The Crucible

Setting - 1692 Salem, Massachusetts

Puritan Society

Characters:

  • Abigail - Parris’ niece, antagonist, affair with John Proctor, manipulative

  • John Proctor - married to Elizabeth, affair with Abigail, dies to save reputation, doesn’t go to church regularly

  • Elizabeth Proctor - married to John, keeps a “cold house”, arrested for witchcraft, pregnant

  • Parris - Minister of Salem, wants trials, only cares about reputation and money

  • Hale - Rev. from Beverly, called in to stop trials, weak but feels guilty

  • Danforth - Judge, sentences 400+, orders JP death

  • Mary Warren - gains power, Proctor’s indentured servant, goes to court to tell truth but gets manipulated

  • Mercy Lewis - runs off with Abby at the end, goes along with Abby plan

  • Giles Corey - dies at end, refuses to rat ppl out

  • Marty Corey - arrested for reading, wife of Giles

  • Rebecca Nurse - highly respected, dies, accused of murdering Putnam’s kids

  • Ann Putnam - thinks Rebecca killed her kids, jealous

  • Mr. Putnam - wants more land

  • Tituba - Parris’ slave that returns to barbados

Antagonist - Abigail

Protagonist - John Proctor

Themes:

  • reputation

  • integrity

  • pride

  • hysteria

  • Red Scare/McCarthyism

Motifs:

  • adultery

  • poppet

  • Puritan beliefs

Symbols

  • poppet

  • witch hunt (danger of false accusations)