Crucible Character Analysis

Character Motivations and Perspectives

• Characters have diverse motivations, both good and bad.
• We only see their actions and conversations, not internal monologues.
• Problematic when relying on others' accounts; need to discern truth.

Analyzing Characters

• Determine what characters say and do.
• Assess if their actions are right.
• Acknowledge their personal journeys and the thresholds they cross (often involving sin).
• Consider if characters' changes are genuine or forced.
• Examine how characters navigate an environment that promotes doing the right thing when those who do so are wrongly accused.

Key Characters for Analysis

• Focus on Abigail, Mary Warren, and Elizabeth.
• Other girls are less significant.
• Ignore Betty and Danforth due to their static nature.

Danforth

• Represents unwavering authority.
• Believes Salem is the devil's playground.
• Doesn't change or alter his views.
• His error is trusting Abigail.
• Doesn't admit wrong, maintains that accused are witches and will die.

John Proctor

• Protagonist present throughout the play.
• Evolves from defensive to willing to sacrifice for his wife.
• Consider if he is a martyr.

Abigail

• Present in acts one and three, discussed in acts two and four.
• Assess her as victim of society or vindictive person.
• Analyze her actions and statements against others' accounts.
• Elizabeth calls her a "whore."

Reverend Paris

• Appears in acts one, two, and four.
• Absent in act three (in John Proctor's house).
• Changes from adamant to broken, penniless, and powerless.
• His reputation is impacted.
• Putnam used him for his own purposes.

Reverend Hale

• Present in all four acts, undergoes significant change.
• Starts as confident expert, becomes doubtful in act two.
• Attempts to reason in act three; in act four, feels he is doing the devil's work by trying to convince people to lie to save themselves.
• Examine if his actions are truly the devil's work.
• Becomes a beaten, powerless man.

Mary Warren

• Complex and possibly a victim.
• Initially suppressed, gains power through court, then controlled by John Proctor.
• Coerced into signing deposition.
• Ends up under Abigail's influence.
• Overwhelmed and constantly says, "I cannot."

Giles

• Connected to John Proctor; both defend their wives.
• Giles makes errors due to gullibility.
• His comment about his wife reading leads to her accusation.
• Becomes angry and defends the accused in act three.
• Refuses to name his informant to protect him.
• Dies without confessing or implicating others.
• Last words: "More weight."
• Consider his martyrdom versus overcoming his initial mistake.
• Both Giles and John Proctor die for their wives.

Elizabeth

• Her character is revealed through others' perspectives in act one.
• Seen in her marital relationship; handles it well despite John's infidelity.
• Lies to protect her husband in act three.
• In act four, three months pregnant, advises John to follow his conscience.
• Rational by the end, holds John accountable.

Rebecca Nurse

• Consistent character: good at the beginning and end.
• Willing to die rather than lie.
• Reminds John to stay calm and be a good man.

Key Conflicts

• Characters in self-conflict and conflict with others.
• Sift through their statements versus others' accounts.

Analysis Focus

• John Proctor and Giles: Compare their defense of their wives.
• Giles, despite appearing foolish, refuses to yield.
• John equivocates, struggling with lying.
• Consider if John's tragedy redeems society or if redemption was inevitable.