Generic Critical Essay Plan- “The Crucible”
Important: this is an example of how you could structure a critical essay on “The Crucible”.
This plan should be altered and/or adapted according to the specific essay question that you
are answering!
Main Body Paragraph 1
Focus on the events of Act One:
 explain how John Proctor’s self-hatred is made clear from the very beginning.
 Explain why he has such a low opinion of himself. Make connection to setting.
 Explain the reasons why he wishes to redeem himself. Make connection to setting.
 Explain the reasons why Proctor rejects Abigail (redemption and reputation). Make
connection to setting.
 explain how important aspects of Proctor’s personality are revealed.
 make a connection to the themes of redemption, reputation and the conflict between the
individual and society.
Main Body Paragraph 2
Focus on the events of Act Two
 explain the dilemma that Proctor is faced with regarding going to court to expose Abigail.
 Explain how his inner conflict between redeeming himself and protecting his reputation is
clearly demonstrated.
 Explain why his determination to protect his reputation means that he is initially very
reluctant to go. Explain how this crucial error has far-reaching consequences for him and his
wife.
 Explain why he changes his mind and what this reveals about him.
 Explain why his decision to take Mary with him is a crucial error and reveals his obsession
with reputation.
 explain how important aspects of Proctor’s personality are revealed.
 make a connection to the themes of redemption, reputation and the conflict between the
individual and society.
Main Body Paragraph 3
Focus on the events of Act Three
 Explain why he rejects Danforth’s offer to spare his wife if he drops his charges against
Abigail. Explain how this demonstrates his desire to redeem himself.
 Explain how Proctor’s attempts to use Mary’s testimony fail and mean that he is forced to
reveal the affair (the turning point).
 What do we learn about him from this decision to reveal the affair? How does it connect to
the themes of reputation and redemption?
 Explain how his confession of adultery sets up a chain of events (Elizabeth’s lie and Mary’s
betrayal) which lead to his arrest and imprisonment.
 explain how important aspects of Proctor’s personality are revealed.
 make a connection to the themes of redemption, reputation and the conflict between the
individual and society.
Main Body Paragraph 4
Focus on the events of Act Four
 explain why Proctor is faced with an inner-conflict regarding confessing to witchcraft.
 Explain how he eventually decides to confess to witchcraft, and what it reveals about him.
 Explain how he immediately realises the mistake that he has made, and how he refuses to
“name and shame” other witches while confessing. What does this reveal about him?
 Explain Proctor’s reasons for deciding that he must rip up his confession. What does this
reveal about him?
 Explain how Proctor dies a changed man, and how he has managed to redeem himself and
also protect his reputation as his life comes to an end. Explain how he dies having regained
his honesty, integrity and goodness as a man.
 make a connection to the themes of redemption, reputation and the conflict between the
individual and society.
In the plot summary in your introduction, you could mention some of the following information:
 It is set in the English colony of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692.
 Salem is a very theocratic and patriarchal society. The people are Puritans, which is a very strict and
devout form of Christianity.
 At this time, the town was engulfed in chaos and hysteria caused by the witch-trials taking place- which
were instigated by Abigail Williams, the former servant girl of John Proctor.
 The play focuses on John Proctor and his determination to maintain his reputation in the town by
keeping his illicit affair with Abigail a secret. It also focuses on his strong desire to redeem himself for his
sins.
 Proctor’s conflict between maintaining his reputation (by concealing the affair) and gaining redemption
lead to a number of crucial errors which lead to his imprisonment and hanging for the crime of
witchcraft.
Make sure that you refer to the main dramatic techniques used in the play:
 Characterisation.
 Character.
 Dialogue.
 Setting.
 Theme.
 Turning point.
 Key scene.
 Stage directions.