Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”

Characters

John Procter

▪ Husband to Elizabeth.

▪ He had an affair with Abigail when she was employed in his household.

▪ He knows that the girls are pretending. However, he cannot tell what he knows without revealing having been alone with Abigail.

▪ Also, refuses to admit to witchcraft or to consider Abigail is a liar.

▪ The result = He is hanged.

John Procter (cont.)

▪ He lives in a strained relationship with his wife Elizabeth.

▪ The true depth of their love, however, is revealed in the final act. It is in Act Four that Miller brings his character to his final moment of truth, where Proctor must look deep into his conscience and discover what is truly important to him: his 'name'.

▪ Tied up in his concern for his own 'self', and integrity, is his concern for others. Procter is flawed, but noble.

Abigail Williams

▪ She is the niece of Reverend Parris ; Also is orphaned.

▪ She is extremely jealous of Elizabeth Proctor and uses her power in the town to get rid of Elizabeth, as well others who insulted her in the past.

▪ The leader of the girls.

▪ Rebels against Puritan oppression by seducing and dancing

▪ Arrogance is her undoing—but only after significant damage

Abigail Williams (cont.)

▪ Able to manipulate uncle, control other girls, and seduce Proctor

– Elizabeth is only person she can't

beguile, thus earning Abigail's abhorrence

– Naming of witches gives her power, excitement, and revenge

– Good at reading events and situation and acting accordingly

– Abigail represents those who can fuel the flames of evil.

Elizabeth Procter

▪ Wife of John Proctor

▪ Discovers her husband, John, having an affair with Abigail Williams.

▪ She is Abigail's main target but is saved from hanging because of her pregnancy.

▪ Feels responsible for driving her husband to careless acts of judgment.

Elizabeth Procter (cont.)

▪ Elizabeth first appears in Act 2, singing lullabies to her children

▪ Atmosphere in the house tense with coming to terms with husband's adultery – She is accused of being cold by both

Proctor and Abigail – But she recognizes Abigail's' intentions

before Proctor

▪ Her love and understanding for Proctor is evident in the last act, when she leaves him to decide whether to confess

Tituba

▪ Servant to the Parris’ household; A native of Barbados.

▪ She is enlisted by Ruth Putnam and Abigail to cast spells and create charms.

▪ When tough times call, she confesses to everyone, and saves herself from severe punishment.

Reverend Parris

▪ Pastor of the church in Salem.

▪ The father of Betty and the uncle of Abigail Williams.

▪ Believes that he is being persecuted and that the townspeople do not respect his position as a man of God

▪ Unpopular in Salem

– Greedy and selfish

– Tears in opening scene not for his daughter but for his own reputation and down fall

– Supports trial as long as own position is secure

– His change in Act 4 occurs from threats to his life, NOT from guilt or compassion

Deputy Governor Danforth

▪ Feels greatly that the girls are honest.

▪ Sensitive to presence of the devil, so information is reacted immediately to what is presented.

▪ Does not allow work of the court to be questioned – Not interested in the individual

▪ Allows horror of witch hunt to continue – Will not change course even though there

are many innocent victims

Reverend Hale

▪ Hale enjoys the nature of his calling

▪ Despite his assertion he will not necessarily find witchcraft, it is apparent he assumes it is present

▪ Hale changes dramatically during the play, and comes to accept the responsibility of what he started

– He tries to rectify wrongs, but it's impossible

Rebecca Nurse

▪ Elderly and respected Rebecca is one of the voices of good sense in the play

▪ Hale has already heard of her good reputation before meeting her.

▪ The conviction of Rebecca reveals how low the community at Salem has fallen – She goes to her death with dignity

and acceptance.

The Young Girls:

▪ Betty Parris - Daughter of the Reverend, cousin to Abigail Williams. She is a weak girl who goes along with her cousin as soon as she is threatened.

▪ Susanna Walcott - She is initially sent between Parris and Dr. Griggs to determine the cause of Betty's ailment.

▪ Mercy Lewis - Servant to the Putnam household. She is a merciless girl who seems to delight in the girls' activities.

▪ Mary Warren - Servant to the Proctor household. Abigail uses her to effectively accuse Elizabeth. John Proctor takes Mary to the court to confess that the girls are only pretending

The Putmans

▪ Bitter couple representing jealousy, small-mindedness, and greed

▪ Ann Putnam sent daughter to conjure up spirits to begin with

▪ Thomas Putnam sought to gain from the tragedies of others

Dynamic versus Static Characters

▪ Dynamic characters change over the course of a play or novel; they learn from events and experiences

–Hale is a DYNAMIC character

▪ Static characters remain the same, and do not change

–Danforth is a STATIC character

Dramatic structure in “the Crucible”

▪ Exposition – When the girls are in the forest dancing with Tituba, they seemed to be be-witched.

▪ Conflict – Between the townspeople of Salem and people being accused of witchcraft.

▪ Rising Action – When the witch hunt escalates, and several women are tried for witchcraft, and hung.

▪ Climax – The Proctors are accused of witchcraft ; John confesses his adultery to his wife!

▪ Falling Action – John Proctor holds up his innocence.

▪ Resolution – John Proctor and Rebecca Nurse are hung. Elizabeth is spared