Unlocked Study Guide - The Crucible

UNLOCKED STUDY GUIDE:
Arthur Miller’s
The Crucible
Written by Vivienne Sawford
TABLE OF CONTENTS
At first, reading or watching a play can seem daunting – but we’re here
to help. In this guide, we’ll cover a range of different topics and provide
you with the information you need to be able to understand, engage
with, and comment upon Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible.
Let’s get started. There’s a lot to cover, so feel free to skip ahead to the
section you’re most interested in – or speak to your teacher to get an
idea of which bits to focus on first.
● Context
● About the Playwright
● Plot Summary
● Characters
● Relationship Map
● Themes
● Language Techniques
● Literary Devices
● Glossary
Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 2

CONTEXT
Let’s begin to explore the context of the play. Context can be an
intimidating word, but its meaning is simple: when we talk about context,
we mean all of the historical and social circumstances that shape a text.
What was happening politically? What big events were taking place?
What religions were people following? How did the majority of people at
that time live their lives? These are all the kinds of things we think about
when discussing context, so be sure to keep them in mind as you read
the play.
LET’S TALK ABOUT RELIGION
The Crucible is set in Salem in 1692. At the time, religion was a huge part
of daily life. Salem was a Puritan community and we can see this religion
throughout the play. So – what was Puritanism?
In simple terms, Puritanism is a very strict branch of the Protestant Church.

It was an attempt to strip away all of the parts of Catholicism that were
seen as luxurious or wasteful. The Puritans did not like the rituals and
wealth that was associated with Catholic worship. At the same time, they
disagreed with the Protestant Church of England. This is why they created
their own religious group. The Puritans believed:
● Worshipping God should be done simply and was at the center of

every community
● A person’s life should be spent modestly
● Human beings are born with sin and must atone
● Men were in charge and women were expected to obey them.
Puritans fled from England due to unfair treatment towards them. They
first arrived in New England in 1630 and roughly 1,000 of them

established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They also created other
Puritan settlements including Boston, Charlestown, and Salem.
The Puritans were ruled by a theocratic society. Theocracy means ‘rule

by god,’ so for the Puritans this meant that their government was ruled
by religious leaders. If we think of Judge Danforth, Reverend Parris, and
Reverend Hale, we can see that the idea of theocratic government
features heavily in the play.
Can you think of any modern examples in the world where

people live by the same sort of laws?
Why do you think Arthur Miller chose to set the play in a

theocratic society?
THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS
The events of The Crucible are fictionalized. This means that real
historical events have been adapted by Arthur Miller to tell a story.
However, they are based on the witch trials that took place in Salem,
Massachusetts in 1692–1693.
In the 17th century – remember, that’s the 1600s – there was a global
belief in, and fear of, the supernatural. By supernatural, we mean things
that some people believe are real, but that are not part of nature and
cannot be explained with science. Examples include magic, demons,
devils, and witches. Many people in Salem believed that these things
existed and that they were the reason for any events that could not be
explained. This included strange changes in the weather, destroyed
crops, and the sudden sickness or death of a child.

Witches were strongly feared in religious communities such as Salem.
Both women and men could be accused of witchcraft and having formed
a pact with the Devil. It was thought that a witch could perform evil
deeds on Satan’s behalf and that they held the power to bewitch and
curse others.
There were range of punishments for those who were found guilty of
practicing witchcraft. As we see in The Crucible, the most extreme of
these punishments was death and we are told that 20 people die during
the play.
The real Salem of the 17th century was known to be an unhappy and
argumentative community. Historical records show us that many
villagers were in disputes over land, property, farming rights, and church
privileges. This created a tense atmosphere and it is easy to see how
people started to grow resentful and accuse others. The first three
women to be accused of witchcraft in the play were also the three
women to be accused in reality: the black or Indian slave Tituba, the
homeless beggar Sarah Good, and the remarried Sarah Osborne, who
was rarely seen at church. These women were probably thought of as
outsiders because of their race, religion, or lifestyle choices.
Over time, the witch trials began to lose popularity. Fewer and fewer
‘witches’ were brought to the court and those that were, were often
found not guilty. However, it took almost 20 years for the town to accept
that the justice system had failed so many innocent people. In 1711, 22 of
the convicted witches had their guilty verdicts reversed. The following
year, the excommunications of Rebecca Nurse and Giles Corey were
overturned by members of the Salem church.

MILLER’S ENVIRONMENT: MCCARTHYSIM & THE
RED SCARE
‘McCarthyism’ is a term you might not be familiar with. For Arthur Miller,
writing The Crucible in the early 1950s, it would have had a very specific
meaning. Let’s begin to think about what was going on politically within
the United States at the time that Miller was writing the play.
When Arthur Miller was writing The Crucible, there was growing tension
between the United States and the Soviet Union. It centered upon how
the two nations ran their economies and led their nations. The United
States was, and still is, a capitalist nation. In a capitalist society, citizens
and not governments own and run companies. The Soviet Union, which
included Russia and several Eastern European states, was a communist
nation. In a communist society, all property is owned by the government.
People work and receive money from the government according to their
needs. It’s clear from this very basic description that the two world
superpowers held very different views on how their countries should be
run.
Each nation feared the other and many were worried that nuclear war
would break out between them. This built into a long-running series of
small conflicts that we now call the Cold War, which ran from 1947–1991.
Americans were very frightened that Russia would force all countries to
become Communist. They saw this as a direct threat to the American
way of living.
Enter: Joseph McCarthy. Joseph McCarthy was an American politician –

the Senator of Wisconsin – in the late 1940s and early 1950s. In February
1950, McCarthy gave a speech. He said he possessed a list of names of
“members of the Communist party and members of a spy ring” working
in the US government. Today, we know that McCarthy did not have a list.

However, at the time, his speech caused a huge public outcry and panic.
Before long, government institutions were being set up and tasked with
hunting down Communist spies in American society.
One institution was called the ‘House Committee on un-American

Activities.’ People were called to testify to this committee if they had an
influence on public life. This meant that writers, actors, directors, and
other creative people were regularly interrogated. Arthur Miller’s friends
were brought in front of the committee and some of them even accused
one another as being members of the Communist Party. This accusation
led to people being blacklisted from Hollywood, fined, or even
imprisoned. The growing frenzy of accusations at this time became
known as the ‘Red Scare,’ ‘McCarthyism,’ and interestingly, a
‘Communist witch hunt.’
As all of this unfolded around him, Miller began reading about the Salem
witch trials of 1692. He realized how powerful the connection between
the witch trials and the trials of his own time might be. The play explores
how quickly accusations grow out of control when they are fueled by
people in power. It shows how innocent people can become the target in
times of fear and how terror can cause people to betray their friends.
These kinds of issues weren’t just a thing of the past. In fact, to Arthur
Miller, they were still a very real part of his present.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
It’s always useful to know a little bit about the author or playwright
you’re studying. How does their life impact their work? What themes
were really important to them? What did they like to write about?
There is a lot to be said about Arthur Miller. We’ll provide you with some
basic information here, but remember, DT+ is full of helpful videos to
guide you. We’ve got Arthur Miller covered.
Why not watch the BBC’s helpful documentary, entitled

Arthur Miller? There’s even a section on The Crucible!
THE IMPORTANT BITS…

 Arthur Miller was born on October 17, 1915 in Harlem, New York City.
His father Isadore had moved to the United States from Poland. His
mother Augusta was the daughter of Austrian immigrants.
 Miller attended the University of Michigan and it was during his

studies there that he began to win awards for his very first plays.
 Miller’s first Broadway opening, The Man Who Had All the Luck,
proved not to be so lucky! It did very badly at the box office and
closed after only four performances. This made him consider quitting
writing altogether.
 Miller wrote 25 plays as well as screenplays, essays, stories, novels,

and an autobiography. A lot of his plays were heavily influenced by
the situation in America at the time. They heavily challenge the idea
of the ‘American Dream’ – that with hard work, you can achieve
anything in the United States.

 Miller would go on to receive every major award in his field, including
three Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy Award, and a John F.
Kennedy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
 Miller’s personal life was quite turbulent. He was married three times.
His first marriage was to his college sweetheart Mary Grace Slattery.
Miller had two children with Mary but left her for the actress Marilyn
Monroe. In 1956, Miller married Monroe and was catapulted into
celebrity status. They divorced after five years and in 1962, Miller
married Austrian-born photographer Inge Morath. The couple had two
children and remained together until her death in 2002.
 Miller has an ongoing reputation as one of the greatest playwrights of

the 20th century. He died aged 89 on February 10, 2005 at his home
in Connecticut.

PLOT SUMMARY
It’s important to understand what happens in the play, but if you’re
struggling to follow, don’t worry. Let’s look at the plot now. We’ll break it
down act by act.
ACT 1
The play opens in the New England town of Salem, Massachusetts. We

learn that the night before, girls were dancing in the forest with a black
slave named Tituba. Betty Parris, the daughter of the Reverend, is in a
coma-like state and rumors of witchcraft are spreading across town.
Parris has sent for Reverend Hale, who is known to be an expert on
witches.
Thomas and Ann Putnam arrive with news that their daughter Ruth also
seems to be bewitched. John Proctor comes to see what is wrong with
Betty and speaks with Abigail Williams alone. We learn that Proctor and
Abigail were involved in a romantic affair. This is still a secret in the town
but was discovered by Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife. Abigail still desires
Proctor and flirts with him, but he forcefully tells her that their
relationship is over.
Reverend Hale arrives and studies Betty. He aggressively questions

Abigail over their visit to the forest the night before. As he becomes
suspicious, Abigail eventually cries out that Tituba had called for the
Devil and made the girls join in. After further questioning, Tituba
confesses and repents, meaning she begs for forgiveness from God. She
begins to accuse other townswomen of having conspired with the Devil.
Abigail and Betty join in, hysterically chanting the names of people they
claim to have seen with the Devil.

ACT 2
A week passes. Proctor arrives home and Elizabeth tells him that a court
has been set up to try the women accused of witchcraft. Fourteen
people are already in prison awaiting trial and will be hanged if they do
not confess.
Mary Warren, the Proctors’ servant and a friend of Abigail’s, arrives

home from the court in Salem. She tells the Proctors that Elizabeth’s
name was brought up in court but that it was dismissed. Mary gives
Elizabeth a small doll or ‘poppet’ she has stitched during the trial. Mary
believes that many of the women on trial are witches and seems very
arrogant about her own role. Proctor and Elizabeth are horrified by this
attitude and Mary is sent to bed.
Reverend Hale arrives to question Proctor and Elizabeth on their

Christian values. He is interrupted by Giles Corey and Francis Nurse,
who have come to tell Proctor that their own wives have been arrested.
Hale is there looking for a poppet, a small doll or trinket that could be
associated with witchcraft. Elizabeth shows the doll that Mary has given
her. Upon inspection, the doll is shown to have a needle stuck in its
center. Hale comments that earlier that day, Abigail claimed to have
been stuck with a needle. He accuses Elizabeth of being the culprit.
Ezekiel Cheever, the man appointed by the court to arrest the accused
women, appears and takes Elizabeth to jail against the angry protests of
her husband.
Proctor furiously instructs Mary to come with him to court and to admit
that Abigail was the one who stuck the needle in the poppet. Mary
begins to cry and says that Abigail would kill her and charge Proctor
with “lechery” if they ever did so. Proctor realizes that Mary knows about
his affair with Abigail and that this secret will be made public if he goes

forward. However, he decides that he will ruin his reputation to save his
wife.
ACT 3
The next day, at court, Francis Nurse and Giles Corey plead with Judge
Hathorne and Deputy-Governor Danforth for the innocence of their
wives. Francis presents a petition of 91 signatures that were given in
support of his, Corey, and Proctors’ wives.
Proctor arrives with Mary and tells Danforth that she will confess that the
girls are lying. Danforth attempts to stop Proctor from proceeding by
telling him truthfully that Elizabeth is pregnant and will not face
execution until the baby is born. However, Proctor continues and Mary
testifies against Abigail and the other girls.
Abigail and the girls are brought in to respond to Mary’s accusations.

The court starts to doubt Mary when she is unable to pretend to faint as
she claims to have done so in the past. Suddenly, the girls begin to
accuse Mary of bewitching them and become hysterical.
Proctor reveals his affair with Abigail and says that her jealousy of
Elizabeth is the reason for her accusations. Abigail denies the affair.
Danforth decides to determine the truth by summoning Elizabeth, who is
known to be incredibly honest. Danforth asks why Elizabeth fired Abigail
and Elizabeth lies to protect Proctor’s reputation. Danforth condemns
Proctor as a liar.
Abigail and the girls again accuse Mary of bewitching them. As their
hysteria mounts, Mary gives in to the pressure and begins screaming
and accusing Proctor of witchcraft. Proctor protests but he and Giles
Corey are arrested. Hale is disgusted by the proceedings and quits the
court.

ACT 4
In a Salem jail cell, months have passed. It is now the day that Rebecca
Nurse and Proctor are to be hanged, having refused to confess to
witchcraft. Parris enters and explains that Hale has returned to try and
encourage Proctor and Rebecca to confess. This would save their lives
and protect the court from the fury that would follow the hanging of two
respected townspeople. Parris also admits he has been made penniless
after Abigail fled Salem, having stolen all of his money.
Danforth convinces Elizabeth to persuade Proctor to confess. Proctor

wants to live and initially agrees. He is pressured by Danforth to admit
that Rebecca Nurse was seen with the Devil but refuses to do so. When
he learns that his confession will be nailed to the church door for
everybody to see, Proctor changes his mind about confessing. This is
because a written confession would also provide evidence against the
others, which he refuses to do.
Proctor tears up the written confession, ignoring Hale’s protests. Hale

and Parris plead with Elizabeth to change her husband’s mind, but she
sees this as his moment of redemption. Proctor follows Rebecca Nurse
and the others to the gallows and to his death.
Like to learn by watching? Why not tune into

Unlocking Structure in The Crucible? You can learn
more about the plot and its dramatic structure.

ACTIVITY
There’s a lot to remember in this plot summary! Why not break down the summary into two small arrows per act.
You’ll end up with eight arrows in total that you can use in a flowchart. We’ve started the first one for you.
Girls in Salem have been caught dancing in the forest led by a slave Tituba. The
father of one of the girls – Betty Parris – calls for Reverend Hale, a witchcraft
specialist. We meet Abigail Williams and John Proctor who we learn have had an affair.

CHARACTERS
There are quite a few characters in The Crucible. We’re going to look
closely at some of the main characters, but we won’t spend too long on
the minor ones. Feel free to skip ahead to the character you’re most
interested in (or the one your teacher has told you to look at).
Remember, if you want to build your knowledge, the best place to begin
is by watching a production. We’ve a lot of different versions to spark
your interest.
JOHN PROCTOR
The play’s protagonist and tragic hero. If you want a great summary,
why not watch Unlocking Character: John Proctor.
Key facts:
 Farmer in his mid-30s  Admits to his affair to save his

wife
 Husband to Elizabeth Proctor
 Hanged because he refuses
 Has had a secret affair with
to sign a public confession
Abigail Williams
admitting witchcraft
 Has a good reputation in
Salem
Summary:
John Proctor is first introduced to us as a respected member of Salem’s

community. However, one of his first interactions is with Abigail Williams.
We learn that despite his upstanding reputation, he has been unfaithful
to his wife Elizabeth Proctor. This affair continues to haunt Proctor and

his relationship with his wife. We know that his marriage has been
difficult and that he feels like his wife is still very suspicious of him.
Proctor values his good reputation above everything else. He does not
want to go to the court because he knows that he would have to be honest
about the affair. However, as the play progresses, Proctor realizes he will
have to be honest about his affair with Abigail if he wants to save his wife
and bring an end to the witch trials. Unfortunately, his decision to confess
comes too late. Elizabeth is charged and Proctor is put in jail.
Look closer:
Proctor is a straightforward and ordinary man who gets caught up in the

hysteria of the witch trials. He is calm and rational and seems to
represent social decency in the play. However, he still carries his guilt
over the affair with Abigail. Proctor is his own worst critic and does not
seem to be able to forgive himself for what he has done. As Miller says
in the play: “He is a sinner, a sinner not only against the moral fashion of
the time, but against his own vision of decent conduct.” In Act 2, Proctor
lashes out against his wife, asking if she still doubts him. It’s likely that
she does, but it is equally as likely that Proctor feels guilty and so is
acting out against his wife.
Proctor’s pride in his reputation can be considered his hamartia, the

fatal flaw that leads to a tragic hero’s downfall. After all, his decision to
keep the affair secret allows Abigail’s accusations to grow out of hand.
At the end of the play, Proctor has the opportunity to redeem himself. He
tries to protect his wife and finally admits to the affair. However, he is too
late and the trials are out of control.
Proctor is a reluctant leader and speaks for those who oppose Parris and
the Putnams. At first, he only wants to save his wife. Over time, he
realizes how important it is to stand by his moral code and to protect the

other townspeople. He decides to go to the gallows rather than to sign a
public confession.
Key lines:
“Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my
hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never
touched, Abby.” (Act 1)
“You are pulling Heaven down and raising up a whore!” (Act 3)
“Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!

Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on
the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have
given you my soul; leave me my name!” (Act 4)
What other characters say about him:
“[…] this man is mischief.”

(Reverend Parris, Act 3)
“From the beginning this man has struck me true.”

(Reverend Hale, Act 3)
“Whatever you will do, it is a good man does it […] I never

knew such goodness in the world.”
(Elizabeth Proctor, Act 4)

ACTIVITY
Write your answers in the following table. Go through the play act by
act.
ACT 1 ACT 2 ACT 3 ACT 4
What does
Proctor want
most in this
act?
How does this

affect the
other
characters?
Does Proctor
get what he
wants at the
end of the act?

ELIZABETH PROCTOR
John Proctor’s wife. If you want to develop your learning, why not watch
On Acting: Anna Madeley? Anna performed as Elizabeth Proctor and
can provide some helpful insight into the character.
Key facts:
 Honest and religious  Has been distanced from her

husband
 Became very sick after
childbirth  Loyal to John and lies to
protect his reputation in court
 Struggles to forgive her
husband for his adultery
Summary:
Elizabeth Proctor is first introduced to us by Abigail Williams, who says

she is a “cold sniveling woman.” However, this is probably motivated by
Abigail’s jealousy – after all, Abigail wants to be in a relationship with
John Proctor. Elizabeth actually seems to have a good reputation in
Salem. When her name is first mentioned in court in connection with
witchcraft, the accusation is quickly dismissed. Later, Elizabeth is one of
the few wives that Giles Corey gathers support for. He reaches out to the
people of Salem and collects 91 signatures to confirm her good name.
Elizabeth appears in person in Act 2. The audience can quickly spot that
her marriage is struggling. Elizabeth still loves her husband but seems to
find it difficult to move on from her husband’s affair. We know that she
was ill and recovering from childbirth during the affair. We also know
that Elizabeth dismissed Abigail from the house once she found out. It’s

very likely that Elizabeth feels betrayed by her husband and insecure in
her relationship.
Elizabeth is known in the community for her honesty and John openly
states that she “cannot lie.” This makes her decision to lie about
Proctor’s affair in front of the court even more powerful. Elizabeth loves
her husband and wants to protect his reputation, even if it goes against
everything she stands for. Sadly, her decision to lie to spare Proctor’s
reputation backfires and he is arrested. This is an example of dramatic
irony, where the audience is aware of information that the characters do
not know. The viewer knows that Elizabeth’s lie will condemn her
husband. Elizabeth’s attempt to save him in fact achieves the opposite.
Look closer:
Proctor initially talks about his wife as though she is a cold woman
whose sense of right and wrong is simply unachievable. However, by the
end of the play, after three months of being alone in jail, Elizabeth
decides to place some of the blame for the affair on to herself. She
forgives Proctor completely and tells him that she can no longer judge
him for his affair. She acknowledges that she became distant and that
this would have made things difficult for him. Elizabeth encourages
Proctor to forgive himself and make his own decision on whether or not
he should hang. Ultimately, she stands by her husband’s final decision
and rejects Hale’s requests for her to change his mind.
Key lines:
“I am a covenanted Christian woman.”

(Act 2)

“It is her dearest hope, John, I know it. There be a
thousand names; why does she call mine? There be a
certain danger in calling such a name – I am no Goody
Good that sleeps in ditches, nor Osburn, drunk and half-
witted. She’d dare not call out such a farmer’s wife but
there be monstrous profit in it. She thinks to take my place,
John.” (Act 2)
“He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him.”
(Act 4)
What other characters say about her:
“She is a cold snivelling woman.”

(Abigail, Act 1)
“Oh, Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!”

(Proctor, Act 2)
“That woman will never lie, Mr Danforth!”

(Proctor, Act 3)

ACTIVITY
Imagine that you’re there when Proctor admits to Elizabeth that he has
been having an affair with Abigail. Write down how you would describe
the scene. Where are they? What time is it? What are they doing before
Proctor speaks? What would Proctor say and why would he choose to
admit to the affair now? How do you think Elizabeth reacts?
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ABIGAIL WILLIAMS
Reverend Parris’ 17-year-old niece.
Key facts:
 Orphaned and unmarried  Highly manipulative
 Ex-servant of the Proctors  Had an affair with John

Proctor and wants to be his
 Leads the other girls
wife
Summary:
Miller introduces Abigail Williams as a “strikingly beautiful girl, an

orphan, with an endless capacity for dissembling.” When you dissemble,
you hide your true feelings towards something. Abigail has no parents to
support her and has been working from a young age. She is a fiercely
independent character who relies only upon herself.
Abigail is portrayed as being in love with – or at least obsessed with –

John Proctor. She is driven by this obsession and hates that Proctor will
not continue with the affair. Abigail is young and powerless following her
dismissal from the Proctor household. She relies upon her uncle’s
kindness to keep a roof above her head and Elizabeth has insulted her
to the other townspeople. As an orphan and an unmarried girl, Abigail
has very low social status in Puritan society. She would have little
opportunity and could not influence the people around her. This begins
to change as the witch trials begin. In the courtroom, Abigail has
complete control and influence.
Abigail is very manipulative. She controls the people around her through
fear. When the girls panic at the beginning of the play, she threatens to

bring a “pointy reckoning” if they speak out against her. This is a
reference to a knife. Abigail will do anything to save herself: for
example, when Mary Warren testifies against her, Abigail quickly
accuses her of witchcraft. Through fear and manipulation, Abigail is able
to get the girls to follow her.
By the play’s conclusion, we learn that Abigail has fled from Parris’
home with her friend, Mercy Lewis. She has stolen 31 pounds from her
uncle’s strongbox. This would have been his entire fortune and a huge
amount of money at the time. Parris believes she is aboard a ship. By
this point, she has wreaked chaos across Salem and many of the
townspeople have been accused and hanged for charges of witchcraft.
Look closer:
Abigail is presented across the play in several negative ways: she’s

shown as a liar, manipulator, and highly dangerous. However, what if we
tried to think about her differently?
We know that Abigail is an orphan and – if we believe her – that she

witnessed the death of her parents. In Act 1, she says “I saw Indians
smash my dear parents’ heads on the pillow next to mine.” If this is true,
it’s a horrific thing for somebody to witness. We can tell that Abigail is
damaged from her childhood and this shows in her violent and self-
motivated behavior. Abigail will do what it takes to survive because as
an orphan, she has had to be fiercely independent for a long time.
We should also remember that Abigail is a young girl. She is only 17

years old. We know that she has had a relationship with Proctor in the
past. How old was she when this took place? It’s possible to look at the
events a different way: Abigail was taken advantage of by Proctor. She
clearly still has strong feelings for him and says that he “put knowledge
in my heart.” The first scene between the two is flirtatious and Proctor

admits that he still thinks about Abigail, saying, “Abby, I may think of you
softly from time to time.” It’s possible to view Abigail’s anger and violent
behavior as a childish response to how badly Proctor treats her.
What other characters say about her:
“She wants me dead, John, you know it!”

(Elizabeth, Act 2)
“She thinks to dance with me on my wife’s grave!”

(Proctor, Act 3)
“This girl has always struck me false!”

(Hale, Act 3)

ACTIVITY
Using the spider diagram below, pick eight adjectives that describe Abigail. Explain your reasoning and use
direct quotations from the play to justify your choices.
ABIGAIL
WILLIAMS

REVEREND PARIS
The Puritan minister of Salem.
Key facts:
 Betty Parris’ father and uncle  Overly concerned about his

to Abigail Williams reputation and position in the
community
 Unpopular in the town
Summary:
Reverend Parris is very worried about his position in the town. He is

portrayed as a greedy, ambitious man who does not want his position to
be taken from him. After witnessing his daughter’s coma-like state and
learning that the girls were dancing and conjuring spirits, Parris contacts
Reverend Hale. It is this action which sets the events of the play into
motion and begins the witch trials.
Parris is very unpopular across Salem. Many in the town think that he is
greedy and that he is not behaving in a religious way. Parris has tried to
increase his own salary. He also went against tradition by demanding
the deeds for the house he was gifted when he became a reverend.
Finally, we learn that he replaced the simple pewter candlesticks in
church with golden ones. These little examples provide us with the
image of a man who is greedy and ambitious. He wants all of the
benefits of being a reverend but does not like the responsibility that
comes with the job.

Look closer:
Parris supports the work of the court during the witch trials. However, he
is not as powerful as Hale or Danforth. As time progresses, he becomes
increasingly worried about where the hysteria might lead. This isn’t to
say that he’s concerned about anybody’s wellbeing. In fact, Parris is not
bothered about this at all! Instead, he is very worried about his own
wealth and power. By the end of the play, he begs Danforth to spare
Proctor and Rebecca Nurse. This is because he fears that the death of
such well-respected townspeople would lead to rioting and his position,
home, and life would be at risk.
By the play’s conclusion, Parris admits that Abigail has fled and stolen
all of his money. This is the ultimate punishment for a character who is
so obsessed with his wealth and power. He is left penniless with the
strong possibility of an uprising in the town.
“I have enough without I come file mile to hear him preach

only hellfire and bloody damnation.”
(Proctor, Act 1)
“My Parris, you are a brainless man!”

(Danforth, Act 4)

ACTIVITY
Using the sketch below, design a costume for Reverend Parris.

Remember that he is a higher status character and would wear clothing
that reflects this – a hat, collars, cuffs, and a coat. Don’t forget that he is
worried about what people think about him and that he is greedy. These
traits would definitely show in what he wears! If you need more ideas,
why not watch Act 1 of The Crucible for more inspiration?

REVEREND HALE
A young minister from Beverly and a known witch hunter. If you want to
develop your learning, why not watch On Acting: Adrian Schiller. Adrian
performed as Hale and can provide some helpful insight into the
character.
Key facts:
 Is considered an expert on  Begins to lose confidence in

witchcraft and the demonic the trials
arts
 At the end of the play, tries to
 Invited to examine Betty Parris save as many lives as
possible
Summary:
Reverend Hale is first introduced to us as a man of absolute self-

certainty. He is confident in his beliefs and feels he is an expert in
identifying witches. Miller portrays him as a self-confident reverend who
is proud to be doing God’s work by hunting out witches. He claims he
has ‘discovered’ one in Beverly and is summoned to Salem as an expert.
Hale speaks confidently on the topic of witchcraft and interrogates many
of the townspeople. He looks for evidence of poppets, questions
characters on their knowledge of the Bible, and even prays over Betty in
Latin. Of course, his confidence in his abilities does not last and by the
end of the play, everything he knows is thrown into doubt.
Look closer:
Hale’s character transforms as the play progresses. In Act 2, he visits the

Proctor household and interrogates Proctor and Elizabeth about his

Christian values. He assures them that people like Rebecca Nurse, who
have outstanding reputations, will be safe from arrest. He advises the
Proctors on how to avoid any further suspicion. In this way, we learn that
though Hale accuses people of witchcraft, he genuinely believes this is a
threat. He is not lying for personal gain or trying to manipulate the court.
He honestly believes in the role of God in the proceedings and feels that
innocent people will not be charged.
Of course, this belief is challenged as more and more people are

arrested. Hale begins to doubt the court and becomes increasingly
worried that innocent people are being killed. This frustration builds until
the events of Act 3. As Proctor is arrested, Hale condemns the court and
storms out.
In the final act, Hale is shown as a broken man. He desperately tries to

convince those awaiting the gallows to confess. This isn’t because he
thinks they are guilty, but rather is because a confession will save their
lives. He feels personally responsible for every townsperson who hangs.
“You are a coward! Though you be ordained in God’s own

tears, you are a coward now!”
(Proctor, Act 3)
“Mr Hale, believe me; for a man of such terrible learning

you are most bewildered.”
(Danforth, Act 3)

ACTIVITY
Write a “what happens next” scene for Reverend Hale. This will be after
the witch trials have happened. Try to imagine where Hale is now. Has
he been prosecuted for his involvement in the trials? Have rioting
townspeople gotten to him? Is he still a reverend? Has he turned to
witchcraft himself?
When you’re done, write a paragraph explaining your choices. Why have
you shown him this way? What evidence can you find in the play that
supports your scene?
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OTHER CHARACTERS
In this section, we’ll look briefly at some of the key facts of the other
characters in Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible.
Tituba:
 From Barbados  This sparks the hysteria in the

town
 Reverend Parris’ slave
 Accused of witchcraft by the
 Tries to raise the spirits of Ann
girls and forced to confess
Putnam’s dead children
 Creates a potion for the girls

to attract men
Mary Warren:
 Servant of the Proctors  Forced by Proctor to explain

she was lying in court
 Friends with Abigail and the
other girls  Switches side when the girls
turn against her
 Swept into the hysteria
Deputy Governor-Danforth:
 Deputy-Governor of  Deeply religious and sees

Massachusetts himself as doing the work of
God
 Oversees the witch trials and
presides over the court  Powerful and enjoys this
power

Betty Parris:
 10 years old  Her illness sparks the rumors

of witchcraft
 Daughter of Reverend Parris
 Abigail’s cousin
Thomas and Ann Putnam:
 Thomas is a wealthy farmer  Ann has lost seven children in

childbirth
 Involved in many disputes
about land ownership  Daughter Ruth asks Tituba to
raise the spirits of Ann’s
children
Francis and Rebecca Nurse:
 Both in their 70s  Rebecca is accused of

witchcraft by Ann Putnam
 Rebecca is very well
respected in the town  Rebecca refuses to plead
guilty to witchcraft and is sent
 Both are true Christians and
to the gallows
very devoutly religious
Giles Corey:
 A likeable but argumentative  Tries to reverse the conviction

old man but ends up being in contempt
of court
 Friends with Proctor
 After refusing to plead guilty,
 Accidentally accuses his wife
he is crushed to death with
of witchcraft after mentioning
heavy stones
her reading

Mercy Lewis and Susanna Walcott:
 Friends of Abigail  Susanna is one of the

youngest in the group
 Mercy flees with Abigail at the
end of the play
Judge Hathorne:
 Assists Danforth in the court  Does not tolerate protests or

proceedings challenges made to the
authority of the court
 Quick to jump to accusations
of contempt of court
Marshal Herrick:
 An officer of the court  Exhibits more kindness than

the others in authority
Ezekiel Cheever:
 Acts as clerk of the court  Helps to arrest the women

accused of witchcraft

RELATIONSHIP MAP

THEMES
When we talk about a play’s theme, we mean any idea or ideas that are
repeated across the text. We’re going to look at some of the common
themes that pop up across The Crucible – but remember, if you’d rather
watch, there are lots of videos on DT+ that will help you. Why not watch
Unlocking Theme: Hysteria in The Crucible for a great summary of one
of the major themes of the play?
FEAR
Fear is a key theme in The Crucible. Many of the characters of the play
are driven by different types of fear: fear of each other, fear of the law,
and fear of God. These different types of fear work together and build to
hysteria and chaos in the community. Let’s look at each type of fear in
turn, and how this relates to the play.
Many of the characters are afraid of what the other characters will do to
them. This sweeps them into a state of hysteria. In Act 1, Betty Parris is
described as being in a coma-like state. However, Abigail is able to
wake her up – suggesting that Betty is not really ill but is pretending to
be unconscious. It’s possible that Betty grew frightened when they were
spotted in the woods. She worried that she would be persecuted or
punished for her actions and fell into a hysterical state. In this way, fear
of punishment directly influences the events of the play.
Abigail uses this fear to her advantage. When Betty accuses Abigail,
yelling that she “drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife,” Abigail
replies:

“And mark this – let either of you breathe a word, or the
edge of a word about the other things, and I will come to
you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a
pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And you know I
can do it. I can make you wish you had never seen the sun
go down!” (Act 1)
Abigail’s threat frightens the other girls into obedience. They follow her
lead and join her when she begins to accuse women in the town of
witchcraft. This is not the only example of Abigail manipulating other
characters through their fear. Later, when Mary Warren tries to testify in
court against her, Abigail begins to accuse Mary of witchcraft. Mary is
swept into a growing fear that eventually results in her turning against
Proctor. She promises never to betray Abigail again.
Deputy-Governor Danforth and Judge Hathorne also represent the fear

that can be created by the justice system. As soon as Danforth sets up
the court in Salem, he lets it be known that those who do not confess will
be hanged. For example, in Act 2, Elizabeth says that “The Deputy
Governor promise hangin’ if they’ll not confess, John.” This creates a
fearful environment where many people admit to being witches simply to
avoid being killed. This shows how the law can sometimes be so biased
that it ‘creates’ crime. Many innocent people were forced to confess
simply because the consequence of being found guilty was too severe.
Danforth believes he is catching huge numbers of witches, when in fact
he has created such an environment of fear that people are falsely
confessing.
There are many characters who use the growing fear to their advantage.
Thomas Putnam is a wealthy landowner looking to build his wealth. He
knows that all of the accusations of witchcraft made by the children are
believed. If a person is accused of witchcraft and hanged, they lose all
their property. This frees up the land for the next wealthy person to buy

it. Putnam sees an obvious opportunity to seize land from his rivals. Giles
Corey says:
“The day his daughter cried out on Jacobs, he said she’d

given him a fair gift of land.”
(Act 2)
Unfortunately, the court does not listen to Giles Corey, who is eventually
killed. Putnam achieves what he wants by taking advantage of the
growing climate of fear.
It’s also important to remember the role of religion. Salem was a very
religious community. The Puritans believed that everybody was born
with sin and had to repent and live a good life to avoid hell. Fear of
going to hell was a real and permanent part of their daily lives. This is
why so many of the girls fall victim to hysteria: they are genuinely
frightened for their souls. The play shows us how dangerous it is to link
the justice system to religion. It easily provides an atmosphere where
fear can grow out of control. The fear for a person’s soul leads to very
harsh punishments for witchcraft in the court. The fear of being punished
by the court leads to hysteria. The hysteria is manipulated by those who
use fear to their own advantage.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that the noblest characters in the play are
those who can push past their fear. Giles Corey is tortured but refuses to
give in. He refuses to say he is guilty or innocent and, by doing so, is
able to find a loophole in the law. He dies a Christian and his sons are
able to inherit his property. Rebecca Nurse and Proctor also confront
their fears of dying and decide to stand by their morals. They refuse to
plead guilty and accept their fates.

ACTIVITY
Many characters wrestle with their fears across the play. Let’s focus on
some of the characters we’ve examined in this guide. Write down what
you think their fear is and then find a quote from the play to support your
claim. The first box is filled in for you.
CHARACTER FEAR QUOTE
Mary Warren Abigail Williams “She’ll kill me for sayin’ that! […]”
(Act 2)
Reverend
Parris
Reverend
Hale
Elizabeth
Proctor
Ann Putnam

RESPECT AND REPUTATION
The themes of respect and reputation are really important throughout

the play. In Salem, a good reputation was one of the most important
things you could have. It would shape the way people talked about you
and influence your daily life in a variety of different ways. For this
reason, almost all of the characters of the play will go above and
beyond to protect their reputation. We can see this from the very
beginning of the play. In Act 1, Reverend Parris says:
“I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-

necked people to me, and now, just now when some good
respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my
very character.”
(Act 1)
Parris is saying that it has taken him a long time to build his reputation
and to gain respect from the other townspeople. He worries that Betty’s
illness will risk this and ruin him. By introducing this theme so early into
the play, Miller reminds us that Salem is a town in which everybody is
trying their best to seem respectable – even if this isn’t really the case.
For example, the audience learns as the play progresses that Parris is a
weak-willed, greedy, and ambitious man. His interest in protecting his
name is entirely selfish and he shows no concern for those around him.
Parris is obviously trying to present himself one way, even if he is really

a completely different type of person. We refer to this as the tension
between the public and private character. The ‘public’ personality is the
one that everybody sees. The ‘private’ personality is the one that is true
to who we really are. This tension appears across the play in multiple
characters. Let’s look at Abigail as an example. Abigail wants to be seen
as a God-fearing, respectable woman in the town. She is highly resentful

that Elizabeth has damaged her name by saying bad things about her to
the other townspeople. She says:
“She is blackening my name in the village! She is telling

lies about me!”
(Act 1)
Abigail constantly describes herself as loving God and doing God’s

work. Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Abigail is
manipulative and uses the hysteria to begin accusing innocent
townspeople of witchcraft. She reminds the people around her that she
is doing God’s work to improve her own reputation. At the same time,
she protects her own name by damaging the reputations of those
around her.
Reputation is one of the key drivers for Proctor’s behavior across the
play. Proctor is well-respected in the Salem community. He is very quick
to call out the others for their sinful acts. However, in private, Proctor
wrestles with the guilt of committing adultery against his wife. If he had
been honest about his affair from the beginning, his reputation would be
ruined but many of the people accused of witchcraft would have been
spared – including his wife. However, he delays telling the court –
probably because he does not want the town to think badly of him. By
the time he realizes the errors of his ways, it is too late to change the
tragic ending of the play.
In Act 4, Proctor decides to confess to witchcraft in order to spare his life.

However, when he realizes the confession would be made public, he
changes his mind. This is because reputation is so important in the town
that it would have an impact upon his family and community. Proctor
feels like by admitting to something that he didn’t do, he would be
betraying the people who refused to confess to witchcraft. After all, a

confession implies that there were witches in Salem and the courts were
right to proceed. It would undermine the innocent people who refused to
cave in to the pressure and hysteria. At the same time, being publicly
convicted as a witch would ruin his family’s reputation. As he puts it:
“I have three children – how may I teach them to walk like

men in the world and I sold my friends?”
(Act 4)
Ultimately, Proctor decides to lie rather than live in shame. His

reputation is preserved and he also protects the reputations of the
others who have been accused. This has power of its own: the play
closes with the possibility of the remaining townspeople rioting as they
are furious that such well-respected people have been killed.

ACTIVITY
We’ve looked at what respect means to various characters in the play.

To build upon this understanding, why not think about how important
respect is to you? What would your own rules for respect be? Can you
provide a simple explanation of what respect means to you? Write down
a paragraph outlining your own definition of respect.
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SECRETS AND DECEIT
In The Crucible, characters are forced to lie to save themselves from

punishment. They admit to crimes they have never committed, or
conceal information to avoid unfair judgment. This is the bizarre nature
of Salem’s society at the time. Lies and secrets bubble under the surface
of the play and add to the tension as the play progresses.
The audience is quickly made aware of some key lies. In Act 1, we learn
that Abigail is lying to Parris about simply dancing in the forest. They
really did try to conjure spirits and Abigail drank a potion to kill
Elizabeth. Abigail threatens the other girls with violence and forces them
to keep this secret for the duration of the play. We also learn that Proctor
has had an affair with Abigail and that the other townspeople don’t know
about it. In both examples, the main motivation for keeping the secret is
to avoid punishment. Abigail’s game in the woods could result in an
accusation of witchcraft – a very serious accusation which could lead to
her death. Proctor wants to keep his affair secret because if it were made
public, it would completely destroy his reputation in the town.
The court’s role in secrecy and deceit is very interesting. The court is
supposed to be the place where truth is brought to light. The court
officials think they are doing God’s work and that justice will always be
served. Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In Danforth’s
court, the accused are almost always found guilty of witchcraft. If they
are found guilty and they had not confessed to the crime, they are
sentenced to death by hanging.
Try to think about this for a second. It’s helpful to put yourself in their
shoes. Let’s say you were accused of stealing a car. If you confess to the
crime and provide the name of at least one other person who was
involved, you’ll receive one month in prison. If you refuse to confess and

you’re found guilty, you’re sentenced to death. Your friends have also
been accused of stealing. You know they didn’t do it, but one by one
they are found guilty anyway and sentenced to death. Would you be
honest, knowing that you would be unfairly killed? Or would you lie and
receive a minor punishment?
This is the predicament that faces the townspeople of Salem in The

Crucible. The court is so unforgiving that the characters are forced to lie.
Most of them confess to crimes they didn’t commit.
It’s important to note that one of the key moments of the play involves a
lie. In Act 3, Elizabeth is brought in front of the court to defend her
husband. Proctor has admitted to his affair with Abigail, but Abigail
denies it. Danforth asks for Elizabeth to confirm or deny the allegations.
Proctor is pleased about this as he says his wife “cannot lie.” However,
in this crucial moment, Elizabeth chooses to lie to protect her husband’s
reputation.
This is a fascinating moment in the play. Until this point, Elizabeth is

portrayed as a distant woman with a very strong sense of right and
wrong. Proctor is convinced that she will be honest about his affair even
if it ruins his reputation. However, Elizabeth shows that she will break her
own moral code and lie if she thinks it will protect someone she loves.
Unfortunately, this lie condemns Proctor and he is sent to jail.
Honesty is portrayed as a virtue in this play. After all, to be honest in the

midst of so many lies is very difficult. We can see this brave approach in
some of the key characters of the play. Rebecca Nurse refuses to plead
guilty to a crime she did not commit. Giles Corey is pressed to death but
does not speak. Proctor decides to tell the truth and rips up his public
confession, choosing death instead. In this way, Miller reminds us that
honesty isn’t always easy. In fact, being honest can come with great
sacrifice – but remains the right thing to do.

ACTIVITY
In the list below, you’ll find some lies and secrets that are told in the
play. For each lie, answer the following questions:
● Why is the character lying about this?

● Why don’t they tell the truth?
When you’re done, number the lies in order. Put the most damaging lie
at the top of the list, and the least damaging lie at the bottom. Explain
your reasoning in a brief paragraph.
ORDER LIES
Abigail lies about seeing spirits.
Elizabeth lies about Proctor’s

adultery.
Abigail and Proctor keep their

past affair secret.
Mary Warren lies about Proctor

being a witch.
Thomas Putnam accuses his

neighbors of witchcraft.

LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
The Crucible is very rich in language. The way Arthur Miller uses
language can be intimidating – but don’t worry, we’re here to help. Don’t
forget, you should watch Unlocking Language Techniques in The
Crucible for a great starting point.
17TH-CENTURY LANGUAGE
Arthur Miller looked at the original transcripts of the Salem witch-trials

while writing The Crucible. A lot of the play’s language tries to recreate
the language used in these transcripts. However, it’s important to note
that the trials took place in the 17th century – that’s the 1600s. A lot of
the language that was used then is inaccessible to a modern audience
today. Miller decided to blend the old-fashioned language style he
found in the transcripts with modern speech. It is this hybrid form of
language that you can see in the play.
So, what does this mean in practice? Let’s look at some examples.
Firstly, Miller uses inverted sentence structures a lot. This means that
the word order is swapped around a little. Let’s look at two examples:
“Uncle, we did dance; let you tell them I confessed it.”

(Abigail, Act 1)
“Be you foolish, Mary Warren? Be you deaf?”

(Proctor, Act 2)
Miller was very deliberate with this style. The vocabulary, rhythms, and
patterns of speech of these characters directly mimics the writing style

and tone of the King James Bible. This is a very subtle way of showing
how religion influences the characters – right down to the ways that they
speak.
Miller also uses double negatives. These are covered in the video on
language, but let’s explore them briefly here. A double negative is any
sentence that includes two negative words. Here’s an example:
“I didn’t see no Devil.”

(Abigail, Act 1)
This language also helps to remind the audience of the setting. By using
old-fashioned language techniques like inverted sentence structures and
double negatives, we’re reminded that the play takes place in 17th
century Salem. However, the use of modern language as well as the
older phrasing could be a way of showing us that the story still has
modern applications. We can learn from the play and the themes that it
explores are still just as important today.
LANGUAGE AND CHARACTER
A character’s language choices can often tell us a lot about them. The
way a character speaks can tell us about their level of education, social
status, and profession. Parris, Hale, and Danforth speak very formally
even if they are outside of the courtroom. Let’s look at an example. In
Act 1, Hale interrogates Parris about Betty’s illness:

“[…] The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are
definite as stone and we must look only for his proper
signs and judge nothing beforehand, and I must tell you
all, that I shall not proceed unless you are prepared to
believe me if I should find no trace of hell in this.”
(Act 1)
In this example, Hale’s language is very formal. He does not use

contractions. Remember, a contraction is when two words are squashed
together and the missing letters are replaced with an apostrophe. For
example, ‘shall not’ might have been shown as ‘shan’t’ or ‘won’t.’ He
uses figurative language – did you spot the simile? It’s in the first line:
A simile is when one thing is compared to another thing using the

words ‘like’ or ‘as.’
“the marks of his presence are definite as stone.” By comparing the

devil’s presence to stone, he is saying that a witch or any sinful behavior
will be very obvious to spot. In this single quote, we can see that he is a
professional man with formal, educated language. We can also see that
he references Christianity a lot. In this way, even his profession as
reverend begins to creep into his choice of language.
In comparison, a lot of the characters of Salem use very simple,

unpolished language. They speak with a lot of colloquialisms, which are
informal words and phrases that you find in everyday language. They
use inverted word structures which suggests that they are not always
grammatically correct. For example, contrast Hale’s sentence with this
one from Giles Corey:

“It discomforts me! Last night – mark this – I tried and tried
and could not say my prayers. And then she close her
book and walks out of the house, and suddenly – mark
this – I could pray again!”
(Act 1)
The phrase ‘and then she close her book’ is not grammatical – it should
be ‘closes.’ This subtle choice of language reveals to the audience that
the character is uneducated. In fact, this also links to the subject he
discusses – Corey feels intimidated by his wife’s love of reading. In just a
few sentences, we know that Corey isn’t particularly smart.
LANGUAGE AND IMAGERY
The first draft of The Crucible was written entirely in verse. This means it
was originally written with rhythm and rhyme, like a poem or a song.
Miller decided this was too artificial and redrafted the play into dialogue,
which is spoken word. However, you can still see a lot of the poetic
language. The play is filled with imagery that supports the themes of the
play. For example, we see the struggle between evil and good through
the repeated imagery of black and white.
The concepts of ‘black and white,’ ‘right and wrong,’ ‘good and evil’ are
very important in the play. Danforth says that people can only be with
the court or against it – there’s no gray area between. Similarly,
reputations are described as perfectly clean or ruined. In Act 1, Parris
asks:
“Your name in the town is entirely white, is it not?”

(Act 1)

In Act 3, Danforth asks:
“Do you keep that black allegiance yet?”

(Act 3)
The use of black and white imagery helps the audience to understand
that in Puritan Salem, you are either good or evil, with no space for
anything else. Of course, this isn’t very true to reality. Most people will
do a mix of good and bad things in their lives. Consequently, refusing to
acknowledge that people are rarely wholly ‘good’ or ‘bad’ leads to the
chaotic events of the play. After all, showing even the slightest ‘bad’
behavior could lead to accusations of witchcraft and a death sentence.
Failure to attend church, being homeless, reading books… anything that
isn’t part of Puritan life is framed as being evil.
Similarly, Miller reminds us that religion is incredibly important in Salem

by including imagery that relates to the Devil and Hell. If you look at the
text, you’ll notice that you are never far away from a reference to the
Devil. In this way, Miller reminds us that the community were truly
terrified of sinning and going to Hell. Let’s look at some examples:
“I’d not call it sick; the Devil’s touch is heavier than sick. It’s
death, y’know, it’s death driving into them, forked and
hooved.”
(Ann Putnam, Act 1)
“There are wheels within wheels in this village, and fires

within fires!”
(Parris, Act 1)

“A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his
filthy face!”
(Proctor, Act 3)
Fire and heat are often associated with the Devil in the play. In contrast,
water and cold are often linked to God, purity, and righteousness. In Act
2, Proctor says that he will “fall like an ocean on that court.” This is
another example of a simile. He suggests that he will enter the court
“like an ocean” – with great, crashing power and force. In the same act,
Proctor says that “the wind, God’s icy wind, will blow.” Again and again,
we see religious purity and God’s power through the imagery of water
and ice.

ACTIVITY
Look closely at the language choices made by Proctor and Danforth.

Find and write down five examples of the blunt, simple language Proctor
uses. Below this, write down five examples of the formal and educated
language that Danforth uses. Compare and contrast your examples.
How different do the characters sound? How does the language reveal
their status? What can you learn about the characters through their
language choices?
Example 1
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Example 3
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Example 5
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LITERARY DEVICES
The Crucible uses literary devices to draw attention to themes or reveal
something about the characters. In this guide, we’ll look at three
examples. Remember, you should begin by watching Unlocking Literary
Devices in The Crucible!
METAPHOR
A metaphor is when you compare one thing to another without using the
words ‘as’ or ‘like.’ You basically say it is the other thing. In Act 2, the
audience is introduced to Elizabeth. She has a heated conversation with
Proctor, who claims that she still judges him for his previous affair.
Elizabeth says:
“I do not judge you. The magistrate that sits in your heart

that judges you.”
(Act 2)
In this statement, Elizabeth is comparing Proctor’s heart to a courtroom

and his conscience to a magistrate. She is saying that Proctor’s guilt is
entirely self-driven and comes from his own heart. By using a metaphor
that links to the law and the justice system, Elizabeth highlights the strict
judgement that Proctor has given himself. He is suffering because his
own heart has found him guilty.
SIMILE
A simile is when you compare one thing to another by using the words
‘as’ or ‘like.’ We can see another example of a simile in Act 2, when
Elizabeth comments on Abigail’s growing influence and fame in Salem:

“where she walks the crowd will part like the sea for
Israel.”
(Act 2)
Elizabeth is referencing the biblical story of Moses and the Israelites

fleeing from persecution. In order to make their escape, they had to
cross through the Red Sea. This should have been impossible, but God
was on Moses’ side. Moses divides the sea into two parts and pushed
them apart, creating a path that the Israelites could cross.
This is a very interesting simile because it shows us a lot about Elizabeth

and Abigail. Firstly, the biblical comparison shows us just how religious
Elizabeth is. She is applying the learnings of the Bible to her current
experiences. Secondly, Elizabeth seems to be showing Abigail’s huge
power and influence in Salem. After all, she is comparing Abigail to a
prophet. It’s possible she’s also suggesting that, like the sea in the
biblical story, the crowd will allow Abigail to escape her own persecution
– in this case, an accusation of witchcraft.
HYPERBOLE
Hyperbole is when a statement or figure of speech is used to hugely

exaggerate a point. During a heated conversation with Elizabeth, Proctor
says:
“Oh, Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer!”

(Act 2)
Beer freezes at a much lower temperature than water. By using this

phrase, Proctor is implying that Elizabeth’s justice – her sense of right

and wrong – is icy cold. It suggests that she follows a moral code that
normal people simply can’t tolerate.

GLOSSARY
Miller was writing about 17th century characters. For this reason, a lot of
his language is quite unfamiliar to us. To help, we’ve put together a
glossary of some key words that pop up regularly across the play.
TERM DESCRIPTION
Affidavit a written statement, made under oath.
Anarchy a state of lawlessness and disorder.
Arbitrate to act as an impartial judge in order to settle

disputes.
Autocracy a form of government that grants absolute power to

one person; a dictatorship.
Bewildered in the context of The Crucible, this word often

means ‘bewitched’ or ‘acting unnaturally.’
Calumny an untrue statement made with malicious intent to

damage somebody’s reputation.

Contemptuous full of scorn or disdain; used in The Crucible to
describe Giles Corey’s attempt to disrupt court.
Covenant a binding, religious promise to do – or indeed not

do – a specified thing.
Defamation the damaging of another person’s reputation

through false accusations
Deposition witness testimony
Excommunication exile from the church community
Gibbet a structure from which the bodies of those already

executed were re-hung for public viewing.
Goody an archaic word used to refer to a woman,

particularly an elderly woman or housewife.
Harlot a sexually immoral woman who exhibits

promiscuous behaviors.
Heathen an uncivilized or irreligious person.

Inculcate to impress upon the mind by repetition and
persistence
Ipso Facto Latin for ‘by the fact itself.’
Junctures points in time
Lechery the overindulgence of sexual desires; used in The

Crucible to refer to Proctor and Abigail’s affair.
Parochial of or relating to parishes; used in The Crucible to

refer to the narrow-mindedness of Salem.
Perjury the telling of a lie while under lawful oath.
Pontius Pilate the governor of Judea who presided over the

interrogation of Jesus in the Bible.
Poppet an archaic word used to refer to a doll.
Theocracy a government that claims to rule with divine

authority; the conflation of church and state.

Trepidation anxiety; nervousness
Truck in the context of The Crucible, meaning ‘to have

dealings with.’

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UNLOCKED STUDY GUIDE:

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 2

LET’S TALK ABOUT RELIGION

In simple terms, Puritanism is a very strict branch of the Protestant Church.

● Worshipping God should be done simply and was at the center of

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 3

The Puritans were ruled by a theocratic society. Theocracy means ‘rule

Can you think of any modern examples in the world where

Why do you think Arthur Miller chose to set the play in a

THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 4

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 5

Enter: Joseph McCarthy. Joseph McCarthy was an American politician –

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 6

One institution was called the ‘House Committee on un-American

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 7

Why not watch the BBC’s helpful documentary, entitled

THE IMPORTANT BITS…

 Miller attended the University of Michigan and it was during his

 Miller wrote 25 plays as well as screenplays, essays, stories, novels,

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 8

 Miller has an ongoing reputation as one of the greatest playwrights of

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 9

The play opens in the New England town of Salem, Massachusetts. We

Reverend Hale arrives and studies Betty. He aggressively questions

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 10

Mary Warren, the Proctors’ servant and a friend of Abigail’s, arrives

Reverend Hale arrives to question Proctor and Elizabeth on their

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 11

Abigail and the girls are brought in to respond to Mary’s accusations.

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 12

Danforth convinces Elizabeth to persuade Proctor to confess. Proctor

Proctor tears up the written confession, ignoring Hale’s protests. Hale

Like to learn by watching? Why not tune into

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 13

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 14

 Farmer in his mid-30s  Admits to his affair to save his

John Proctor is first introduced to us as a respected member of Salem’s

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 16

Proctor is a straightforward and ordinary man who gets caught up in the

Proctor’s pride in his reputation can be considered his hamartia, the

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 17

“You are pulling Heaven down and raising up a whore!” (Act 3)

“Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!

What other characters say about him:

“[…] this man is mischief.”

“From the beginning this man has struck me true.”

“Whatever you will do, it is a good man does it […] I never

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 18

ACT 1 ACT 2 ACT 3 ACT 4

How does this

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 19

 Honest and religious  Has been distanced from her

Elizabeth Proctor is first introduced to us by Abigail Williams, who says

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 20

“I am a covenanted Christian woman.”

Unlocked Study Guide: The Crucible | Digital Theatre+ 21

What other characters say about her:

“She is a cold snivelling woman.”