Arthur Millers THE CRUCIBLE Theocracy A system of

Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE

Theocracy �A system of government in which a deity (such as the Christian God) is recognized as the supreme civil ruler �A state or government run by priests

Crucible �A container (of metal or ceramic) used for heating substances at high temperatures � A hollow area at the bottom of a furnace where metal collects � A severe test or trial

Setting � Time: 1692 -3 � Place: Salem, MA � Significance: ? ? ?

Irony � Act I �“The Devil is precise” �Men suggest names to Tituba �Tituba voices her true feelings about Parris in “confession” � Act II �John forgets adultery commandment �Hale’s continued confidence in the court �The poppet

Irony, cont’d � Act III �“No innocent man need fear the court. ” �Witchcraft = sin. Lie = sin. Your choice! ○ Don’t confess = hanged. Confess = jail. �Guileless Elizabeth lies to save John � Act IV �Hale’s transformation and new mission (life over lies)

Theme: Personal Integrity � John’s “good name” dies finally doing the right thing for his own soul � Pride: good or bad? �John stays silent to protect himself �Elizabeth lies to protect John �John regains pride in his actions as a martyr � Hale’s mission in Act IV: life over lies � Reputation (possibly ironic!)

Theme: Theocratic Intolerance � Church = government sin = crime any deviation from society’s morals = criminal because also sinful �First accused are unrespectable or powerless � “A person is either with this court or he must be counted against it” � Greedy/vengeful (Abby, Parris, Putnam) feed the hysteria supported by theocratic court system

Theme: Guilt and Forgiveness � Judgment: who can truly judge? � Guilt/shame keeps John silent re: affair � Witches’ “confessions” � When does Elizabeth truly forgive John? � When does John truly forgive himself?

Tragic Hero: John Proctor � Well-respected farmer, member of the church � PRIDE � Does not immediately expose girls personal vanity, would = confessing his sin of adultery � Regains integrity by refusing to confess to witchcraft hanged

Dynamic Character: Rev. Hale � Act I: Believed in his expertise re: witches; firmly convinced girls are afflicted � Act II: Tries to mitigate suspicions; shocked by Rebecca’s arrest but confident the court will find her innocent � Act III: announces belief in John, not Abby; quits the court on John’s arrest � Act IV: Tries to convince accused to lie to save their lives; no faith in court

Antagonist: Abigail Williams � Acts out of vengeance and desire �Drinks charm to kill Elizabeth �Refuses to accept John’s rejection �Accuses others to spare herself shame, humiliation, and punishment �Accuses others to lead up to accusing Elizabeth

Foil: Elizabeth Proctor � Virtuous but finds it difficult to fully forgive John’s infidelity � “Cold” � Lies only to save John supports his ultimate choice

Summary: Act I � Betty Parris (daughter of minister) catatonic � Abigail (cousin) admits girls danced in play � Ruth Putnam sick = witchcraft? � Abby drank charm to kill Mrs. Proctor! � Abby threatens girls � Abby flirts with John rejects her

� Putnam & Proctor argue about land � Rev Hale (witch expert) examines Betty devil’s work � Mrs. Putnam jealous of Rebecca Nurse � Abby blames Tituba � Tituba questioned, names other witches � Girls begin “crying out”

Summary: Act II � Elizabeth and John still awkward � Elizabeth angry John lied about being alone with Abby � Mary Warren (servant) = court official, made a poppet in court � Sarah Good and Osburn condemned � Rev. Hale questions “Christian character” of the Proctors � John forgets adultery commandment

� Francis Nurse and Giles Corey wives arrested, Hale incredulous � Cheever has a warrant to search house for poppets � Needle in poppet! Abby stabbed by needle, accuses Elizabeth � Elizabeth arrested, John vows to bring her home

Summary: Act III Court – Francis Nurse and Giles Corey bring depositions re: wives’ innocence � Proctor brings Mary Warren to confess girls were pretending � Abby questioned maintains her stance, threatens Danforth � Abby and girls pretend to be taken by devil – Abby calls on God � Proctor grabs Abby, calls her harlot and liar �

� Proctor confesses affair and reveals Abby’s motive � Elizabeth questioned – lies to save John (thinks Abby accused him) � Abby and girls scream at yellow bird Mary witching them � Mary breaks down under pressure, accuses John � John says God is dead, is arrested

Summary: Act IV 3 months later � Jailed accused losing their minds � Parris reports Abby stole all his money and disappeared � Unrest in Salem oppose Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor hanging � Guilt-driven Hale trying to save lives through accused confessing (lie for life = sin) � Danforth refuses to pardon John �

� Hale asks Elizabeth to convince John to sign confession � Elizabeth tells John to do what he thinks best � John signs confession, does not want confession displayed in public � John tears up confession, dies for his personal dignity

Salem Witch Trials Memorial Park in Salem, MA

Judge Hathorne’s Gravestone