The opening scenes of The Crucible are important because they establish a lot of important aspects of the play - the mood, the themes, the setting and the relationships between a number of characters.

The play begins in spring, 1692. We are at the beginning of the year and an early stage of America’s history. The audience is confronted by a series of mysteries as soon as the play opens. There is limited morning light from the narrow window and a candle burning suggests an all-night vigil. Lighting is used throughout the play, usually to represent truth, or the lack thereof. Here, the limited light not only contributes to the unsettling mood but suggests that the truth is being hidden.

After a brief description of the set, Miller’s commentary gives us some important details about the setting of the play. It is a theocracy, there are strict religious codes for people to follow, fun activities like dancing are banned, and people are expected to attend church regularly. The land bordering Salem to the west was largely unexplored and the town was at risk of attacks by wild animals and Native Americans. Miller notes, however, that as life became less dangerous people become less reliant on their church and government and began to express an interest in living independently. He also notes that the witch trials provided an opportunity for people to get revenge for old slights.

The first thing the audience sees is a man kneeling by a young girl’s bed, weeping and praying – quite an unsettling image. This is Parris and his daughter Betty. He is mumbling and looks confused and distressed. He is “evidently in prayer” – Parris is a man who likes to be seen praying. The slave Tituba also seems frightened and the opening dialogue is about Betty’s health.

Parris’ niece Abigail enters and the stage directions tell us she is beautiful and has an “endless capacity for dissembling”, suggesting that she is not to be trusted.

Susanna Walcott arrives with news from the doctor – he can’t find a cure for what they are looking for, and suggests that they look to “unnatural things” for the cause of Betty’s illness. Witchcraft is alluded to then almost immediately.

Parris is determined that there will be no gossip. Abigail tries to persuade him to make some kind of reassuring announcement to his congregation, who are gathering downstairs – this is clearly a community where everyone gets involved in each other’s business. The cause of his anxiety is made clear when he refers to catching Abigail and Betty “dancing like heathen in the forest” the night before. He is suspicious that they were performing witchcraft and have affected Betty somehow, as she has not moved since midnight. He also refers to seeing Tituba waving her arms over a fire and talking “gibberish”, and someone running naked through the woods. His hesitation allows rumour and anxiety to grow. Parris is strongly denying the presence of witchcraft, especially as it is associated with his home. He is concerned about how this will affect his reputation – possibly more so than his daughter’s health. He refers to enemies who wish to “drive (him) from (his) pulpit” and urges Abigail to consider that “my ministry’s at stake, my ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life.” This makes it clear that Parris is not entirely popular in Salem, establishes his failings in the eyes of the audience and introduces one of the major themes of the play.

The importance of a good name is stressed in the conversation Parris then has with Abigail. He asks her why Elizabeth Proctor comes so rarely to church, which will be used against the Proctors in Act Two. He has heard it said that she does not wish “to sit so close to something soiled.” The word “soiled” suggests Abigail is not a virgin, which is indeed true – her affair with Proctor is one of the driving forces of the play. This conversation reveals Abigail’s temper and more vicious side – she labels Elizabeth “cold, snivelling” and a “gossiping liar” and insists that “My name is good in the village!”

Here, Miller already has us wondering what the problem is preventing Abigail from gaining employment. Was she conjuring spirits? Are the accusations of witchcraft true?

Parris saw some forbidden behaviour – dancing alone is banned in Puritan Salem. He does not want to believe the worst though. Early punishment of the girls and establishment of the true nature of their misdemeanours – which really just boil down to childish games – might well have prevented what followed.

The Putnams enter. They add to the air of mystery by asking about Betty flying and telling Parris that their own daughter Ruth has been afflicted. The rumour about Betty flying shows how quickly lies can get out of hand and how easily led people are. Parris’ interactions with the Putnams reveal his sycophantic nature, as he speaks “deferentially” to them. Parris mentions Reverend Hale of Beverly for the second time and we learn that he is a witch hunter.

THE CRUCIBLE – OPENING

Miller uses the Putnams to reveal tensions in the village. Goody Putnam darkly describes her seven dead babies and outlandishly declares that they were murdered. She received this information from Tituba, who allegedly can speak to the dead. Parris is understandably horrified to learn that his slave, niece and daughter were involved in conjuring spirits – Abigail tries to pass the blame onto Tituba and Ruth. Putnam is pragmatic about it and encourages Parris to reveal the truth to the community immediately. Here, Miller makes it clear what sway Putnam, a wealthy landowner, has in the community, but the commentary also reveals that he is driven by a desire of vengeance. The entrance of Mercy Lewis, the Putnams’ servant, reinforces this negative depiction of the family – she is “fat, sly, merciless”, unpleasant like them. It is noteworthy that Goody Putnam is never accused of witchcraft, despite her admission of involvement in the conjuring of spirits – her husband is too powerful.

Parris agrees to lead the townspeople in a prayer, leaving Abigail alone with the other girls. A very brief section of dialogue explains their behaviour – they danced, conjured spirits, and Abigail drank a potion with the aim of killing of Elizabeth Proctor. Mary Warren, the Proctors’ servant, appears and is clearly shaken – she is described as “subservient, naïve, lonely”. Betty is revealed to only be pretending to be unconscious but bizarrely threatens to fly. Abigail’s true nature is revealed when she threatens the other girls not to reveal anything other than the dancing and Tituba’s conjuring of the Putnam babies – she reminds them that she watched her own parents killed, and assures them “I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.”

The opening section concludes with the appearance of the play’s protagonist, John Proctor. Mary Warren and Mercy Lewis both react with fright, suggesting that he has a fearsome reputation. Abigail and Proctor are left alone and it becomes clear that they have had an affair – their dialogue is flirtatious and playful until she tries to recommence their affair and insults his wife. This angers John, suggesting his guilt and regret at their affair, but references to “heat” and Proctor not being “a wintery man” foreshadows the coldness in the Proctors’ marriage. Abigail has clearly been affected by their relationship – their connection seems to be based on their mutual resentment of the restrictiveness of life in Salem and the corrupt natures of the town’s leaders – and begs John not to “bid (her) tear the light out of (her) eyes”. Again, light is used to represent truth.

As the Act progresses, major characters are introduced, but Elizabeth is only alluded to.

Key Points

Mood Setting Characterisation Relationships Theme – reputation; individual in society; vengeance

Quotations

“endless capacity for dissembling” “unnatural things” “gibberish” “dancing like heathen in the forest” “drive me from my pulpit” “my ministry’s at stake, my ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life.” “to sit so close to something soiled.” “cold, snivelling” “gossiping liar” “My name is good in the village!” “fat, sly, merciless” “subservient, naïve, lonely” “I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.” “And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes?”

Possible Opening Essay Questions (from SQA Critical Essay Papers 2008 – 2013)

Choose from a play a scene which you find amusing or moving or disturbing. (2012)

Choose a play in which the dramatist creates tension at the beginning or at the end. (2011)

Choose a play which you feel is made particularly effective by features of structure such as: dramatic opening, exposition, flashback, contrast, turning-point, climax, anticlimax, dénouement . . . (2009)

Choose from a play a scene in which an important truth is revealed. (2008)

THE CRUCIBLE – OPENING