The Crucible
CONVENTIONS OF A PLAY
A play is a drama meant to be performed in front of a living, breathing, laughing,
crying audience, so this means certain things for the drama as a TYPE of text:

The plot is exaggerated for a specific effect – this means that the rising
action, conflicts, climax, falling action, and resolution are all emphasized in
order to move the audience and emphasize Miller’s purpose.
o Complete a plot chart of the play (see below) to follow these events
 The stage directions (written in italics) are important – they reveal character
traits, create the setting, set up the action
 The dialogue can be difficult (as they are talking in 17th century English –
remember “Language Change”!! So, you should keep a list of the characters
(see below) and record when (Act and Scene) and what (appearance,
character traits, tensions, prejudices, conflicts, etc.) you learn about each of
them
o Complete the character list below with your notes
 It has ACTS and SCENES, so use the following abbreviations:
Roman numerals for the act (I,II,III,IV) and Arabic numerals for the scenes (1,2,3…)
Act One, Scene One =
I,1
Act four, Scene 3
=
IV,3
VOCAB COMPANION
http://www.vocabulary.com/lists/24220#view=notes
Act I, Scene 1
Crucible
The Crucible
Plot Chart
Directions: fill this out with actions from the play
-
Salem town of suspicions – girls conjure spirits in the woods –
leaders call in specialist, suspicions arise
Abigail has affair with John P. - Goody Proctor – wants her to die
-
sdf
trials begin
The Crucible
Play notes – LESSON PLANS
HOUR ONE review class – before the quiz
SHOW VIDEOs – use activity, ASK
QUESTIONS, discuss, – respond with silent convo. – use post-its on WHITE board
1.
New Info
2. Surprising info
3. A ques.
Write 3 responses – then respond to others
* = good idea
+ = I agree
draw lines – make connections
HOUR TWO: act out Abigail’s SCENE – when she is ‘possessed’
Drama is meant to be read, so although we are seriously short on time this year, I can’t
move on without reading/ acting out some of these scenes. Also, these dramatic readings
will help us prepare for the IOCs – which we will start soon – because reading aloud these
excerpts will be easier to analyze the passages from this drama and the other novels as well
---
VIDEO RESOURCES:
60 SECOND ReCAP – use to summarize/ review main points – show 2-3 videos – pause and
discuss
trailer and the movie
Arthur Miller Dies at His Connecticut Home
by BOB MONDELLO
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4495077

USE TO GIVE BACKGROUND

Mentions themes: ordinary people making choices – ordinary people have
TRADGEDY – having a dream and then being disappointed – 1692 – communist
witch hunts – Crucible – metaphor for current events

Miller’s voice – Universal situation = hysteria

Married M.Monroe
Miller interview part 1.1 – youtube vid. 7:50 min. mark – “innocent
political victims of a manufactured holocaust…IT IS right NOW..
TEXT RESOURCES:
Playwright Miller hears Crucible echo
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3182451.stm

CONNECT TO war on terror – current themes? The Crucible is NOW – also a
definition of literature – timeless? Connects to current events?
shmoop.com resources:



See FULL TEXT below
Plot summaries and new perspectives
Use just like GG articles – print a few Crucible essays, have students read in
group, jigsaw and report on learning
Arthur Miller's The Crucible: An Allegory of
the Communist Witch Hunt
Timothy Sexton, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Aug 3, 2006 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."



See FULL TEXT below
Defines allegory and a bit of contextual background
Use just like GG articles – print a few Crucible essays, have students read in
group, jigsaw and report on learning
The Crucible
Character List
Directions: fill this out with information about the appearance and actions of the
characters, their importance and the Act and Scene (I,2 – for example) where you
learn the info – the chart at the end will help as well
Reverend Parris
Betty Parris
Tituba
Abigail Williams
Mrs. Ann Putnam
Mary Warren
John Proctor
Elizabeth Proctor
Rebecca Nurse
Giles Corey
Reverend John Hale
Judge Hathorne
Deputy Governor Danforth
Arthur Miller's The Crucible: An Allegory of
the Communist Witch Hunt
Timothy Sexton, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Aug 3, 2006 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
It is the rare case indeed when a work of literature's genesis can be traced to a singular event.
The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, is one of those cases. There is only one reason that
this play exists. The Crucible is Arthur Miller's literary response to what still remains of most
intensely disgusting episodes in all of American history.
After defeating the true demon ideology during World War II-fascism-American lawmakers
for some reason embraced that very same ideology and began a furious and illegal assault
upon those who embraced communism. It was during this dark time that several
screenwriters, directors and actors making Hollywood movies were blacklisted simply
because they refused to be a rat bastard like their friend Elia Kazan and reveal the names of
friends who had attended meetings at which communist policies were discussed to a
Congressional committee investigating the wholly legal and American concept of belonging
to a political party, in this case the Communist Party. These actors, directors and
screenwriters who refused to cave in to pressure and personal fear like Elia Kazan were
denied the right to work despite having done nothing illegal.
Because it serves to comment on the historical context of the communist witch hunt while
telling the story of the actual Salem witch hunt, therefore, The Crucible is technically an
allegory. An allegory is basically a work of literature that tells one story on the surface while
referring to another sub textually. Unlike the majority of other allegories, however, Arthur
Miller peoples his play with fully fleshed-out three dimensional characters, and not just
caricaturized puppets going through the motions.
The Crucible takes place in the historical Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It
begins with the image of several teenaged girls dancing in the woods to the accompaniment
of chants sung by a black slave. Making matters even worse, one of these girls is spotted
dancing naked by none other than Rev. Parris. Being the fundamentalist Christian that he isyou know, full of superstition-he immediately concludes that the only possible explanation
for teenage girls living in a repressive atmosphere like Puritan Salem to be in the woods at
night dancing is…witchcraft.
After this eventful night, two young girls have fallen ill, including Parris' own young daughter
Betty. Parris sends for Rev. Hale, an expert on witchcraft. Yeah, isn't that kind of like being
an expert on fairies, leprechauns, or Katie Co uric? None of those things really exist so, well,
you get my meaning. Betty begins screaming amid a roomful of people, raising the hysteria
level to the point where Betty and Abigail Williams, who works for Parris, suddenly turn on
the one person in the room who looks like a witch.
Yeah, just another case of whitey keeping the black woman down. Poor Tituba gets accused of
being a watch on account of being black. (In reality, she was more Native American than
African-America.) In order to distract attention from themselves-shades of Elia Kazan-they
immediately begin calling out the names of other women in the community who they claim to
be witches.
This is a time honored American sport. When the hammer is about to come down on you,
shift the blame to other people. As just the most recent example, consider how when it was
discovered that Pres. Bush had once again been lying about the extent of his domestic spying
program in that he was spying on the bank accounts of American citizens. Caught with his
pants down once again, what did our esteemed leader do? He blamed the messenger. What a
guy!
In keeping with the allegorical intent, the House Un-American Activities Committee is
symbolized in The Crucible as the court convened to examine the charges of witchcraft that is
sweeping through Salem. The court closes its eyes to reality and refuses to accept anybody's
word except the young girls. Why? Why accept the hysterical rantings of young girls against
the word respected citizens? Because the girls were saying exactly what they court wanted to
hear. It was an early case of conforming facts to fit policy. Sound familiar?
Miller's point is that those who refused to be cowered by authority that has run amok, and
who maintain loyalty to their friends in the process are better than people like Elia Kazan
who cave in, and they are also better able to live with their real mistakes than those who turn
rat on not only their friends, but their former beliefs. It is better to die with a clean
conscience than live with a dirty one.
shmoop.com resources:
http://www.shmoop.com/crucible/three-act-play.html
The play itself
Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Though there isn’t a lot of symbolism in the story, the events in the play itself are an allegory
for the intolerance of McCarthyism. For a decade spanning the late 1940s to the late 1950s,
the American government was intensely suspicious of the possible influence of communism
on citizens and institutions. The FBI accused thousands of people of “un-American activities”
and monitored many more; these people’s careers and personal lives were frequently
destroyed. More often than not, there was little to no evidence to support the accusations.
Nevertheless, the FBI and various government groups involved in monitoring or accusing
individuals, such as The House Un-American Activities Committee, enjoyed widespread
support from the American population. (Learn more here.)
Similarly, in The Crucible, there is little evidence that much witchcraft activity is going on, but
once accusations started flying, many innocent people get caught in the web of hysteria.
Lives are destroyed and people die based on zero evidence.
What’s Up With the Title?
Nowhere in this play is there of a mention of the word "crucible." So where exactly did that
come from. And what in the world is a crucible anyway?
It turns out the word has two definitions.
Humans Were Harmed in the Course of These Laboratory Tests
Let's tackle the first definition, shall we? A crucible is a piece of laboratory equipment used to
heat chemical compounds to very high temperatures or to melt metal. It's a little container full
of violent reactions. Seems like a pretty good metaphor for the violent hysteria that the little
village of Salem contained during the witch trials. With all those folks jammed together in a
tiny town, there are bound to be some hot tempers.
Yep, Salem became a crucible for many people living there, when they were brought before
the religious court and accused falsely of being witches. If an accused person did not
confess, she was hanged. If she did confess, she was spared death but marked for life as a
person who worshipped the Devil. Classic catch-22. Under such conditions, several
characters in this play, especially the central characters, John and Elizabeth Proctor, are
forced to face their own internal demons, a process that ultimately leads to internal, spiritual
transformation.
Trial by Fire
The term crucible can also be used metaphorically, which brings us to our next definition: a
test or a trial. Folks use the term crucible to refer to a difficult test. And there sure are a lot of
tests going on in The Crucible. There are the tests to determine who's a witch. Then there
are, quite literally, the trials the accused must undergo. And then, as we mentioned above,
there are the more internal trials, where folks' deepest, most powerful beliefs are put to the
test by their less than ideal circumstances.
20th Century Salem
The title (and the entire play) is also a metaphor for the anti-communist craze of
America's Red Scare, led by Sen. Joe McCarthy. Thanks to the efforts of McCarthy's House
Un-American Activities Committee, the whole United States became a "crucible," in which
citizens beliefs about what it means to be American were deeply tested, in the highest halls
of government.
What’s Up With the Ending?
The Crucible ends with John Proctor marching off to a martyr's death. By refusing to lie and
confess to witchcraft, he sacrifices his life in the name of truth. At the end of the play, Proctor
has in some way regained his goodness. Check out John's "Character Analysis" and
"Character Roles" for more on his dramatic transformation.
Much is said elsewhere in this guide about John Proctor's journey, which is completed by his
execution. As such, we'd like to use this section to focus on the actual last two lines of the
play. We think it's interesting that, though this is Proctor's story, Miller doesn't give him the
last word. Instead Reverend Hale and Elizabeth Proctor get the honor. Miller writes:
HALE: Woman, plead with him! […] Woman! It is pride, it is vanity. […] Be his helper! What
profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? Go to him,
take his shame away!
ELIZABETH: […] He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him! (IV.207-IV.208)
It seems to us that these last two lines raise an interesting philosophical question, to which
there is no right answer. Hale does have a pretty good point. Though the character of Proctor
is often lauded for his integrity, is he helping his family by dying? His wife, sons, and unborn
child will have to make it in the world without him. This is none too easy in the harsh
Massachusetts wilderness. His choice of death could also be viewed as a form of suicide,
which is unacceptable to many Christians. His death might also be interpreted as inherently
selfish, because he's placing his own self-image over the good of his family.
Of course, we doubt that Proctor's wife, Elizabeth views it as abandonment. Though, she
tries her best to remain neutral when John is trying to decide whether or not to confess, it
seems pretty obvious in the subtext that she thinks he should die an honorable death. It
makes total sense to a Puritan. They believed, as most modern Christians do, that a
person's time on Earth is a mere speck when compared to one's afterlife. She likely believes
that if John lies, he'll go to hell for all eternity. If he dies a martyr's death, he'll inevitably see
his family again and spend all eternity with them in heaven.
It looks like both Hale and Elizabeth have a point. There are pros and cons no matter what
decision Proctor makes. Miller's choice of these particular last two lines seems to almost ask
the audience a direct question. Which is more important: your honor or your life? There's no
definitive answer to this question. It's totally subjective. Like every great play, The
Crucible gives its audiences a lot to think about long after they've left the theater.
The Crucible as Booker’s Seven Basic Plots Analysis: Rebirth Plot
Christopher Booker is a scholar who wrote that every story falls into one of seven
basic plot structures: Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, the Quest, Voyage
and Return, Comedy, Tragedy, and Rebirth. Shmoop explores which of these
structures fits this story like Cinderella’s slipper.
Plot Type :
Falling Stage
John Proctor discusses Abigail’s mischief with her.
Because John Proctor has committed adultery with Abigail Williams, he is still under her
sway. When Proctor visits to find out why Betty is sick, and to mention how the entire town
seems to think it’s witchcraft, Abigail admits to him that she, Betty, and the other girls were
just playing games. We know, however, that she was drinking a potion to make Elizabeth
Proctor die so she could become Proctor’s next wife. Although Proctor doesn’t know it, we
the audience are aware that Abigail is a dangerous personality and that Proctor is
vulnerable.
Recession Stage
John and Elizabeth Proctor are relatively isolated from the frenzy that is
eating the town alive. They only hear about it through rumor and their
housemaid, Mary.
John and Elizabeth discuss farm issues, and it’s clear that their relationship is still strained.
John wants forgiveness, and Elizabeth wants to give it to him, but the hurt is deep.
Imprisonment Stage
Elizabeth is arrested as a witch, and John Proctor tries in vain to save her
and clear her name. In so doing, Proctor himself is arrested and accused
of being a witch as well.
The Proctors’ housemaid Mary returns home and gives Elizabeth a poppet with a pin stuck in
it. Mary explains how she saved Elizabeth’s life, and Elizabeth urges Proctor to go to the
court and explain what he knows about Abigail. But it is too late. Cheever and Herrick arrive
to arrest Elizabeth. The poppet is considered proof that she’s a witch: earlier that evening,
Abigail was eating and was suddenly stuck by a pin in her thigh. She said Elizabeth Proctor
was the one who tried to hurt her, and if they looked on the property, they’d find a poppet
with a pin in it. They do, and Elizabeth is led away.
Later, in the courtroom, John Proctor tries to save his wife by exposing Abigail Williams as a
fraud and a whore. To ascertain the truth, Deputy Governor Danforth asks the imprisoned
Elizabeth Proctor if her husband is a lecher. To save his name, she lies for the first time, and
claims he is not a lecher. Unfortunately, Proctor has already confessed, so Elizabeth’s
untruthfulness actually undermined him rather than helped him. Soon after this event,
Proctor himself is accused of being a witch and ends up in prison.
Nightmare Stage
The day of John Proctor’s hanging – and his dilemma about whether to
confess.
Proctor wrestles with his soul in prison, feeling that he doesn’t deserve to go to the gallows
branded as a martyr and a saint. He discusses how he is feeling with his wife, and she lets
him know that she realizes that it was her coldness that led him to seek Abigail. She feels he
is taking her sin upon his shoulders and suggests that he stop judging himself. The shock of
this confession rips Proctor right out of his self-pity, to look at the world with new eyes. He
wants to live, he decides, and so he will confess.
Rebirth Stage
John Proctor tears up his signed confession and walks to the gallows.
Even as he confesses to a sin he didn’t commit, Proctor realizes that he can’t tell lies about
the sins of other people. It is one thing to lie about himself and to take the rap to his
reputation. But it is yet another thing to smear his friends’ good names. When Proctor
decides to tear up the confession, he redeems himself and recognizes that he’s a good man.
When he chooses death, he recognizes his fundamental goodness as a man. He is reborn.
Three-Act Plot Analysis
For a three-act plot analysis, put on your screenwriter’s hat. Moviemakers know the
formula well: at the end of Act One, the main character is drawn in completely to a
conflict. During Act Two, she is farthest away from her goals. At the end of Act
Three, the story is resolved.
Act I
John Proctor learns that Abigail Williams is lying and fabricating stories of witchcraft
throughout Salem.
Act II
After John Proctor tries to save his wife from the witchcraft charges in court, Proctor is
arrested and incarcerated on charges of witchcraft, with the threat of death if he does not
confess.
Act III
John Proctor chooses not to confess to witchcraft and is spiritually redeemed and reconciled
with his wife; he goes like a hero to his death, with his goodness and integrity intact.
Questions to Consider ( for all articles):
1. The Crucible has a hard-hitting “moral of the story.” What is it? Do you think this
moral is still applicable in today’s world?
2. What sort of modern-day witch hunts are you aware of? How are they similar to the
Salem witch hunts? How are they different? Why do you think humans are so prone
to go on witch-hunts?
3. You already know that Miller had the anti-communist House Un-American Activities
Committee in mind when he wrote about the witch trials. In what ways was
McCarthyism similar to the witch trials of Salem and in what ways was it different?
4. Can you imagine a witch trial (and witch-hunt) like this in today’s world, in the U.S.?
Why or why not? What has changed to make such an event impossible or what has
remained the same to make it possible?