The Crucible

The Crucible

1. Protestants

   • 1558-1603 (Elizabeth I reign)
   • Believed their religion should be separate from the crown
   • Started when some English Protestants objected to Catholic elements in worship
   • The Mayflower was the ship a group of Puritans sailed on to New England
     • In 1620
     • The group of Puritans were know as the Pilgrim father
     • New England is in North America
     • Other Puritans and Colonists followed
   • Strict in religion
     • Was unpopular in England
     • Plain black and white outfits
     • Men ruled the household and made all the major decisions
     • Children knew their place and were expected to be dutiful
   • Entertainment
     • No dancing
     • No singing
     • No theatre
     • Couldn't read for pleasure
     • No Christmas
   • Church was compulsory if you did not go you were punished
     • They had a register to know if you were there
   • Household chores on a Sunday was frowned upon

2. Salem Witch Trials

   • In the witch trials a total of 20 people were executed 5 men and 15 women
   • They were killed by being hung except for Giles Corey who was pressed to death
     • Giles Corey was killed for refusing to cooperate with the court
   • The witch trials lasted from the 1st of March 1692 to the 22nd of September 1692
   • At the end
     • Jurors and Magistrates apologised publicly
     • Restitution was made to the victims
     • A day of fasting and remembrance was situated
     • Little is know of the lives of the afflicted girls
     • Tituba is believed to have been sold and taken out of the Salem village area
     • The 300th anniversary of the trials served as an opportunity to bring a sence of reconciliation and appreciation of the lessons of that time
   • Resentment and jealousy started the witch trials
   • The salem trials weren't the first witch trials in New England
   • The scientific reason that has been given for the hysteria caused by the witch trials was ergot poisoning on gone off bread

3. Chatacters

   • John Proctor
     • A local farmer
     • Lives outside of town
     • A stern harsh tongued man
     • He has a hidden sin
       • His affair with Abigail Williams
   • Abigail Williams
     • Reverend Parris's niece
     • Once a servant for the Proctor household
     • Abigail is willy, smart, a good liar and vindictive when crossed
   • Reverend John Hale
     • Expert on witchcraft
     • Comes into town to examine Betty Paris
     • A young minister. Very strict Christian.
     • Later regrets helping to hunt down witches and helps the accused
   • Marcy Lewis
     • One of the girls in Abigail's group
   • Elizabeth Proctor
     • Fired Abigail after finding out about the affair
     • John Proctor's wife
   • Reverend Parris
     • Minister of the Salem's church
     • He is power-hungry, paranoid yet a self-pitying figure
     • Many of the town folk dislike him especially John Proctor
   • Rebecca Nurse
     • Frank Nurse's wife
     • Accused of being a witch by the Putnams
     • She's a wise, sensible upright woman
     • She refuses to confess to being a witch
   • Francis Nurse
     • A wealthy, influential man in Salem
     • Is respected by most townspeople
     • Is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife
   • Judge Danford
     • Deputy governor of Massachusetts and presiding judge at witch trials
     • He is honest and still in his own mind
     • Convinces he is doing right getting rid of the witches
   • Herrick
     • a marshall at Salem
   • Thomas Putnam
     • A wealthy influencial man
     • Uses the witch trials to get more money and for getting the land of those he accused
     • Grudge against Francis Nurse
       • For preventing the election of his brother-in-law for office of the minister
   • Ann Putnam
     • Given birth to 8 children 1 is still alive
     • Convinced that she lost her children by supernatural means
   • Ruth Putnam
     • In Abigail's gang
     • Thomas's and Ann's only remaining child
     • Went in strange stupor after being caught dancing in the woods
   • Tituba
     • Black maid
     • From Barbados
     • Reverend Parris's maid
     • Agrees to performing voodoo at Abigail's request
   • Mary Warren
     • A servant for the Proctor household
     • A member of Abigail's gang
     • Timid girl who is easily influenced
     • Tried unsuccessfully to expose the hoax and to ultimately recanted her confession
   • Betty Parris
     • Reverend Paris's 10 year old daughter
     • Her illness is where the first rumours of witchcraft started
     • In Abigail's gang
     • Caught dancing in the woods with Abigail's gang and Tituba by her father
       • Soon after falls into a strange stupour
   • Martha Correy
     • Giles Correy's 3rd wife
     • Accused of witchcraft for her obsession to reading
   • Ezekiel Cheever
     • Clerk of the court in the witch trials
     • Upright and is determinedd to do his part for justice
   • Judge Hathorne
     • Judge Danford's partner in the witch trials

4. Link to McCarthyism

   • Thomas Miller wrote the play to discredit Joe McCarthy
   • A big relation between the two is Guilt by assosiation

5. Beliefs about witches and withcraft

   • Worshipped the devil
   • Were felons for committing a crime against the government
   • Punishments were being hung
   • The afflicted were those who were supposedly possessed and tormented
   • The accuse were those who cried out the names of those who were supposedly possessing them
   • The beliefs of witches in Europe started in the 14th century

6. The setting

   • New England
   • 1692
   • Salem a small town in colonial Massachusetts

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