American Lit.
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Greed
Jealousy
Hysteria
Illness
Social Control
Intolerance (Irony)
McCarthyism
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Reputation
Not well liked
Why?
Preaches too often about hell/finances
Parris is a wormy little character.
 Miller says in his notes that he found nothing redeemable about
the historical Parris. As a result, he evidently felt no need to make
his fictional version any better.
First of all Parris is greedy. John Proctor accuses Parris of this
several times in the play.
 The Reverend gives weak justifications, but never denies any
of the accusations.
 Some examples of Parris's greed include: quibbling over
firewood, insisting on gratuitous golden candlesticks for the
church, demanding (against time-honored tradition) that he
have the deed to the house he lives in.
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Reverend Parris’s daughter
falls sick after the girls are caught dancing in
the forest and conjuring spirits
though her sickness is feigned, it spurs on the
witchcraft rumors and opens the door to
future accusations
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Ann Putnam
Seven babies died at birth
She blames this on demonic
spirits/witchcraft.
Implicates Tituba because she had her
daughter Ruth go to the forest and conjure
spirits of the dead babies.
Thomas Putnam
“a man with many grievances”
A. James Bayley was supposed to become minister
of Salem.
 B. Had grievances against him because he was the
eldest son of the richest man in the village.
 C. He attempted to contest his fathers
will/stepbrother was going to receive more money
than him.
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In order to preserve her name and to divert
attention away from her, she condemns
others.
Blames Tituba for conjuring spirits and
making her drink chicken blood.
Liar/Harmful
Controlling/Bully/Manipulator
Threatens the girls of Salem to keep their
mouths shut OR ELSE!!
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A Pawn
Scapegoat
A. Slave
B. Has no social rank
C. From Barbados (stereotype) is that they
know more about witchcraft/superstitions)
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Recognizes Hypocrisy
Tragically Flawed
A. Christian man who has an affair with a 17
year old girl.
B. He is married.
Senses that Rev. Hale’s presence will cause
more hysteria to be spread throughout Salem
Village.
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Has the best of intentions
outside pressures and growing hysteria will
prove to add to the struggles of the play
Complex character
Goes through a major personal journey
through the course of the play
Well-intended, but full of himself.
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Young girls and daughters of squabbling
families.
Both afflicted with a “mysterious” illness
Ruth has been known to act out (crazy) in
court when her family was up against their
enemies.
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In her 70s
The people in Beverly speak well of her
because of her charitable work in the village
of Salem and neighboring villages as well.
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83 years old
Unknowingly accuses his wife of being
involved in “peculiar” activities.
A. Reading a book
B. Giles is illiterate and naïve.
Blamed for everything that goes wrong in the
village.?? Because . . . He’s an easy target.
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Elizabeth's positive qualities are also her negative ones.
virtuous woman who is steadfast and true
traits also make her a bit of a cold fish
When we first meet her, she's especially cold and fishy.
She's got good reason to be, though, because her husband
has recently had an affair with their housekeeper, Abigail
Williams.
Elizabeth's reaction to the affair reveals a bit of a
vindictive streak.
When she discovered her husband's sin, she gave Abby the
boot
For the most part, she’s a stand-up woman.
Blameless victim
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Mary is a likeable enough character, but
ultimately proves herself to be a bit spineless.
 She's one of the girls who was caught in the forest
with Abigail, dancing and conjuring spirits – though
we quickly learn that she just watched and did not
participate.
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She becomes part of the court that condemns
witches.
At first she seems to enjoy the power it gives
her.
When clearly innocent people begin to be
convicted, however, Mary feels bad about the
whole thing. WHO WOULDN’T?!!! (Abigail)
Oversees the witchcraft trials in Salem
He likes to think of himself as fair-minded, so it
disturbs and angers him to discover that people fear
the court.
 He believes that no innocent person should fear the
court, and that he and Judge Hathorne are guided by
God, so nobody will be punished unjustly.
 As a result, he fails to examine evidence critically or to
act when he could to stop the hysteria.
 Even at the end, when it’s obvious that the society is
disintegrating, he refuses to see the role that the
witchcraft trials and hangings have played in it.
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