Comprehension and
Discussion Questions for
The Crucible
Act I
1.Why has Reverend Parris
sent for a doctor as the play
begins?
 His daughter Betty is sick.
She’s
unresponsive/unmoving.
2.What advice does the
doctor send back?
 There’s no medicine to help
her. “Look to unnatural
causes.”
3.What does Parris question
his niece Abigail about?
 If her name in the village is
white. He wants to know if
she has a good reputation.
 What happened that night in
the woods?
4.What is Parris’ main
concern?
 His reputation as a minister.
 Rumors regarding his
household.
5.What did Parris see in the
woods the previous night?
 A dress on the ground,
Abigail and Betty in the
woods, Tituba standing over
a fire waving her arms.
6.What has Elizabeth Proctor
said about Abigail?
 She doesn’t want to go to
church or sit next to Abigail.
7.Why does Abigail say she
was dismissed by the
Proctors?
 She says Elizabeth wants a
slave to work for her. She
says Elizabeth hates her.
8. What rumors have
circulated the town about
Betty Parris? What proof
later occurs that "proves"
that she is a witch?
 Goody Putnam claims that she saw
her flying over a barn.
 Betty can’t hear the Lord’s name
9. Why did Mrs. Putnam
contact Tituba?
 She wanted to talk to the
dead. Tituba knows how to
speak to the dead.
 She lost her 7 babies—they
seemed healthy, then died in
her arms.
10.Who does Abigail accuse
of conjuring spirits at this
point?
 Tituba –slave, mistreated,
lowest on social scale/scape
goat
11.What does Betty Parris
reveal about what happened
in the woods?
Abigail drank blood (a
charm) to kill Elizabeth
Proctor (John’s wife)
12.What threat does Abigail
make to the other girls?
“we’ll be in trouble”
Threatens harm—she saw her
parents bashed to death by
Indians. See page 20.
13.What happened in the
past between John Proctor
and Abigail? How do each of
them feel about it now?
 Affair
 John tries to stop it, calls her
a child, he would rather cut
off his hand than touch her—
feels remorse for cheating, is
a sinner
 Abigail is still in love with
him
14.What is the function of
Rebecca Nurse in the play?
-she is sensible, a peace-keeper
-knows children go through
“silly seasons”
15.How does John Proctor
feel about Reverend Parris?
-feels that Parris is greedy
(wants the house, higher salary)
-Parris went to Harvard—seems
“too good” for the people of
Salem
16.What is the dispute
between John Proctor and
Thomas Putnam?
Proctor said that the wood he
cut is on his land. Putnam
believes the wood is on his
land. This demonstrates how
easily the townspeople turn on
each other.
17.Why is Reverend Hale in
Salem?
He is a specialist in Demonic
Arts. He is called in as an
expert.
18.What does Giles Corey
reveal to Reverend Hale?
19.When Abigail is
questioned by Reverend
Hale, who does she blame?
What proof does she offer?
20.What ultimatum is Tituba
given?
21.Who does Tituba accuse
of being a witch?
22.Why does Abigail start
accusing people at this
point?
23.Why does Betty Parris
start accusing people?