The CrucibleBy Arthur Miller

Background p. 1230 – 1231Act I p. 1234-1263

Act II p. 1267- 1287Act III p. 1291-1315Act IV p. 1319-1334

The Author, Arthur Miller

• He has written many plays including: Death of a Salesman

• Wrote about “common people pitted against powerful . . . social forces.”

• Wanted social justice and equality among classes

• During the McCarthy Era, he was accused of being a Communist and Un-American

Background Information

• 1962, MA colonized by British, a witch craft hysteria (Puritan New England)

• 20 people were executed and 150 jailed• Puritan New England paralleled McCarthyism• girls had seizures and lapses of

unconsciousness thought to be witch craft • girls had been engaging in fortunetelling with

the minister’s slave, Tituba.

Overview of the Plot

• Girls dancing in woods with Tituba. • Minister Parris catches them• Parris’ daughter, Betty falls into a coma• Crowd gathers at Parris’ rumor begins of with

craft• Reverend Hale, an expert of the subject has been

sent for• Abigail, Parris’ niece will admit to nothing but

“dancing”

Dramatic Exposition ( An Overture)• Reverend Samuel Parris, minister, is in mid-

forties. Persecuted by the town• Salem, MA is also about forty – a religious

shipping town w/o privacy• John Proctor, farmer would rebel against this• Forest thought to be a dark and threatening

place• Became a theocracy to maintain unity of the

town• Witch hunts brought out people confessing sins

and guilt which otherwise they wouldn’t

Act I p. 1237

• Narrator• Tituba• Parris• Abigail• Mrs. Putnam• Susanna• Putnam (Thomas)

Dramatic Exposition p. 1241• Thomas Putnam eldest son of richest man in

Salem• Putnam wanted his brother-in-law, James Bayley

to be the minister• Former Minister George Burroughs went into

debt paying for wife’s funeral• Putnam and his brother, John jailed Burroughs

for his debt• Burroughs became minister when Bayley didn’t• Many accusations were give by Putnam

Act I p. 1242

• Parris• Putnam• Mrs. PutnamAbigail• Mercy• Mary Warren• Betty

Dramatic Exposition p. 1245