The Crucible: Key Characters and Their Roles in Salem Witch Trials

Reverend Parris

Mid-40s widower with children, not a bad father but lacks control in his household, paranoid and self-pitying, concerned with others' opinions, power-hungry, disliked by parishioners, and hostile.

Betty Parris

10 year old daughter of Reverend Parris who falls into a 'stupor' after her father catches her dancing in the woods, sparking rumors of witchcraft.

Abigail Williams

Orphaned niece of Rev. Parris, strikingly beautiful, smart and cunning, dissembling, vindictive, with mysterious rumors about her purity, and leader of the group.

Tituba

Rev. Parris's slave from Barbados who cares about the children and is the first accused of witchcraft, confesses and repents.

John Proctor

Mid 30s successful farmer, even-tempered and easy-going, thinks for himself, often seen as a loner, respected in Salem, logical and tolerant, sees himself as a sinner.

Elizabeth Proctor

John Proctor's wife, sickly, virtuous, cold, eager to please her husband, timid, avoids conflict, and often sad.

Mary Warren

18 years old, Proctor's servant, lonely, easily influenced by others, and worried.

Thomas Putnam

50 years old, eldest son of the richest man in Salem, wealthy landowner, fights with others over land, greedy, nosy, jumps to conclusions, vindictive, with little concern for others.

Ann Putnam

45 years old, Thomas' wife, described as having a 'haunted' and 'twisted soul', lost 7 infants, blames others for misfortunes, and is nosy.

Ruth Putnam

Thomas and Ann's daughter, the only surviving daughter, falls into a stranger stupor after Rev. Parris found her dancing in the woods, as if her 'soul was taken'.

Mercy Lewis

18 years old, girl in Abigail's group, sly and merciless, apathetic, and 'beat' Ruth when ill.

Francis Nurse

Respected in the town, serves as unofficial judge for disputes, self-made man, resented by others, target of jealousy, and enemy of Thomas Putnam.

Rebecca Nurse

72 years old, Francis' wife, gentle caretaker, calm and strong, experienced, believes 'sickness' is just boredom of teenage girls, reasonable, and wants peace and tolerance in Salem.

Giles Corey

83 years old, known as the 'comical hero', blamed for everything, deeply innocent, ignorant and uneducated.

Martha Corey

Giles' third wife, enjoys reading, which leads to her accusation of witchcraft.

Reverend John Hale

40 years old from Beverly, specialist in demonology, intellectual, reserves judgment, and his arrival sets the hysteria in motion.

Ezekiel Cheever

Clerk of the court, upright citizen, determined to perform duty for court.

Deputy Governor Danforth

60 years old, grave, has great respect for court, honest, true Puritan, believes he is doing what is right, and has a sense of justice.

Judge Hathorne

Presides over the witch trials, rushes to judgment, impatient, and partial and unfair.