Study Guide for The Crucible
Answers to Study Guide
Character Identify
 An orphan who is sly and conniving, she has the town of Salem listening and obeying her every
whim.
o Abigail
 He refuses to confess to witchcraft and is crushed to death.
o Giles Cory
 Cannot forgive her husband for his infidelity; it is believed that she has never told a lie.
o Elizabeth Proctor
 He is stubborn and allows the witchcraft trials to proceed even though he has been presented
with considerable evidence showing how ridiculous and possibly false they may be.
o Judge Danforth
 She has had 7 children die, she claims they were murdered.
o Ann Putnam
 A sweet old lady who believes the children are just playing games.
o Rebecca Nurse
 Her comatose state makes the villagers believe that witchcraft is afoot in Salem.
o Betty Parris
 He is greedy and obsessed with his reputation, his niece starts much of the hysteria.
o Reverend Parris
 He doesn’t go to church or baptize his children because he hates the Reverend. He believes he is
a terrible person.
o John Proctor
 Believes that the witchcraft trials are false, and tries to help the innocent confess to escape
hanging.
o Reverend Hale
 She tries to show that the girls are lying, but caves under the immense pressure from her peers
and accuses John Proctor of being a witch.
o Mary Warren
 A slave from Barbados whom the girls convince to practice witchcraft. She is the first one
accused of being a witch.
o Tituba
Who said the following
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“And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved
me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”
o Abigail
“There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly
ever mention God anymore.”
o John Proctor
“He has his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him!”
o Elizabeth Proctor
“All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem! These people
are gloomy for it.”
o Parris
“I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem—vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we
always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the
kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!”
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o John Proctor
“There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!!”
o Hale
“You must understand, Sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be
counted against it, there be no road between.”
o Judge Danforth
“I say—I say—God is dead!”
o John Proctor
“It is mistaken law that leads you to sacrifice. Life, woman, life is God’s most
precious gift; no principle, however glorious, may justify the taking of it… it may
well be God damns a liar less than he that throws his life away for pride.”
o Hale
“Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and
sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang!
How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave my name!”
o John Proctor
“I never sold myself! I’m a good girl! I’m a proper girl!”
o Abigail
Knowledge of Events
1.) What event in U.S. history did Arthur Miller base his play The Crucible on?
a. McCarthyism
2.) Based on our themes of “Fear, Power, and Oppression” what happened during this
crucial event that lead to the play?
a. Miller was victim to the nationwide fear of Communism in America.
This fear lead to Joseph McCarthy abusing his political power and going
after (oppressing) those accused by others.
3.) What does Rev. Parris “catch” the girls doing that worries him so much?
a. Dancing in the woods
4.) Why does this bother him?
a. His daughter and niece were there. He stands to be humiliated and
loose his position of reverend and power in community
5.) Why does Rev. Hale come to the Proctor home?
a. Test the strength of their Christian faith
6.) Why is Elizabeth arrested?
a. A doll (poppet) was found with a needle in its belly. Abigail was
reportedly screaming in pain earlier in the evening with a needle in her.
7.) Why do Hathorne and Danforth try to get Proctor to drop the charge of Mary Warren’s
lie?
a. Because she can destroy the credibility of their power and sentencing of
the people accused of witchcraft
8.) Does Parris lie about the dancing in the woods?
a. He knows things are looking bad after all the false accusations. He
doesn’t want to lose favor with the rest of the town. He is also avoiding
be accused as well.
9.) What secret of his and Abigail’s does Proctor reveal?
a. Lechery
10.) Why does he reveal it so late and now?
a. He knows Abigail is lying about witchcraft. He does not want Elizabeth
to die for his sins.
11.) Why does Elizabeth deny the secret?
a. She believes she is protecting Proctor
12.) After Proctor is accused, why does he refuse to sign the confession?
a. They were going to hang his signed confession on the church door. He
refused to have his name publicly condemned. He would rather die
than lose his good name.
13.) Has Rev. Hale changed his view of the witch hunt?
a. Yes – He publicly denounces the court
14.) Does Rev. Parris change his view?
a. No – he actually grows more paranoid and insecure. He believes a
confession from Proctor is the only way to save his own reputation in
the town.