The Crucible Character Analysis Essay
Typed Rough Draft due (Even- 8/30; Odd- 8/29); Final Draft due (Even- 9/6; Odd- 9/5)
For your multi-paragraph literary essay, you will be writing a character analysis paper. You may choose
one of the following characters to write about:
John Proctor
Reverend Parris
Deputy Governor Danforth
Elizabeth Proctor
Reverend Hale
Mary Warren
Abigail Williams
A character analysis is intended to deeply explore one character’s appearance, personality, ethics,
motivations, speech and actions, environment, and thoughts and feelings. It is also important to analyze the
character’s self-perception, what other characters think about the character, and what the author thinks about
the character. Discuss how your character changes or does not change throughout the course of the play,
explore what this change/failure to change might suggest about the character, and make an argument about
the role/significance the character has in the context of the entire play.
Your paper should make an argument about the character in terms of his or her significance in the play.
You must provide evidence to support all claims you make about a character (direct quotations or stage
directions, examples from the plot, etc), with page numbers for direct quotations.
Your essay should be at least two full pages long, typed and double-spaced. This assignment will be a major
grade.
Example of a character analysis argument (introductory paragraph):
In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, Rebecca Nurse represents the voice of reason amidst an
environment of paranoia and chaos resulting from accusations of witchcraft. Rebecca’s old age, solid
Christian character, and gentleness contrast with the harsh and vengeful actions of the other villagers; her
eventual arrest, imprisonment, and hanging demonstrate the tragic consequences of false accusations within
the play.
Example of an integrated quotation (inserting words from the text within your own sentence):
Miller establishes Rebecca’s kind and caring nature in the stage directions upon the woman’s
entrance: “Gentleness exudes from her” (1110). The playwright provides additional information about
Rebecca’s character in his commentary stating that because the village’s perception of the elderly woman is
so positive, for any one to label her as a witch alludes to “the fields and boundaries of that time” (1111).
The benevolent, elderly woman is maliciously accused of witchcraft merely because she and her husband
own land that is coveted by other villagers; these unjust accusations reflect the questionable motives of many
of the characters in the play, namely Thomas Putnam.
Remember:
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You are making an argument based on your interpretation of the play. Support your claims
adequately with quotations from the text and you will not be “wrong.”
Do not take any other person’s words, in part or in whole, and use them as your own. I do not want
you to use SparkNotes or any other source for this paper. I am looking for your thoughts and
analysis.
Use formal English. Avoid slang, first person, contractions (i.e. can’t) and other informal usage. Also
avoid summary—use specific scenes and evidence to support your points, but do not simply
summarize everything the character did in the play.