The Crucible Act I; part 1

Thomas Putnam

A wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, Putnam holds a grudge against Francis Nurse for preventing Putnam's brother-in-law from being elected to the office of minister. He uses the witch trials to increase his own wealth by accusing people of witchcraft and then buying up their land.

Francis Nurse

A wealthy, influential man in Salem. Nurse is well respected by most people in Salem, but is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife.

Reverend John Hale

A young minister reputed to be an expert on witchcraft. Reverend Hale is called in to Salem to examine Parris's daughter Betty. Hale is a committed Christian and hater of witchcraft. His critical mind and intelligence save him from falling into blind fervor. His arrival sets the hysteria in motion, although he later regrets his actions and attempts to save the lives of those accused.

What exactly happened in the woods? We learned this from the girls' conversations with Abigail

Abigail and Betty danced, Tituba called out Ruth's dead sisters, Mercy was naked, and Abigail drank blood to kill Elizabeth Proctor.

When Abigail is questioned by Rev. Hale, who does she blame? What proof does she offer?

Abigail blames Tituba which is ironic as Abby went through great measures to make sure no one said any names. The proof that she offers is that Tituba sends a spirit to make Abigail laugh during church. Another reason is that Abby claims she awakes in the night to Tituba tempting her by singing Barbados songs. She also states that Tituba has made Abigail drink blood.

What will Abigail bring to those who breathe a word of the truth? What does she threaten?

Abigail essentially threatens the girls with death. She implies that Native Americans smashed her parent's heads so she knows how to smash the girls. Abigail is fearful of being condemned as a witch. Mary Warren is the main girl that is threatened because she wants to tell.

Describe what is said between Abigail and John Proctor.

Abigail grows upset that John has yet to come to her. She claims that she is in love with him and insists he loves her back. Abigail goes into depth about how at night she lies awake and walks around the house praying he will come to see her. John expresses that at times he thinks of Abby, but he will never touch her again. Growing furious at John she states that Elizabeth is sickly. Proctor grows angry at this claim and does not want his wife to be dragged into this mess. Abby reveals that Elizabeth went around the village spreading rumors and soiling her name. The hatred Abigail feels for Elizabeth is revealed.

Giles Corey

An elderly but feisty farmer in Salem, famous for his tendency to file lawsuits. Giles's wife, Martha, is accused of witchcraft, and he himself is eventually held in contempt of court and pressed to death with large stones.

Why would Arthur Miller include the note on historical accuracy?

Arthur Miller does not want readers to view The Crucible as a factual piece of history. He wishes that the play is noted to all it is dramatized and the people are condensed. Miller wants the book to capture the absurdity of the Salem Witch Trials.

Describe the dramatic ending of Act I.

Betty awakes, rises from the bed, and begins chanting names of witches alongside Abby. Between the two they named Bridget Bishop, George Jacobs, Goody Howe, Martha Bellows, Goody Sibber, Alice Barrow, Goody Hawkins, Goody Osburn, Sarah Good, Goody Bibber, and Goody Booth as working with the Devil. The first act ends while the girls are taking turns screaming out names and the curtain falls.

What happens to Betty when she hears the Lord's name?

Betty reacts by whining and covering her ears with her hands.

What has Elizabeth Proctor said about Abigail? Why does Abigail say she was dismissed by the Proctors?

Elizabeth claims that she does not attend church since she does not want to sit next to someone as soiled as Abigail. She also dismissed Abigail from working at her household. Abigail feels that this is all because she refuses to be treated as a slave. She does not wish to work with Elizabeth because she is too cold and cruel.

Rebecca Nurse

Francis Nurse's wife. Rebecca is a wise, sensible, and upright woman, held in tremendous regard by most of the Salem community. However, she falls victim to the hysteria when the Putnams accuse her of witchcraft and she refuses to confess.

Though Rev. Hale is trying to get Tituba to name her accomplices, who is the first person to actually mention names?

Ironically, Abigail is the first person to give out names. She doesn't stop with Tituba and proceeds to list other women who she saw with the Devil. Tituba is the most resistant out of the two to name people.

What event transpired between Abigail and John Proctor prior to the beginning of Act I?

It is implied that a love affair happened between Abigail and John Proctor. Abigail fell in love with John, a man much older than she, and expresses how much she admires him while Betty is ill. John Proctor refuses to admit that he loves her and states that what went on between them can never happen again. Abigail also insults Elizabeth which angers John.

Why does John Proctor not attend church?

John Proctor does not feel like trudging five miles to hear Parris talk about nothing except the Devil and Hell. Proctor feels that Reverend Parris hardly ever speaks of God.

Elizabeth Proctor

John Proctor's wife. Elizabeth fired Abigail when she discovered that her husband was having an affair with Abigail. Elizabeth is supremely virtuous, but often cold.

What does Parris mean by "I cannot blink what I saw, Abigail, for my enemies will not blink it"? What is Parris's main concern?

Parris means that he cannot unsee what he saw or turn a blind eye to it. He knows that his enemies will use this suspicion and potentially accuse him of witchcraft. His main concern is losing his statues, being a preacher, and everything he thinks he is entitled to.

Explain the paradox of the Salem tragedy.

People who were framed as witches were blamed with the village's problems. Anything unideal that happened was blamed on women who were falsely accused of using witchcraft. The people in Salem were trying to live in God's image and get rid of all the bad. However, they were ensuing more chaos and cruelty by persecuting and falsely accusing women of witchcraft.

What is Putnam's grievance over land? What significance might this have?

Proctor says that he needs to get his lumber home from the forest on the riverside. Thomas Putnam claims that it is his family's land therefore Proctor should not touch it. Giles backs up Proctor by stating Thomas' grandfather often claimed land that was not his own. Proctor defends himself by saying the Nurses sold him that land five months ago. This further builds up the hatred Putnam feels for the Proctor family and the Nurses family. As the summary of the book states, Elizabeth Proctor is persecuted, which Putnam most likely had a hand in. The author, Arthur Miller, reveals that Rebecca was persecuted too.

Describe Rebecca Nurse's reactions to the girls' sicknesses.

Rebecca does not jump to the conclusion that witchcraft has occurred. Instead she takes a rational approach and claims that is simply a child's spirit behaving this way. She dismisses the need for Reverend Hale and claims that Betty will come back to her senses soon. She reacts similar to Ruth saying that Ruth is not hungry yet and that is why she is not eating.

Infer what each of these characters expects from Rev. Hale: the Putnams, Giles Corey, and Parris.

Reverend Hale is expected to do a great deal. Parris wants Reverend Hale to cleanse Betty and cure her from the Devil which is suspected to be inside of her. Giles Corey wishes to know Hale's thoughts on his wife hiding what she reads from him. He even goes as far to say that whatever she read has prevented his prayer. Arthur Miller notes that Corey often stumbled over prayer and his wife was a religious woman. Therefore it is unlikely whatever she read stopped him from praying. The Putnams want Reverend Hale to help their only child, Ruth, from what witchcraft has done to her. Her sickness is similar to Betty's.

Why is Reverend John Hale in Salem?

Reverend John Hale has been summoned to Salem to help Betty. Shortly after arrival Giles and Putnam claw at him for help and advice.

What does Rev. Parris question Abigail about? What does Abigail say happened in the woods?

Reverend Parris caught Abigail and Betty dancing in the woods behaving abnormally. Tituba accompanied the girl and Parris claims he saw another girl naked. Abigail denies that a girl was naked or any odd behavior happened. She says that Tituba was singing her Barbados songs and the girls danced along.

Why has Rev. Parris sent for a doctor as the play begins? What advice does the doctor send back?

Reverend Parris sent for a doctor because Betty is ill. She is alive but unresponsive. The doctor sends Susanna Walcott to tell Parris that there is nothing he can do. He could not find any medicine to help Betty's case. The doctor also had Susanna tell Parris that he feels Betty's condition is caused by something unnatural - suggesting witchcraft.

What are some of the problems between Rev. Parris and his parishioners?

Reverend Parris' parishioners are not enjoying what he preachers. They feel that all he talks about is the Devil and Hell. Parents do not want to bring their children since they do not want them to hear what the Reverend preaches.

Tituba

Reverend Parris's black slave from Barbados. Tituba agrees to perform voodoo at Abigail's request.

Abigail Williams

Reverend Parris's niece. Abigail was once the servant for the Proctor household, but Elizabeth Proctor fired her after she discovered that Abigail was having an affair with her husband, John Proctor. Abigail is smart, wily, a good liar, and vindictive when crossed.

Betty Parris

Reverend Parris's ten-year-old daughter. Betty falls into a strange stupor after Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the forest with Tituba. Her illness and that of Ruth Putnam fuel the first rumors of witchcraft.

Who are Reverend Parris, Betty, and Abigail? What is their relationship?

Reverend Parris, Betty, and Abigail are all family. Betty is Parris' daughter and Abigail is his orphaned niece. Despite Parris not caring for children he displays great concern for Betty's current state. Although his fear may be more for his name than it is for his daughter.

What was Reverend Samuel Parris's attitude toward children?

Reverend Samuel Parris possesses hardly any fondness for children. He believed that children were thankful to be alive. Parris showed no desire to involve himself with children and is described as a cold man.

Who is Ruth? What is wrong with her? How do the Putnams tie her problem to Betty's?

Ruth is Thomas and Ann Putnam's daughter who is also plagued with sickness. The two feel that witchcraft has caused Ruth to fall ill and act strange. They claim that she walks and has her eyes open yet remains silent, does not eat, does not see, and does not here. Ann claims that Ruth's soul is taken. The couple relates this to Betty by ensuing witchcraft and suspecting Tituba.

Why didn't the Putnams like the Nurses?

The Putnams also have resentment towards the Nurses because Francis purchased land and rose higher in status from there. The Nurses were wealthy and greatly respected. They lived on three-hundred acres of land and Francis Nurse was used as an unofficial judge. Francis also fought in a two day battle in a land war with his neighbors including Putnam. Rebecca and Francis were a part of the faction that caused James Bayley to not be in Salem's ministry. The Nurses also helped create Topsfield which would later separate from church when the trials began.

Ruth Putnam

The Putnams' lone surviving child out of eight. Like Betty Parris, Ruth falls into a strange stupor after Reverend Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the woods at night.

Reverend Parris

The minister of Salem's church. Reverend Parris is a paranoid, power-hungry, yet oddly self-pitying figure. Many of the townsfolk, especially John Proctor, dislike him, and Parris is very concerned with building his position in the community.

What rumors have circulated the town about Betty Parris?

The rumor is that a witch has taken ahold of Betty and the Devil is inside of her. The townspeople are suspecting witchcraft.

Mary Warren

The servant in the Proctor household and a member of Abigail's group of girls. She is a timid girl, easily influenced by those around her, who tried unsuccessfully to expose the hoax and ultimately recanted her confession

What is the setting (time and place)?

The setting is in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 during spring time.

How do the townspeople view the forest?

The townspeople view the 'virgin forest' as the Devil's home base. From their point of view it remained the only place that had yet to pay homage to God.

What reason did Thomas Putnam have for resenting Rev. Parris?

Thomas Putnam feels that his brother-in-law, James Bayley, deserved Reverend Parris' spot. Thomas is more cruel than Reverend and does not handle rejection well. He comes from the richest family in the village which enacts Thomas to feel more entitled for his family to receive higher positions.

Ann Putnam

Thomas Putnam's wife. Ann Putnam has given birth to eight children, but only Ruth Putnam survived. The other seven died before they were a day old, and Ann is convinced that they were murdered by supernatural means.

What ultimatum is Tituba given? Who does Tituba accuse of being a witch?

Tituba is given the choice to continue to be whipped to death or share who her accomplices and become a good Christian woman. Tituba names Sarah Good and "Goody" Osburn as people she saw with the Devil

Who is Tituba? What is her relationship to the family?

Tituba is in her forties and comes from Barbados. Parris previously worked as a merchant and he brought Tituba back with him. She is enslaved by Reverend Parris.

junta (n.)

a group controlling a government, especially after a seizure of power

iniquity (n.)

a particularly evil sin

faction (n.)

a small, organized, dissenting group within a larger one that seeks power

propitiation (n.)

act of pacifying or appeasing

rankle (v.)

cause anger or bitterness

discomfit (v.)

confuse; disconcert

deference (n.)

courtesy, respect, or regard; humble submission or yielding to judgment

traffic(ed) (v.)

dealings with; trade; associating with

prediction (n.)

established preference for, or bias toward, something

ingratiating (adj.)

given to deliberate efforts to gain favorable acceptance

autocracy (n.)

government in which one person has unlimited power

theocracy (n.)

government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by church officials who are regarded as divinely guided

providence (n.)

guidance or care from God

licentious (adj.)

lacking morals

parochial (adj.)

narrow-minded; intolerant

heathen (n.)

non religious or uncivilized person

gibberish (n.)

nonsensical chatter or talk; unintelligible or meaningless language

prodigious (adj.)

serving as an omen; remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree

abominations (n.)

something worthy of hatred or disgust

inculcation (n.)

teaching imparted through frequent repetition

contempt (n.)

the feeling that a person or thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn

calumny (n.)

the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone's reputation; slander

abrogation (n.)

the repeal or abolition of a law, right, or agreement

dissembling (v.)

to put on a false appearance

conjure(d) (v.)

to summon or call a devil or spirit by chanting or by a magic spell