Transcript The Crucible- Overture Notes

The Crucible
Overture Notes
In the 1600s, Puritans settled on the East
coast of the United States. They brought
with them the hope of religious freedom, but
instead became embroiled in hysteria over
the existence of witches. They had been
persecuted in their native England, but they
created a theocracy and eventually
persecuted others.
Why did it happen?
It began as a way for the oppressed girls to avoid
being punished.
It then became an ideal way to get revenge on
anyone whom you disliked.
People started accusing their neighbors of being
witches so they could steal their farmland.
People accused others of being witches if they
wanted to steal their husbands or wives or
possessions.
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Most of those accused of being witches were
women.
Many were healers, and used plants to heal
people.
Many were without family, and this made
them easy targets.
They were people who did not fit in with the
mainstream for some reason.
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Those accused of being witches were most often
found guilty. Sometimes they were sentenced to
be tied to a rock dunked in a pond, and if they
sank, they were declared innocent. Innocent. If
they somehow survived the dunking, they were
obviously witches, and they were executed.
Most of those found guilty of witchcraft were
hung.
One man was pressed to death with rocks because
he refused to plead guilty or innocent, insuring
that his sons still inherited his lands.
How did it start?
In 1692, several girls in the village of Salem, Massachusetts
became intrigued when a West Indian servant told them
stories of magic and voodoo from her native land.
Bored and restricted by the oppressive Puritan life, the girls
slipped into the woods one night and “conjured” love
charms and hexes.
One girl, Betty Parris, slipped into unconsciousness when her
father caught them. She wouldn’t wake up, and this
started the discussion of witchcraft. To avoid punishment,
the girls created the story of the “witches” who made them
dance and conjure the spells.
Salem
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established 40 years before
work ethic leads to increasing
economic productivity
no literature- seen as “vain
enjoyment”
holidays= time for worship
idle people sent to court
Environment
harsh wilderness
 threats from Indian attacks
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Puritan Attitudes
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Indians were “heathens” who
could not be converted
Intolerant of other religions
(even though they were
persecuted)
Belief that they were “chosen”
Puritan Society
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Theocracy- combination of
state and religion, leaders are
divinely guided
Theocracy established to
maintain unity, protect Puritan
beliefs, and enforce order
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Reverend Parris
Parris is a wormy little character.
Miller says in his notes that he found nothing
redeemable about the historical Parris. As a result, he
evidently felt no need to make his fictional version any
better.
First of all Parris is greedy.
The Reverend gives weak justifications, but never
denies any of the accusations.
Very concerned about his reputation
Thomas Putnam
Turned down as a minister
Daughter, Ruth, “afflicted”
Wife lost seven of eight children
Resentment felt toward village
Son of the richest man in village
John Proctor
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Farmer in mid-thirties
Reveals hypocrites
Has an affair with Abigail Williams
Proctor was a stand-up guy who spoke his mind.
Around town, his name was synonymous with
honor and integrity. He took pleasure in exposing
hypocrisy and was respected for it. Most
importantly, John Proctor respected himself.
Abigail
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Villain Extraordinaire
Abigail is vengeful, selfish, manipulative, and
a magnificent liar.
This young lady seems to be uniquely gifted at
spreading death and destruction wherever she
goes. She has an eerie sense of how to
manipulate others, to gain control over them.
All these things add up to make her a
marvelous antagonist.
Reverend Hale
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Considered and expert in the ways of the Devil
Called to Salem by Reverend Paris to
investigate
This guy has trained and trained to be the best
witch-hunter ever, and he's psyched to finally
get a chance to show off his stuff.
Though he's probably a little full of himself,
but ultimately his goal is to valiantly fight the
Devil. What could be wrong with that? Well, a
whole lot.
Giles Cory
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Often blamed for hardships
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In his eighties
Giles Corey is a strong old man and has only recently
converted to Christianity. He's likeable, but is not too
bright.
His biggest bumble in the play is when brings up the
fact that his wife reads strange books.
To Giles, any book is strange and the idea of a
woman wanting to read totally blows his mind. His
mention of this fact leads to an accusation that his
wife is a witch
Goody Putnam
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Lost seven of eight childern in infancy
Convinced the Devil took her children
Resents Rebecca Nurse
Tituba
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Reverend Parris’s slave from Barbados
The first one to confess to witchcraft
Conjures spirits with the girls in the woods