The Crucible by Arthur Miller - Act I Overview

These flashcards cover key characters, themes, and literary devices from Act I of The Crucible, useful for understanding the play's context and significance.

Salem

A Puritan settlement in Massachusetts where the events of The Crucible take place, particularly noted for its witch trials in 1692.

Major Characters

Key figures in the play, including Rev. Parris, Abigail Williams, John Proctor, Mr. and Mrs. Putnam, Rebecca Nurse, Rev. John Hale, and Giles Corey.

Witchcraft Accusations

The central conflict in The Crucible, driven by personal grudges and revenge among townspeople.

Reverend Parris

The minister of Salem, primarily concerned about his reputation and the opinions of townspeople about him.

Abigail Williams

A young woman who seeks revenge on Elizabeth Proctor, motivated by her past affair with John Proctor.

Reverend Hale

A regarded minister brought in to examine the possible witchcraft in Salem, known for his pomposity.

Dramatic Irony

A literary device where the audience knows more than the characters, creating tension.

Verbal Irony

A figure of speech in which what is said is different from what is meant; often creates a contrast for the reader.

Situational Irony

When actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended; an unexpected outcome.

Mary Warren

A servant in the Proctor household who becomes an official of the court and plays a pivotal role in the accusations.

Poppet

A small doll; in the play, a poppet implicates Elizabeth Proctor as part of the witchcraft accusations.

Allusion

A reference to another literary work or historical event within a text, as seen when Proctor refers to Hale as Pontius Pilate.

John Proctor

A farmer and a central tragic hero whose integrity ultimately leads him to sacrifice his life rather than falsely confess to witchcraft.

Elizabeth Proctor

John Proctor's wife, known for her honesty and integrity, who is accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams.

Tituba

Reverend Parris's slave from Barbados, who is the first to be accused of witchcraft and confesses under duress, subsequently implicating others.

Thomas Putnam

A wealthy and influential citizen of Salem who uses the witch trials to acquire land from those accused and condemned.

Ann Putnam

Driven by grief over the loss of seven of her children in infancy, she believes they were murdered by witchcraft and eagerly seeks out its perpetrators.

Rebecca Nurse

A highly respected elderly woman in Salem, known for her piety and charity, who is wrongly accused of witchcraft; her execution highlights the injustice of the trials.

Giles Corey

An elderly, feisty farmer who is pressed to death with stones for refusing to cooperate with the court during the witch trials.

Judge Danforth

The Deputy Governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge of the witch trials, who is stern, authoritative, and unyielding in his belief of the court's infallibility.

Hysteria

A dominant theme in The Crucible, referring to the irrational fear and panic that grips Salem, leading to widespread false accusations and convictions of witchcraft.

Reputation

A major theme in the play, as characters like Reverend Parris and John Proctor are deeply concerned with how they are perceived by the community, influencing their actions and decisions during the trials.

Arthur Miller's connection to McCarthyism

Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible as an allegory for the McCarthy-era witch hunts against alleged communists in the 1950s, drawing parallels between the historical Salem trials and contemporary political paranoia.

Theocratic nature of Salem government

Salem was governed as a theocracy, meaning religious law and civil law were intertwined. This system led to spiritual concerns directly influencing legal judgments during the witch trials.

The significance of the title 'The Crucible'

The title refers to both a severe test or trial, and a vessel used for melting substances at high temperatures. It symbolizes the intense scrutiny and purification the characters undergo during the witch trials.

What motivated false confessions during the Salem Witch Trials?

Many accused individuals confessed to witchcraft to avoid harsher punishments, such as hanging, as confessing often led to imprisonment rather than execution, despite the confession being false.