Transcript The Crucible - Great Torrington School

By Arthur Miller
 A small group of teen girls in 1692 Salem,
Massachusetts caught in an innocent conjuring of love
potions to catch young men are forced to tell lies that
Satan had invaded them and forced them to
participate in the rites and are then forced to name
those involved. Thrown into the mix are greedy
preachers and other major landowners trying to steal
others' land and one young woman infatuated with a
married man and determined to get rid of his innocent
wife.
The events in the play are factual
 It is also a parable of the Congressional Communist witch hunts led by Senator Joe
McCarthy upon Arthur Miller in 1950's America

Salem Witch Trials
McCarthyism
Who was on trial?
Witches
Communists
Who was accusing
them?
Puritans
House Un-American
Activities Committee
What of?
Consorting with the
devil
Sympathising with
communist beliefs
When?
1692
1938 - 1956
Where?
Salem, Massachusetts,
USA
Throughout the USA
What was the penalty?
Hanging
Imprisonment or loss
of job
How many were found
guilty?
20
10,000 – 12,000
Present Day
 Intolerance
 Legal Proceedings
 Hysteria
 Law
 Reputation
 Trials
 Empowerment
 Rituals
 Accusations
 Witch Hunts
 Confessions
 McCarthyism
 Orphaned niece of Reverend
Parris. She was once the lover of
John Proctor but was turned out
when his wife discovered the
affair. She is extremely jealous of
Elizabeth Proctor and uses her
power in the town to rid herself
of Elizabeth as well as any others
who have insulted her in the
past. She cannot let go of her
obsession with Proctor. She is
the leader of the girls.
 Abigail encourages other girls to participate in
witchcraft. What are the girls feelings and emotions
during this? Show this in a series of still images.
Examples you could have used
 Planning to meet at midnight
 Persuading Tituba to join them
 Dancing in the woods
 Abigail drinks the charm
 The discovery
 In Act One (pages 17 – 19) John and Abigail meet alone
in Salem. What might they be thinking but not saying.
Show this using thoughts aloud. Consider both the
physical and vocal characterisation.
Act one
From: Near the start of the play. Parris is beside Betty’s bed. ‘He
is bending to kneel again when his niece, Abigail Williams,
seventeen, enters - a strikingly beautiful girl, an orphan, with an
endless capacity for dissembling.’
To: ‘ABIGAIL: She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be
her slave. It’s a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman, and
I will not work for such a woman
Discuss, in detail, how you would play either Parris or Abigail in
the selected scene. You will need to refer to voice, movement,
gesture and facial expression, as well as to how your chosen
character responds to others on stage.
 Husband to Elizabeth. He had an
affair with Abigail when she was
employed in his household. He
knows that the girls are pretending
but cannot tell what he knows
without revealing having been alone
with Abigail. When Abigail uses her
influence to convict his wife, he tries
to tell the truth and finds himself
condemned. He refuses to admit to
witchcraft or to consider Abigail as
anything more than a lying whore.
He is hanged.
 Abigail and John’s relationship is difficult due to the
affair they had previously. How can you show this
subtext through the characters’ movements, gestures,
facial expressions and voice when they meet? In mixed
pairs prepare a performance of pages 17 – 19.
Act Three
From: ‘HALE (Indicating Abigail and the girls): You cannot
believe them!’
To: The end of Act Three.
Discuss, in detail, how you would play either Proctor or
Mary Warren in the selected scene. You will need to refer to
voice, movement, gesture and facial expression, as well as
to how your chosen character responds to others on stage.
 Wife of John Proctor. She
discovered an affair going on
between her husband and Abigail
Williams and turned Abigail out of
her house. She is Abigail's main
target but is saved from hanging
because of her pregnancy. She feels
responsible for driving her husband
to infidelity. When he decides that
he will not lie to save himself, she
supports his decision though it will
leave her alone. She feels that if he
must redeem himself in this way,
she cannot take it from him.
 At the start of Act Two John and Elizabeth discuss the
day and what they are doing at the weekend. Re-write
the script for a modern day situation between a
married couple and rehearse. Try to convey the subtext
of John and Elizabeth through the movement and
physical actions
Act Two
From: ‘MARY WARREN. (Dissatisfied, uncertain of herself,
she goes out.) Wide-eyed, both PROCTOR and ELIZABETH
stand staring.’
To: ‘HALE: I will. (He sits.)’
Discuss, in detail, how you would play either Proctor or
Elizabeth in the selected scene. You will need to refer to
voice, movement, gesture and facial expression, as well as
to how your chosen character responds to others on stage.
 He is considered to be, and considers himself, an
expert on witchcraft. He is initially summoned to
determine whether the devil is in Salem and
enthusiastically participates in the court
proceedings. When he finally realizes that the girls are
lying, it is too late to change the course of action. He
attempts to convince the condemned to admit to
witchcraft and save themselves from death.
 Look at the scene in which Hale first comes to Salem
with his learned books (page 30 - 33). What kind of a
man is he and what are his hopes?
 Now look at Hale in Act Four (page 103 – 105). How has
he changed and why?
 In groups of five or six show this in performance
focusing on Hale’s physical and vocal changes between
the two scenes
Act Two
From: ‘HALE: (Thinks then): And yet, Mister, a Christian on
Sabbath Day must be in church. (Pause.) Tell me – you have
three children?’
To: ‘Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be
accounted small. (He rises; he seems worried now. He paces a
little, in deep thought.)’
Discuss, in detail, how you would play either Proctor or Hale in
the selected scene. You will need to refer to voice, movement,
gesture and facial expression, as well as to how your chosen
character responds to others on stage.
 Pastor of the church in Salem. He is the father of Betty and
the uncle of Abigail Williams. He believes that he is being
persecuted and that the townspeople do not respect his
position as a man of God. He secures his desires in the
town by preaching fire and brimstone until the people give
in. The townspeople have ousted the last few pastors and
Parris fears that he may be next. It is only too easy for him
to believe the girls because to not believe them would
mean that the trouble would be in his own house (Betty
and Abigail). If he cannot control his own household, he
may not be trusted with an entire village.
 Husband of Ann Putnam, father to Ruth. He is a
powerful man in the village with a long family line. He
forces his way in whatever matters benefit him and
becomes extremely bitter when he doesn't succeed. He
is accused of coercing his daughter to accuse people,
for example, George Jacobs, in order to gain their
forfeited land.
 Husband to Martha. He inadvertently gives out
information that is later used against his wife. He
accuses Thomas Putnam of using Ruth to condemn
people for his personal gain. Realizing his source will
be arrested, he refuses to reveal it feeling that he has
done too much damage already. He is arrested for
contempt of court. He is eventually pressed to death
when he refuses to enter a plea (pleading guilty or
being convicted would mean forfeiture of his land,
leaving his sons with no inheritance).
 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. Until Abigail gives
her a valid explanation for dancing in the woods, she
lies mute in her bed, terrified of her father's
reaction. She is easily made into Abigail's tool.
 Servant to the Parris household. She is a native of
Barbados. She is enlisted by Ruth Putnam and Abigail
to cast spells and create charms. When Abigail turns
on her to save herself from punishment, Tituba
confesses to all and saves herself.
 Wife of Thomas Putnam, mother to Ruth. She is a
very superstitious woman and believes that the deaths
of so many of her babies in childbirth was caused by
supernatural means. She sends her daughter to Tituba
to cast a spell to discover the murderer.
 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. She is not strong enough to fight Abigail
and as soon as Abigail leads the other girls against her,
Mary caves and runs back to her side by accusing
Proctor himself.
 Servant to the Putnam household. She is a merciless
girl who seems to delight in the girls' activities. The
threats Abigail uses on the other girls are unnecessary
for Mercy. When Abigail eventually leaves town,
Mercy goes with her.
 Wife to Francis Nurse. She is a pious old woman who
has often acted as a midwife for women of the town,
including Ann Putnam. She is accused of witchcraft
by the girls and convicted of the supernatural murder
of the Putnam babies. News of her arrest reveals how
out of control the situation has become and inspires
Elizabeth Proctor to urge her husband to go to the
court with the truth about Abigail. Rebecca refuses to
admit to witchcraft to the end and is hanged.
 One of the accused. She admits to witchcraft to save
herself from death. The Dead Four of the accused
died in prison. As many as thirteen others also died
there, as prisoners could not be released if they had
not paid their prison expenses. The actual number of
prison deaths is not accurately accounted for. As
mentioned before, Giles Corey was pressed to
death. The others died on Gallows Hill.
By Arthur Miller