The Crucible
by: Arthur Miller
Mrs. Kaufman
8th Grade English
Drama
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(AKA play) a story that has been written
to be performed by actors for an audience
The story is told through the words and
actions of the characters.
Dialogue
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The words that are spoken by the
characters.
DRAMA IS DRIVEN BY DIALOGUE!!!
Stage Directions (Italics)
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Instructions to help actors, directors, and
readers visualize what is happening
onstage.
Tell how characters should look, speak,
act, and move on the stage.
Protagonist & Antagonist
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The protagonist is the character around
whom the action revolves.
The protagonist is usually in conflict with
one or more antagonists.
Tragedy vs. Comedy
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Tragedy – a play in which the protagonist
usually comes to an unhappy end.
Comedy – a light, humorous play with a
happy ending.
Characters
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A cast of characters is listed at the beginning of
a a play.
A short description of the characters may be
included.
The playwright may further describe the
character when he or she first appears in the
play.
The audience continues to learn about the
characters through their actions and through the
dialogue.
Setting
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The time and place in which the events of a play
occur.
The setting often helps to create the mood of
the play.
Typically described at the beginning and
throughout as the setting changes (act and
scene changes)
Setting can also affect the views expressed by
characters.
Plot
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The series of related events that revolve around a central
conflict.
Conflict may be a struggle involving:
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People
Ideas
Forces
Plot typically develops in the following pattern:
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Exposition
Rising action
Climax
Falling action
Resolution
Denouement
Dialogue

Conversation between the characters

Helps reveal the plot and character of the play.

The author must speak through the characters

As you read, decide which characters, if any, are
expressing the author’s real beliefs.
Acts & Scenes

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They indicate a change in location or the
passage of time during a play.
“Real time” vs. “drama time.”

Action in a play may occur over a much
longer period of time than the performance
takes.
As You Read The Crucible
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Who is the protagonist? Is there more
than one?
Who are the antagonists?
What is the central conflict?
Background
The Time and Place
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The Crucible takes place in 1692 in and near Salem, a
small town in the Massachusetts Bay Colony that had
been founded in the early 1600’s by a group of
Christians called Puritans.
The Puritans had fled England for North America to
escape religious persecution and to establish a religious
community.
As industry grew in Salem, many people did not share
the religious beliefs of the Puritan founders.
Many Puritans felt they were losing hold of their ideals.
Insecurity, frustration, and loss of control helped create
a climate of guilt and blame.
In the winter of 1691-1692, several teenage girls began
behaving strangely. This led to accusations of witchcraft
and the execution of 20 people.
About the Title

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Crucible – a pot or vessel made from highly
heat-resistant material.
Used for melting metals to test them for their
purity.
Used by chemists to conduct chemical reactions
that require high heat.
Has also come to mean – “a severe test,” or “a
place or situation in which concentrated forces
interact to cause or influence change or
development.”
Drawing Conclusions

What does the phrase “an endless
capacity for dissembling” (Miller 9)
tell us about Abigail?
Drawing Conclusions
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We should recognize that Abigail deceives
others.
We have to always question her reliability
and search for a hidden motive in her
words.
Dancing is BAD
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The Puritans forbade activities that they
considered “vain” entertainment.
Dancing
Theater
Literary Elements:
Setting

What function does the forest serve?
Literary Terms: Setting
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The girls go there to hide their dancing.
It also serves as an atmospherical
function.
To the Puritans, the forest was a wild,
dark place—the abode of heathens and
evil spirits.
Theme
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The idea of a person’s good name will be
a central theme to the play.
Abigail: “My name is good in the village! I
will not have it said my name is soiled?”
(Miller 12)
Enter the Putnams
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What adjectives would you use to describe
Parris’s attitude toward the Putnams?
He seems fearful, fawning, submissive,
and groveling.
The Putnams seem to have influence over
people in Salem.
Thomas Putnam
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Miller considered Thomas Putnam one of
the play’s principal villains.
He was vindictive, had many grievances
against his neighbors, and was involves in
disputes ownership of land.
Seems to have played a key role in the
accusations of witchcraft.
Literary Terms: Metaphor
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“the Devil’s touch is heavier than sick.
It’s death, y’know, it’s death drivin’ into
them. Forked and hoofed” (Miller 13).
These are references to the traditional
Puritan view that represents the devil as a
creature with a forked tail and cloven
hoofs.
Cultural Note
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Superstition holds that sneezing might
indicate that a possessed person was
expelling demons through the nose.
Who sneezes? What is the implication?
This might be the origin of the practice of
saying “God bless you!”
Abigail

Describe the change in Abigail’s behavior
after the adults leave.
Abigail
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She reveals a cruel side to her nature in
the way she treats the other girls. With
the adults gone, Abigail is able to become
the dominant personality and reveal her
true nature.
Is her attitude here believable? Why or
why not?
Literary Elements:
Figurative Language
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“What a grand peeping courage you
have” (Miller 19).
Said by Mercy to Mary Warren-What does
Mercy mean?
Literary Terms
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Double meaning:
The act of looking cautiously or sneakily.
The weak sound of a newborn bird,
especially a chicken.
This is an example of scorn for Mary
Warren’s courage.
Literary Elements:
Characterization
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“Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge
of a word, about the other things, and I will
come to you in the black of some terrible night
and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will
shudder you” (Miller 20).
What do Abigail’s threats toward the other girls
reveal about her character?
Dialogue-Theme

Notice the difference in what names are
used in the dialogue.
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Mr. Proctor vs. John
Abigail vs. Abby
What does this reveal about relationships
in the play?
Evaluate

Evaluate the offhand way Abigail describes
events to Proctor in light of what we know about
her character. How does her demeanor change
depending on who she is speaking with?
Abigail

She illustrates her ability to adapt her
manner to suit a situation. With her
uncle, she feigns concern and righteous
indignation. With the girls, she is
domineering and cruel. With Proctor, she
is coy and seductive.
Conflict
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What is revealed about the central
conflict in the conversation between
Abigail and John Proctor?
Conflict
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The conflict between Abigail and Mrs.
Proctor: Abigail’s motivation is now
known. There was a romantic link
between her and John, which is why Mrs.
Proctor dismissed her. Abigail believes
John loves her. Mrs. Proctor’s death
would clear the way for marriage between
them.
The conflict between Abigail and John:
He denies that he ever gave her reason to
believe there was hope for marriage.
Literary Elements:
Character

Analyze how the Putnams differ from Proctor
and Rebecca on the issue of witchcraft. Support
your conclusions with specific dialogue
references.
Literary Elements: Character
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The Putnams seem determined to prove
that witchcraft is afoot. Proctor and
Rebecca believe there is a natural
explanation for the children’s behavior.
Think Critically
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Why might Ann Putnam hate Rebecca
Nurse?
Ann already has mentioned that she has
lost seven babies in infancy. Now her only
surviving child is behaving strangely and is
ill. Rebecca has 11 children and 26
grandchildren, all of whom seem to be
healthy.
Characterization

Notice how Proctor is very vocal about his
displeasure with Parris’s actions, but
allows Rebecca to silence him. What does
this show about Proctor’s character?
Rebecca Nurse?
Characterization
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Proctor does not defer to fools. His
reaction clearly reveals that he respects
her.
The fact that a man like Proctor will defer
to her is testament to her wisdom and
strength of character.
Rebecca is the “voice of reason” in the
play.
Irony—Why is this ironic?

Parris: “I do not preach for children, Rebecca. It
is not the children who are unmindful of their
obligation toward this ministry” (Miller 29).
Irony

Parris has little understanding of children
and sees no reason to instruct them, yet it
is the young girls who are trying to
commune with the devil. In an effort to
conceal their misbehavior, they set in
motion events that will wreak havoc on
Salem.
Acts & Scenes

In the absence of scenes, the appearance of a
new character may indicate a shift in focus.
Predict what Mr. Hale’s arrival means.
Hale’s Arrival

From previous references to this
character, we should recognize that he is
an expert on witchcraft. His arrival signals
a shift from the arguments over practical
matters to the subject of witchcraft.
Irony
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Parris: “Why would he choose my house to strike? We
have all manner of licentious people in the village!”
Hale: “It is the best the Devil wants, and who is better
than the minister” (Miller 41)?
What is ironic here?
Irony

Parris asks why the devil would choose his
house when there are so many less
worthy people in Salem. He does not
recognize this own lack of good character.
Hale’s question assumes that the minister
must be the best person in the village, an
assumption at odds with the facts.
Thinking Critically

Who is the first person to name specific
individuals? What can you infer from this?
Thinking Critically

Thomas Putnam is the first. Sarah Good
and Osburn are people whom the
Putnams do not like or against whom the
Putnams have grievances.
Irony
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Hale: “You are God’s instrument put in our
hands to discover the Devil’s agents among us.
You are selected, Tituba, you are chosen to help
us cleanse our village” (Miller 46).
Identify the irony.
Irony

He tells Tituba that she is God’s
instrument doing his work and helping
cleanse the village. In reality, he is
persuading her to make false accusations
of witchcraft against innocent people.
Responding to Literature

Describe the feelings the characters have
toward each other: the Putnams toward
John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse, Proctor
toward the Putnams and Parris, and Parris
toward the congregation. What effect
might these feelings have on the future
action of the play?
Responding to Literature

Putnams’ feelings might include hatred, fear,
resentment, and jealousy. Proctor’s feelings
toward the Putnams and Parris might include
contempt, distrust, and dislike. Parris’s feelings
toward the congregation might include
resentment, anger, and fear. These feelings
could create a dispute with Proctor and Nurse
against the Putnams and Parris, or lead to
accusations against Proctor and Nurse.
Responding to Literature,

How does Tituba first respond to Hale’s
accusation of witchcraft? How does she change
her response? Why might she, as well as Abigail
and Betty, make accusations at the end of act 1?
Responding to Literature

At first Tituba denies any dealings with the
devil. She later says that the devil
tempted her and showed her others who
were in his service. They might hope to
avoid punishment by accusing others.
Responding to Literature

What is the overall atmosphere, or
prevailing mood, of act 1? How does
Miller create this atmosphere?
Responding to Literature
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Terror, suspense, mystery, tension.
Miller creates the atmosphere through the
fears expressed by the characters or
through the underlying tension and
mistrust that runs through the dialogue.
Responding to Literature

Is Miller’s portrayal of the teenage girls
and their behavior believable? Why or
why not?
Responding to Literature

What similarities do you see between the
interactions among the Salemites of 1692
and interactions among people today?
Literature Groups

In a group, work together to create
character webs that profile each character
in Act 1. Include the character’s age,
personality traits, standing in the
community, and conflicts with others.
Then, as a group, predict the role each
character will play in this drama. Share
your predictions with the class.