching Question:
Why would anyone accuse someone else of witchcraft?
What would their motives be?

9. Act 1, Pages 1138-1146 Character Analysis of John Proctor:
First, life in Salem:
1692! Way before the Declaration of Independence!
In Salem, ownership of land was important.
So was religion!
Jealousy and disputes often resulted.
Accuse one of witchcraft!

10. John Proctor Character Analysis of John Proctor:
In both scenes with Abigail and Parris and the Putnams, we can see John Proctor is fiercely independent. A leader. He is not swayed like Reverend Parris or the Putnams.

11. John Proctor
How does John Proctor display his steady, forthcoming character with Abigail?
How is Rebecca Nurse similar to John Proctor?
How do John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse criticize Reverend Parris’ ministry? What else does Proctor criticize him for?
Whose side do the Putnams take?
The audience can see a divided town. “Factions”

12. Act 1, Pages
What woes does Reverend Parris reveal in his exchange with John Proctor?
Is John Proctor correct in saying that Reverend Parris only preaches about “hellfire” and “damnation”?
What purpose does Giles Corey serve in this scene?

13. Act 1, Pages
Reverend Hale enters the scene. He is considered to be an expert in determining works of witchcraft and the Devil.
Once more, we see Abigail’s true nature. She finally confesses to performing witchcraft the night before. However, she blames Tituba for it.
Tituba is questioned and threatened with death if she does not confess that she works with the Devil.
Tituba, Abigail, and Betty all start confessing, but in the process, they blame other women in the town. In turn, they become innocent and powerful.
At the end of Act 1, “mass hysteria” is in full motion.

14. Questions for Quiz #2
How can Reverend Hale best be characterized? At first, he seems calm and is not in a rush to declare witchcraft. Which antagonist of the play quickly changes his mind? How does the antagonist accomplish this?
Whom does the antagonist blame?
Explain how both Abigail and Tituba are empowered by their confessions.
Explain how Act 1 ends in terms of the theme, “mass hysteria.”

15. Act II, Pages
Mary Warren, the Proctor’s servant, who was once characterized as timid, is seen as being defiant now. Why?
Why does Elizabeth Proctor want her husband, John, to go into Salem?
Why is John reluctant to go? What is his inner conflict?

16. Act II, Pages
Why is Goody Osburn going to be hanged and Goody Good is going to be spared?
What “proof” did the court find against Goody Osburn?
Mary Warren reveals that whom else has been named as a witch?
What does Elizabeth Proctor conclude about her being named a witch?
What does Reverend Hale question John Proctor about?

17. Act III – Courtroom Scene
Judges/Deputees:
Hathorne
Danforth
Herrick
Wives being charged with witchcraft:
Martha Corey
Rebecca Nurse
Elizabeth Proctor

18. Act III – Courtroom Scene
Martha – for reading “strange books”
Rebecca – for killing 7 children
Elizabeth – for the doll
Innocent until proven guilty
The burden of proof lies with the prosecution
Under the Salem court, these women and the others accused of witchcraft are guilty until proven innocent.

19. Act III – Page 1193 3 depositions are handed to Danforth.
Identify the 1st deposition. Who hands it to him? What does it contain? How does this deposition backfire?
Identify the 2nd deposition. Who hands it to Danforth. What does it contain? How does this deposition backfire?
Identify the 3rd deposition. Why will this deposition most likely not work?

20. Act III – Page 1197
Danforth reads Mary Warren’s deposition, which claims she never saw any spirits and that Abigail and the rest of the girls are lying. (Pretense)
Danforth and Hathorne note that Mary Warren, when she was on Abigail’s side, would faint.
They order her to pretend to faint in court.
Mary Warren can not pretend to faint.
Why do you think Mary Warren can’t pretend to faint now?

21. Act III – Page 1205
Proctor confesses his sin to Danforth and the others.
Danforth brings Elizabeth in to question her about John’s affair with Abigail.
Abigail and the other girls claim Mary has transformed herself into a bird.
Danforth threatens Mary Warren repeatedly to confess that the Devil has seized her.
“God is dead.” – John Proctor