The Crucible

1
The Crucible

• Act 1 Test
• Review

2
Act 1

• The Overture

3
What does the phrase endless capacity for
dissembling tell us about Abigail?

• She is extremely deceptive
• always question her reliability
• Search for a hidden motive in her words

4
Why does Abigail admit to dancing in the forest?

• She knows Parris saw them
• It is a lesser offense than witchcraft
• She hopes this will satisfy him and prevent
  further questioning and/or an accusation of
  witchcraft

5
Function of forest at night

• Practical function--makes sense that the girls
  would sneak into the forest at night so they
  wouldnt be observed dancing.
• Atmospheric functionSalem in 1692 would be like
  a frontier outpost. Puritan inhabitants believed
  forest was a wild, dark placethe abode of
  heathens and evil spirits.
• Figurative functionrepresents all that makes
  their community vulnerable to physical and
  spiritual attack.

6
Parris character revealed when questioning
Abigail

• His ministry is at stake
• His reputation could be exposed to suspicion
• Doesnt want to be blind-sided with info about
  her that others may have

7
Reverend Parris
8
hypocritical

• because he uses the church to justify his demands
  for money.

9
paranoid

• because he wonders if those who oppose him serve
  the devil and because he thinks Proctor is the
  leader of a plot.

10
arrogant

• because he believes that church members must obey
  the pastor or chaos will ensue.

11
Abigails spotless reputation

• Claims there are no disparaging rumors about her
  character.
• Was discharged from Goody Proctors service.
• Goody Proctor rarely goes to church to avoid
  sitting so close to something so soiled.
• No one else in the village will hire her.

12
Abigails response

• Attacks Goody Proctors character but does not
  deny the existence of the remark. (so there is a
  rumor about her!)
• All the other women in the village are the same
  as Goody Proctor (so
  people do have doubts about her!)
• Tries to change subject and put Parris on
  defensive (Do you begrudge my bed, Uncle?)
• Calls Goody Proctor a gossiping liar.
• (Her answers, however, suggest she is the one
  lying)

13
Rev. Parris change of heart

• Initially, doesnt believe there to be any
  witchcraft in Salem.
• Putnam reminds him that he has taken Parris side
  in all contentious matters so far, but threatens
  to withdraw that support if Parris holds back in
  this matter.
• Everyone is always questioning his actionswhich
  he doesnt likeso he says that he is beginning
  to wonder if that is the work of the devil.

14
FYIIn a written commentary on the play, Miller
indicated that he considered Thomas Putnam one of
the plays principal villains. He notes that
Putnam was vindictive, with many grievances
against his neighbors. He had numerous
complaints involving disputes over ownership of
land. Miller notes that Putnam seems to have
played a key role in the accusations of
witchcraft. Some historians have concluded that
the real Thomas Putnam used accusations of
witchcraft as an excuse to gain land.
15
Reasons the Putnams believe the girls and Tituba
are involved in witchcraft.

• Their babies were murdered
• Ruth was close to conjuring up their spirits.
• Some power of darkness struck her dumb.
• A murdering witch is hiding among the people.

16
FYISneezing can occur when dust or pollen
irritates the lining in the nasal passages.
Congestion from colds or allergies can also force
a person to sneeze. Ruth Putnam may have had a
physical illness however, superstition also held
that sneezing might indicate that a possessed
person was expelling demons through the nose.
This may be the origin of the practice of saying
God bless you when a person sneezes. It also
probably is the reason Mercy suggests that
sneezing may restore Ruths senses.
17
Will the real Abigail please stand up!!

• With the adults gone, Abigail becomes the
  dominant personality, telling the other girls
  what to say, threatening them and insinuating her
  capacity for violence if they betray her.

18
To fake or not to fake or is something really
wrong with Betty?

• Responds when adults are out of room
• Knows that Abigail did not reveal everything
  about that night in the forest (drinking a charm
  to kill Goody Proctor)

19
Enter John Proctor

• Enter Abigail 3?

20
How is Abigail able to adapt her demeanor to suit
her purposes?

• With her unclefeigns concern and righteous
  indignation
• With the girlsdomineering and cruel
• With Proctorcoy and seductive

21
How does Miller use names to imply relationships?

• The other girls say Mr. Proctor Abigail calls
  him John. Her uncle always calls her Abigail
  Proctor calls her Abby. This suggests an
  intimacy borne out in the flirtatious exchange of
  this act.

22
Who do you believe?
23
He admits he had reached for her in the past (but
for what?)

• To comfort her?
• To confide in her?
• Possibly more?

24
Wipe it out of mind

• Is this his way of telling her to pretend nothing
  ever happened or to forget about anything ever
  happening?

25
We never touched, Abby.

• Physically?
• spiritually?
• Denial?

26
He does not deny having looked up at her window.

• Does this mean lust?
• Wondering if shes okay?

27
Is John Proctor merely guilty of flirting with
Abigail?

• Or something more?

28
Does she exaggerate the seriousness of the
relationship?

• I am waitin for you every night, yet he hasnt
  stepped off his farm in seven months.

29
FYIPuritans believed that you did not have to
actually commit the act to be guilty of it. They
thought that if you lusted in your heart, it was
the same thing as committing adultery.
Therefore, John Proctor could have considered
himself guilty of cheating on his wife without
ever having physically touched Abby.
30
How do the Putnams differ from Proctor and
Rebecca on the issue of witchcraft?

• Putnams seem determined to prove that witchcraft
  is afoot.
• Proctor and Rebecca believe there is a natural
  explanation for the childrens behavior.

31
Why might Ann Putnam hate Rebecca Nurse?

• Ann Putnam has lost seven babies in infancy. Now
  her only surviving child is behaving strangely
  and is ill.
• Rebecca Nurse has 11 children and 26
  grandchildren all of whom seem to be healthy.

32
FYIIn his commentary on the play, Miller
describes Rebecca and Francis Nurse as people
highly respected for their moral character, good
judgment, and success. He notes that, before the
arrival of Parris, the Nurses and their friends
had blocked the appointment of a minister
supported by the Putnams. Political differences
also were leading to conflicts between the
Nurses friends and the town authorities allied
with the Putnams.
33
Sagacious Advice

• I think shell wake in time. Pray calm
  yourselves. I have eleven children, and I am
  twenty-six times a grandma, and I have seen them
  all through their sill seasons, and when it come
  on them they will run the Devil bowlegged keeping
  up with their mischief. I think shell wake when
  she tires of it. A childs spirit is like a
  child, you can never catch it by running after
  it you must stand still, and, for love, it will
  soon itself come back.

34
More Wise Advice

• Mr. Parris, I think youd best send Reverend
  Hale back as soon as he come. This will set us
  all to arguin again in the society, and we
  thought to have peace this year. I think we
  ought rely on the doctor now, and good prayer.
• No, you cannot break charity with your minister.
  You are another kind, John. Clasp his hand,
  make your peace.

35
The Conflicts
36
Abigail and Mrs. Proctor

• Goody Proctor fired her.
• Abigail is infatuated with John Proctor and
  believes he loves her.
• Mrs. Proctors death would clear the way for
  marriage between them.

37
Abigail vs. John Proctor

• He denies he ever gave her any reason to hope for
  there to be anything between them.
• She thinks she loves him and wants to be his wife.

38
John Proctor vs. Rev. Parris

• Demands the deed to his house
• Wastes the church money on extravagant
  furnishings
• Preaches hellfire and damnation w/o mentioning
  Gods name

39
The Putnams vs. The Nurses

• The Nurses own land that the Putnams covet
• Rebecca Nurse has never lost a child nor
  grandchild, while Mrs. Putnam has lost all but
  one of her children
• The Nurses opposed the Putnams choice for a
  minister

40
John Proctor vs Elizabeth Proctor

• The relationship between the Proctors is
  strained.
• Elizabeth is suspicious of John.
• Elizabeth has been sick for a long time.
• John Proctor confessed his lust to her
• They dont talk much

41
What victory would the Devil have to win a soul
already bad? It is the best the Devil wants,
and who is better than a minister?

• Hale makes the assumption that the minister must
  be the best person in the village, but the facts
  show that Parris is not a good man.

42
You are Gods instrument put in our hands to
discover the Devils agents among us

• Instead of saving the village from the Devil, he
  is persuading her to make false accusations of
  witchcraft against innocent people.

43
Authority

• The authority of the church is supreme and if
  church members dont obey the minister, chaos
  will ensue, and the church will be destroyed.

• Reverend Parris
• Reverend Hale

44
Authority

• Individual conscience is the final authority, and
  every church member has the right to say what he
  believes.

• John Proctor

45
What victory would the devil have to win a soul
already bad?

• Foreshadows the eventual charges
• against respectable citizens.

46
GossipGossipGossip!!!

• Rev. Parris tells Abigail that he heard it said
  that Goody Proctor doesnt go to church as often
  as she used to because she doesnt want to sit
  next to something soiled.
• Goody Putnam says she heard Betty flew over
  Ingersolls barn.
• Abigail has been out of work for seven months,
  and no one will hire her which probably means
  people are speculating about why the Proctors
  fired her.
• Goody Putnam tells everyone that Rev. Hale
  discovered a witch in Beverly last year.
• Mr. Putnam says there are children dying in the
  village.

47
Irony

• Rev Parris says I dont preach for the little
  children. It isnt the children who are
  unmindful of their obligations toward this
  ministry. He doesnt think the children are
  important enough to be instructed and yet its
  the children who start the cries of witchcraft.
• The audience knows the children are faking their
  illness, but some of the characters do not know.
• Rev. Hale said the devil cant overcome a
  minister, and yet Rev. Parris is evil..
• Rev. Hale said Tituba was an instrument for
  saving the village, she was really be used to
  accuse innocent people.

48
Dissembling

• What she said to the adults as opposed to what
  she said when the adults were gone.
• She encourages Parris to go pray with the people
  seemingly worried about his ministry, but she
  really just wants to get him out of the room.
• All that mushy stuff she said to John Proctor
  because she knew Betty would hear it.

49
In his stage directions, what are some good and
bad points that Miller observes about the
Puritans?

• Miller notes the Puritans' severe style of living
  and seems to recognize it as both beneficial and
  detrimental. His use of the phrase "clean
  spareness" implies that he is impressed with
  their lack of clutter and random knick-knacks
  lying about. Other phrases such as "leaded panes"
  and "raw and unmellowed" emphasize how harsh and
  oppressive their style of living. This atmosphere
  is partly responsible for the events that
  transpire.

50
Who is Betty and what is wrong with her?

• Betty Parris is Reverend Parris' only child and
  Abigail Williams' cousin. She is unconscious and
  no one has been able to wake her. She entered
  this state the night before when her father
  caught her dancing with Abigail and a number of
  their friends. This is not the only thing wrong
  with Betty-- she is also under the influence of
  Abigail and is unable to consider the
  consequences of her actions. Like many girls of
  that age, Betty seems to want to fit in with the
  older girls and blindly follows their example in
  accusing myriad villagers.

51
When Abigail enters, she is described as "a
strikingly beautiful girl. . . with an endless
capacity for dissembling." What does the phrase
"endless capacity for dissembling" suggest?

• This choice of wording suggests that beneath her
  beautiful exterior, Abigail is a lying,
  manipulative girl who will stop at nothing to
  accomplish her goals. This is proven later when
  she condemns a number of the village women to die
  (including Elizabeth Proctor) so that she can be
  with John Proctor.

52
Why does Rev. Parris become so upset at the
thought that Betty's illness is a result of
unnatural causes?

• Rev. Parris sees himself as a man of God-- as the
  pastor of a theocratic village, he must. This
  being said, he feels that the Devil should be
  attacking the town's nefarious residents, not its
  holiest citizen.

53
What negative aspect of his character does this
reveal?

• This reveals Rev. Parris' pride and arrogance. He
  believes that his holiness will shield him from
  the Devil's attacks. Rev. Parris refuses to
  acknowledge that he is fallible whereas in
  reality he is just as frail as any member of his
  flock, if not more so.

54
What innuendo does Rev. Parris make about
Abigail's character?

• Rev. Parris asks Abigail if her name is "entirely
  white" in the town. He also asks her what Goody
  Proctor meant by referring to her as "soiled."
  This suggests that Abigail may be participating
  in improper sexual activities behind her uncle's
  back.

55
How does Abigail respond?

• Abigail responds by first insisting that she has
  a reputation. After she has proclaimed her own
  innocence, Abigail points the finger of blame
  elsewhere-- a pattern that reappears again and
  again in The Crucible. Abigail slanders Elizabeth
  Proctor by claiming she is "a bitter woman, a
  lying, cold sniveling. . . gossiping liar!"

56
How does Goody Putnam move the plot along?(Goody
is a term of address much like our Mrs. It is
short for Goodwoman.)

• Goody Putnam helps the scene transition from the
  debate over Abigail's and Elizabeth Proctor's
  reputations to witchcraft. She also adds to the
  mounting evidence of "witchcraft" by mentioning
  the sickness of her daughter, Ruth.

57
What motivation is Miller attributing to Thomas
Putnam's actions?

• Thomas Putnam acts out of personal vengeance in
  The Crucible. He is angry that his candidate for
  minister was not chosen and sees this as the
  ideal opportunity for retribution.

58
What do we learn from the conversation that
Mercy, Abigail and Mary Warren have while alone?

• During the conversation we learn of the girls'
  plan to cover up their actions. We also learn
  that they do not truly believe in witchcraft.
  While it is revealed that certain rituals were
  performed (e.g. Abigail drinking a blood charm),
  no one saw the Devil or signed his book.

59
How do we see that Abigail is the acknowledged
leader of this group?

• Abigail has the power of authority over the other
  girls. They submit to her will and value her
  opinion. They have no doubt that Abigail will
  follow through with her threats, and therefore
  cower when she pressures them.

60
As Abby flirts with John Proctor, what is her
opinion of Betty's illness?

• Abby does not acknowledge the supernatural as the
  cause. Rather, she attributes it to "going silly
  somehow." This directly contradicts the later
  accusations that the strange happenings in the
  village-- including Betty's illness-- were due to
  witchcraft.

61
What seems to be the attitude of Giles Corey and
the other gathered in the house?

• Giles Corey-- with his desire to see Betty fly--
  embodies the general attitude of the crows. They
  have all heard claims of the supernatural and
  want to see it for themselves. This longing for a
  display of the paranormal is partially due to the
  strict monotony of their society. The rumors of
  witchcraft are new and exciting and are a welcome
  break from the usual routine.

62
Rebecca Nurse, who walks to Betty's bed and
quiets her with her presence, is a voice of
reason and rationality. To what does she
attribute Betty's condition?

• Rebecca Nurse attributes Betty's condition to
  normal childhood silliness. Having had many
  children, she knows that they all do strange
  things at one time or another-- usually to
  attract attention-- and will eventually tire of
  it and stop. Her opinion should be respected even
  more than that of Hale, the "specialist" who also
  attempts a diagnosis. Hale has spent a great
  amount of time studying books, but it is easy to
  see that what little time he has spent with
  children has been in the context of witchcraft.
  Rebecca Nurse has raised eleven children and
  knows more about them than anyone else in the
  community.

63
Who is Rev. Hale, and why was he sent for? Why
does Rebecca Nurse tell Parris that Hale should
be sent home rather than allowed to see Betty?

• Rev. Hale is an expert in the supernatural called
  to Salem to investigate the "witchcraft." Rebecca
  Nurse tells Parris that Hale should be sent home
  because she can already see the results of his
  investigation. Having come all the way to Salem
  to investigate witchcraft, it is unlikely that
  Rev. Hale will leave without finding what he is
  looking for, whether it exists or not. She knows
  that his presence will only bring more strife and
  division to the community.

64
Why are the Putnams willing to accept this?

• The Putnams cannot accept this due to
  desperation, and a grudge against the Nurse
  family. They believe that their only surviving
  child of eight is affected by witchcraft, which
  happens to be Rev. Hale's area of specialty. On
  top of this, there has been a long-standing
  dispute between the Putnams and the Nurses over
  land. Therefore, the Putnams are likely to
  disagree with the Nurses over anything and
  everything.

65
Why do Putnam and Proctor get into an argument?

• Putnam says that because Proctor doesn't even go
  to church on Sundays, Proctor has no right to
  judge him. Proctor replies that it isn't worth
  coming five miles to church because all Parris
  talks about is hellfire and damnation. He also
  claims others avoid church as well because Parris
  hardly ever mentions God anymore.

66
How does Proctor's subsequent comment on
hellfire and damnation cause an outburst from
Rev. Parris?

• Rev. Parris is greatly offended and shocked that
  anyone would dare speak out against him and his
  preaching style. He is very proud of his sermons
  and believes that the community needs to hear his
  message. This belief is not solely one of Parris'
  idiosyncrasies-- hellfire and damnation are
  cornerstones of the Puritan religion. Man was
  depicted as continuously existing on the verge of
  eternal damnation. In reality, Proctor's vocal
  objection to hellfire and damnation is by far
  more atypical than Parris' adherence to it.

67
In this argument, the theme of authority
explicitly arises. What are the two points of
view?

• Parris feels that, since he is an authority
  figure, his power should be absolute and
  unquestionable. Proctor feels that authority
  doesn't need to be obeyed if it is unjust or
  corrupt-- two adjectives he believes apply to
  Parris. As it is revealed later, he strongly
  dislikes the pastor of the Salem congregation,
  and because of this he has gone to such extreme
  lengths as not having his third child baptized.

68
In what way to Parris and Putnam find
themselves aligned on this question?

• Parris and Putnam feel that the church authority
  must be obeyed unquestioningly, in contrast that
  one needn't go to church if the reverend is
  corrupt.

69
Who is Giles Corey and how does Proctor treat
him?

• Giles Corey is a slow-- but ultimately
  honorable-- old man. Proctor treats him with
  familiar warmth. Even when they disagree the two
  men have a long-standing friendship that cannot
  be overlooked.

70
How is Putnam's materialistic ambition further
revealed in his argument with Proctor?

• Putnam is very concerned about the land he
  considers his and the materials on it. In fact,
  he is so concerned about it that he is willing to
  get into a physical confrontation over the
  matter. Putnam's materialistic ambition becomes
  more important as the play progresses-- it is his
  motive for leading his daughter to charge George
  Jacobs with witchcraft.

71
The Rev. Hale enters. From his comments, where
may we infer that he believes that authority
resides, and what does this say of his
personality?

• Rev. Hale believes that authority resides in his
  books-- he uses the phrase "weighted with
  authority" to describe them. This indicates that
  he values education very highly. It can be
  inferred that through reading this authoritative
  information one might come to possess authority
  oneself. This seems to be the basis behind his
  influence-- his power is based on his extensive
  study of this type of material.

72
Who is Tituba and of what does Abigail accuse
her?

• Tituba is Rev. Parris' slave from Barbados. She
  has extensive knowledge of traditional Barbados
  rituals, viewed by the Puritans as "pagan" and
  therefore related to witchcraft. Abigail plays on
  this notion and accuses Tituba of calling the
  Devil and trying to get her to drink some of the
  brew they created the night before. Abigail also
  accuses Tituba of making her drink blood earlier
  it was revealed that Abigail needed no persuasion
  to do it.

73
Why has Abigail turned on Tituba and accused her
of these things?

• Tituba is the ideal suspect-- a slave, outside
  the community, and from a "questionable"
  background in Barbados. As Hale makes these
  accusations against Abigail-- both directly and
  indirectly-- she immediately directs them to
  Tituba in order to the draw any suspicion away
  from her.

74
What does Putnam say that terrifies Tituba and
causes her to say that she told the devil that
she did not want to work for him?

• Putnam says that Tituba must be hanged. Fearing
  for her life, she confesses that she told the
  devil this, in hopes it will save her from death.

75
Why does Tituba come up with the names Goody
Good and Goody Osburn as the two women she saw
consorting with the devil?

• Tituba has fallen victim to the power of
  suggestion. Putnam asks her if she has ever seen
  Goody Good or Goody Osborn with the devil. This
  leads Tituba to believe that their names are the
  "right" answers that will free her from their
  accusations or at least divert some of the
  suspicion. This causes her to name the women,
  thereby giving the men what they want to hear.

76
In your opinion, what motivates Abby and Betty
to begin denouncing everyone?

• As the play progresses, a rather unflattering
  portrait of Abigail is painted. She is a
  calculating liar intent on stealing,
  manipulating, and bringing chaos to the village
  in order to accomplish her goals. Because of
  this, it becomes altogether clear that the wild
  accusations are for the purpose of revenge.
  Abigail finds herself thrust into a position of
  power with the ability to bring down anyone who
  has ever slighted her. Betty's character is not
  described in such great detail, but one can
  safely assume that her accusations are made for
  the purpose of being accepted by Abigail and the
  older girls.