Name:______________________
The Crucible
Study Guide - Act I
1.
Describe the following characters:
a. Rev. Parris
b. Betty Parris
c. Tituba
d. Abigail
e. Suzanna Wolcott
f. Thomas Putnam
g. Mrs. Ann Putnam
h. Mercy Lewis
i. Mary Warren
j. John Proctor
k. Rebecca Nurse
l. Giles Corey
m. Rev. John Hale
2.
What is the setting (time and place) of this play?
3.
Betty Parris is lying in bed “inert.” What does “inert” mean?
4.
What news does Suzanna Wolcott bring Rev. Parris?
5.
Why has Rev. Parris sent for Rev. Hale?
6.
What had Rev. Parris discovered the night before?
7.
What does Abigail confess?
8.
Why does Rev. Parris want to keep this information from the village?
9.
From what Rev. Parris says to Abigail, what is the mood or atmosphere in the village?
10.
Why does Rev. Parris question Abigail’s reputation?
11.
How does Abigail explain Elizabeth Proctor’s comments?
12.
What do the Putnams tell Mr. Parris?
13.
Why is Mr. Putnam considered a “bitter” man?
14.
What secret does Ann Putnam share with Parris?
15.
Who knows how to talk to the dead?
16.
What news about Ruth Putnam does Mercy Lewis bring?
17.
After the adults leave, what other information about the previous night do you learn?
18.
What threat does Abigail make? What do you learn about her?
19.
What can you infer by John Proctor’s conversation with Abigail? What does this say about her?
About John?
20.
What is Rebecca Nurse’s opinion of what is going on with the girls?
21.
What do the adults end up arguing about when they learn Rev. Hale is coming to Salem?
22.
What questions does Giles Corey ask Rev. Hale?
23.
Why is Tituba named by the girls?
24.
What happens at the end of this act? Why does it happen?
Identify the speaker of the quotes and what it shows about the character.
25.
___________ “She sends her spirit on me in church; she makes me laugh at prayers.. . She comes to
me while I sleep; she’s always making me dream corruptions!” (1233).
26.
____________ “Your grandfather had a habit of willing land that never belonged to him, if I may
say it plain” (1228).
27.
____________ “I never knew what pretence Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught
by all these Christian women and their covenanted men!” (1225).
28.
____________ “You think it God’s work you should never lose a child, nor a grandchild wither,
and I bury all but one” (1227).
29.
____________ “I’m not sayin’ she touched the Devil, now, but I’d admire to know what books she
reads and where she hides them” (1232).