The Crucible
Character List
Crucible (noun)
1.: a vessel of a very refractory material (as porcelain) used for melting a substance that
requires a high degree of heat2 : a severe test or trial 3 : a place or situation in which
concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development
Reverend Parris - The minister of Salem's church. He is in his forties. Reverend Parris is
paranoid and power-hungry. Many of the townsfolk, especially John Proctor, dislike him,
and Parris is very concerned with building his position in the community.
Betty Parris - Reverend Parris's ten-year-old daughter. Betty falls into a strange illness after
Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the forest with Tituba. Her illness and that
of Ruth Putnam fuel the first rumors of witchcraft.
Tituba- Reverend Parris's slave from Barbados. Tituba agrees to perform voodoo at Abigail's
request.
Abigail Williams - Reverend Parris's seventeen year old niece. Abigail was once the servant
for the Proctor household, but Elizabeth Proctor fired her after she discovered that Abigail
was having an affair with her husband, John Proctor. Abigail is smart, a good liar, and
vindictive when crossed. She leads the other children in accusations.
Susanna Walcott- A friend of Abigail’s who also accuses people of being witches.
Thomas Putnam - A wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, Putnam holds a grudge against
Francis Nurse for preventing Putnam's brother-in-law from being elected to the office of
minister. He uses the witch trials to increase his own wealth by accusing people of witchcraft
and then buying up their land.
Ann Putnam - Thomas Putnam's wife. Ann Putnam has given birth to eight children, but
only Ruth Putnam survived. The other seven died before they were a day old, and Ann is
convinced that they were murdered by supernatural means.
Ruth Putnam - The Putnams' lone surviving child out of eight. Like Betty Parris, Ruth falls
into a strange illness after Reverend Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the
woods at night.
Mercy Lewis - The eighteen year old servant in Thomas Putnam's household. Mercy
belongs to Abigail's group of girls. She can be mean and bossy.
Mary Warren - The servant in John Proctor's household and a member of Abigail's group of
girls. She is a timid girl, easily influenced by those around her.
John Proctor - A local farmer in his middle thirties who lives just outside town; Elizabeth
Proctor's husband. A stern, harsh-tongued man, John hates hypocrisy. He has a hidden sin—
his affair with Abigail Williams.
Elizabeth Proctor - John Proctor's wife. Elizabeth fired Abigail when she discovered that her
husband was having an affair with Abigail.
Giles Corey - An elderly but feisty farmer in Salem, famous for his tendency to file
lawsuits. Giles's wife, Martha, is accused of witchcraft, and he himself is eventually held in
contempt of court and pressed to death with large stones.
Martha Corey - Giles Corey's third wife. Martha's reading habits lead to her arrest and
conviction for witchcraft.
Reverend John Hale - A young minister reputed to be an expert on witchcraft. Reverend
Hale is called in to Salem to examine Parris's daughter Betty. Hale is a committed Christian
and hater of witchcraft.
Francis Nurse - A wealthy, influential man in Salem. Nurse is well respected by most people
in Salem, but is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife.
Rebecca Nurse - Francis Nurse's wife. Rebecca is a wise, sensible, and upright woman,
respected by most of the Salem community, but is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his
wife.
Ezekiel Cheever - A man from Salem who acts as clerk of the court during the witch trials.
He is upright and determined to do his duty for justice.
Herrick - The marshal of Salem who is in charge of arresting witches.
Judge Hathorne - A judge who presides, along with Danforth, over the witch trials.
Judge Danforth - The Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and the judge at the witch trials.
Danforth is convinced that he is doing right in rooting out witchcraft.
Modified from http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/characters.html
Guided Reading for Class Discussion:
from The Overture…
1. According to the Overture, how did Europeans view the colonies?
2. What kept the morals of the people from spoiling?
3. What does it mean that there was a “predilection for minding other people’s
business”?
4. How did the Puritans view the forest and wilderness of America?
5. Why did they persecute others?
6. What does Miller mean when he says, “they believed they held in their steady hands
the candle that would light the world. We have inherited this belief, and it has helped
and hurt us”?
7. What kind of a society did they develop?
8. What does Miller mean when he says we have yet to strike the balance between order
and freedom? Do you agree?
9. What does the following statement mean: “the witch hunt was a long overdue
opportunity for everyone so inclined to express publicly his guilt and sins under the
accusations against the victims”?
from a Word about Thomas Putnam…
1. What was Putnam’s grievance?
2. Why would Putnam think the village should listen to him?
3. Why isn’t it surprising that so many accusations were made by Putnam?
from Proctor was a Farmer…
1. What kind of man was Proctor?
from We May Put in a Word for Rebecca…
1. Were Rebecca and Francis well liked?
2. What is one theory about why people turned against Francis?
3. What is another theory about why people turned against Rebecca
4. Who had the guiding hand against the outcry?
from Mr. Hale is nearing forty…
1. Does Arthur Miller think that some people were commuting with the Devil in Salem?