John Proctor - A farmer, and the husband of Elizabeth. Proctor had an affair with Abigail Williams while she worked as a servant in his house.

Reverend Parris - The minister of Salem, Betty’s father, and Abigail’s uncle. Tituba is his slave. As a minister, Parris delivers harsh fire and brimstone sermons that sometimes turn off his parishioners.

Elizabeth Proctor - The wife of John Proctor. She fires Abigail Williams as her servant when she discovers that the girl is having an affair with Proctor. Elizabeth is a good woman known for never telling a lie.

Reverend Hale - A minister in the nearby Massachusetts town of Beverly, and an expert in identifying witchcraft. An intelligent man, Hale sees himself as a scientist and philosopher, a kind of physician of the soul.

Abigail Williams - the 17 year old niece of Reverend Parris. Marauding Native Americans killed her parents when she was young. A former servant in John Proctor’s household.

Thomas Putnam - the husband of Ann Putnam, and one of the richest farmers and landowners in all of Salem. Putnam is a bitter man who feels that the citizens of Salem have not given him the respect he deserves

Giles Corey - A farmer who owns a farm near Salem, Giles is an old man and somewhat of a rascal, but also very brave and moral at heart

Francis Nurse - A wealthy farmer and landowner in Salem and the husband of Rebecca Nurse. Francis Nurse is generally considered by the Salem community to be a good man, but many people resent his recent rise in status.

Deputy Governor Danforth - a Deputy governor of Massachusetts who comes to Salem to preside over the witch trials. Though he’s more open-minded and intelligent than Judge Hathorne, Danforth believes completely in his ability to distinguish truth from lies

Minor Characters

Ann Putnam - The wife of Thomas Putnam. Ms Putnam is as bitter as her husband, but for different reasons: just one of her babies she has given birth to has survived past infancy.

Rebecca Nurse - The wife of wealthy farmer Francis Nurse. She is a much beloved and admired figure for Salem for her religousness and and good sense. She has also served as the midwife at many births.

Judge Hathorn - An arrogant and unpleasant Salam judge who considers the Puritan government to be absolutely right and just. As a representative of that government, he believes in the perfection of his own wisdom and judgement.

Mary Warren - a teenage girl and servant in the Proctor household who replaces Abigail Williams. She is a generally good and quiet gitl. She fears wrongdoing, but she fears Abigail even more.

Mercy Lewis - a teenage girl and servant in the Putnam household. She is Abigails closest friend and confidant, and the second in command in the group of girls behind the trials

Betty Parris - Reverend Parris’s teenage daughter. In many ways she seems like a typical teenager rebelling against her overly protective father. A follower, she quickly falls in line with Abigail’s plot

Tituba - A slave of Reverend Parris, she is originally from the Barbados. She is terrified of Parris, who generally blames her for everything wrong in the house. As a black female slave, she represents the lowest rung on Salem society

Mrs. Osburn - one of the women Tituba first identifies as a witch. She served as the midwife for 3 of Mrs. Putnam’s ill-fated births

Susanna Walcott - A girl in Salem, who works for the town doctor

Sarah Good - An old woman and drunk who often goes begging from door to door

Ezekiel Cheever - A court clerk during the Salem Witch trials

Marshal Herrick - Salem’s town (police) marshal

Martha Corey - the wife of Giles Corey