The Crucible Acts 1-2

Sarah Good

Beggar in Salem. She is the first individual accused of witchcraft. Why? She is an easy target- she is poor, not respected in the community.

Giles Corey

Elderly inhabitant of Salem. He challenges the court. He asked Rev. Hale about his wife reading books, but not letting him see what she was reading. Also said his prayers were hindered while she was reading.

The girls shout names as accusations. The girls do not want themselves to get in trouble, so they blame others.

How and by whom are the other villagers accused of witchcraft? What is the motivation for the girls' accusations?

Abigail is jealous of Elizabeth and thus despises her.

How does Abigail feel about John's wife, Elizabeth?

He asks many questions which forces her to lie to save herself.

How does Hale confuse Tituba?

He does not want to continue his relationship because he cannot forgive himself.

How does John Proctor feel about his relationship with Abigail?

Abigail had accused Elizabeth of sticking a needle in her (Abigail's) stomach through the use of a "poppet" (doll). Cheever asked to see the doll that was in Elizabeth's house (the one that Mary had given her). When he looked under the dress, there was a needle stuck in the abdomen of the doll. On the basis of this evidence, Cheever determined that witchcraft was possible and did, in fact, take Elizabeth to prison.

Explain the significance of the needle in the "poppet."

Francis Nurse

Farmer and landowner in Salem. He is a respected member of the community often called upon to settle disagreements between individuals.

She bewitched Walcott's pigs with her books so they die.

For what crime is Martha Corey indicted?

"For the marvelous and supernatural murder of Goody Putnam's babies."

For what crime is Rebecca Nurse indicted?

Susanna Walcott

Friend to Abigail. She works for the doctor and brought news that he didn't have a cure for Betty.

If she is accused of being a witch, she cannot believe in witches. However, if the Bible says that witches exist, she cannot dispute the Bible.

Hale asks Elizabeth if she believes in witches. What is her reply?

Ruth Putnam

The Putnams' daughter. She accuses individuals of practicing witchcraft. A witness claims to have heard Putnam say Ruth's accusations helped him obtain land.

Betty was caught in the woods & was practicing witchcraft.

What do they suggest is Betty's problem?

Vengeance is walking Salem.

What does Proctor say is walking Salem?

She thinks that the girls are faking witchcraft to get attention.

What does Rebecca Nurse think is wrong with the girls?

They were in the forest dancing, Abigail drank blood, and Mercy Lewis was naked.

What does the conversation between Abigail, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty reveal about their recent activities?

Mary gave Elizabeth a "poppet" (doll) she had made while sitting in court.

What gift did Mary give Elizabeth?

He had an affair with Abigail when she was a former servant at his house.

What is John Proctor's relationship to Abigail?

Mary is his servant.

What is John's relationship to Mary Warren?

Putnam accuses Proctor of taking trees off his land. He wants all the land he can steal from people.

What is the Putnams' grievance over land?

Tense because John betrayed Elizabeth

What is the mood between John and Elizabeth at the beginning of Act II?

John cheated on Elizabeth, his wife, with Abigail once. Abigail is now obsessed with John and wants to be his wife, but John feels guilty after commiting adultury.

What is the relationship between Abigail and John Proctor?

Proctor questions Parris's beliefs and morals. He sees that Parris is more concerned with keeping his position as minister than with practicing his true religion and devotion to God.

What is the source of the conflict between Parris and Proctor?

He never attended church before he married his wife. He reports that his wife reads books that he does not know about. Also, he files lawsuits regularly.

What is unusual about Giles Corey?

She won't wake up.

What is wrong with Betty?

Proctor does not go to church regularly. His youngest son has not been baptized. He does not have total faith in Parris, the minister. It takes both Proctor and Elizabeth to remember all of the commandments. (He significantly forgot adultery.)

What things are "suspicious" about Proctor and his family?

She confessed to witchcraft. The girls said she nearly choked them to death (and they acted so) in court. She could not recite the commandments in court.

What was the "evidence" against Sarah Good?

The girls were dancing and some of them were not wearing clothes. There was a frog in the pot and Tituba was chanting.

What were Abigail and the girls doing in the forest when Reverend Parris saw them?

They will hang.

What will happen to those who don't confess to witchcraft?

flushed

blush

wrath

divine punishment

monstrous

enormous

perplexed

filled with uncertainty

blasphemy

irreverence or disrespect towards something holy

resentment

the act of feeling or exhibiting annoyance or indignation

vengeance

the act of inflicting punishment or injury in return for an injury received

obstruct

to block

reprimand

to criticize harshly

quail

to pull back in fear

grapple

to struggle or fight

evasive

trying to avoid

She is a servant

Mary Warren's role in the Proctor household

Thomas Putnam

A wealthy landowner in Salem. He systematically accuses his neighbors of witchcraft. Married to Ann, father of Ruth. Motivation: Greed

Reverend Hale

Minister in Beverly. The people of Salem summon him to investigate Betty's condition and determine if witchcraft is responsible.

Reverend Parris

Minister in Salem who at first doesn't want to acknowledge witchcraft, then joins in the accusations, then attempts to delay or stop the executions. Betty's father. Motivation: His own reputation.

Betty Parris

Parris' daughter. Her father discovers her dancing in the woods, and she later accuses individuals of practicing witchcraft. Motivation: Trying to stay out of trouble.

Abigail Williams

Parris' niece. She instigates the witch trials by falsely accusing others of witchcraft. She pretends to see spirits and instructs the other girls to pretend as well. Motivation: To divert attention away from herself and to stay out of trouble; kill Elizabeth Proctor so she can have John Proctor to herself.

Tituba

Parris' slave from Barbados. Parris discovers her casting spells and making potions with the girls in the woods. When she is accused, she turns around and accuses others. Motivation: Self-preservation. She is threatened with beatings and hanging if she doesn't confess/ name others.

John Proctor

Salem farmer and former lover of Abigail's. He openly denounces Parris and does not attend church as often as he should. Motivation: Justice. He wants to reveal the truth about Parris, Abigail, and the trials.

Mary Warren

Servant to the Proctors. She goes along with Abigail and the girls by falsely accusing others of witchcraft. Motivation: Fear. She wants to reveal the truth but breaks under pressure from Abigail and the other girls.

Mercy Lewis

Servant to the Putnams and friend to Abigail. She participates in the witch trials by pretending to see spirits and falsely accusing individuals of witchcraft..

Elizabeth wants John to go into Salem to tell the authorities that the girls are not telling the truth.

Where does Elizabeth want John to go, and what does she want him to do there?

Wealthy and suspicious of everyone; Ann lost 8 babies

Who are Ann and Thomas Putnam? What is their motivation for suggesting witchcraft?

He is a reverend who is summoned to Salem to identify witches. He puts the majority of Salem in jail, but later realizes that there is no witchcraft in Salem-only corruption. He leaves and returns later.

Who is Reverend Hale, and what does he accomplish?

The Putnam's daughter. She won't wake up.

Who is Ruth? What is wrong with her?

Parris' slave from Barbados

Who is Tituba?

Elizabeth says this because she knows Abigail mentioned her name to the court.

Who says: "On the noose, the noose is up!"?

Hale came out to question all accused persons for himself, so that he would have some knowledge of the people before they appeared in court or jail. He came to Proctor's house to question them to see if either of them had any suspicious activities which would relate to witchcraft.

Why did Hale come to Proctor's house?

Cheever comes with a warrant to search the house. He arrests Elizabeth.

Why does Cheever come to the Proctor house?

Elizabeth knows of John's affair with Abigail. She believes that Abigail wants to take her place as John's wife.

Why does Elizabeth think Abigail wants to kill her?

To see if Hale' experience with witch trials would show that there is no witchcraft.

Why does Parris call Reverend Hale?

She doesn't want to testify because she is afraid of Abigail. She knows Abigail will "get her" if she goes against her.

Why doesn't Mary want to testify about the doll?

She has lost all but one of her children shortly after they were born and wants someone to blame (a scapegoat).

Why is Mrs. Putnam so eager to prove there is witchcraft in the village?

Parris wants to remain minister and fears any evidence that may harm his reputation.

Why is Parris so worried about the evidence of witchcraft being discovered in his own house?

He wants more land and therefore, more power.

Why is Thomas Putnam such a bitter man?

He wants more money and he isn't honest.

Why is the issue of Parris's salary raised?

Rebecca Nurse

Wife of Francis Nurse. She is one of the most respected individuals in Salem because of her kindness and charity. She argues against the witch trial investigations.

Elizabeth Proctor

Wife of John Proctor. She is a decent and honest woman. Motivation: Protect John's name and reputation.

Mrs. Ann Putnam

Wife of Thomas Putnam/Ruth's mother. She believes that a witch is responsible for the deaths of her seven infant children. Motivation: Jealousy

abomination

an immoral or loathsome act