The Crucible

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The Crucible

• S5

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Key facts

• full title
• The Crucible
• author
• Arthur Miller
• type of work
• Play
• genre
• Tragedy, allegory
• time and place written  
• America, early 1950s
• setting (time) 1692
• setting (place)  Puritan Salem, a small town in
  colonial Massachusetts

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• PLOT   For many hundreds of years throughout
  Europe there was a belief in witchcraft. At
  times this belief developed into hysterical fear,
  leading to campaigns of persecution against
  suspected witches. A small town in New England
  succumbs to the hysteria of witchcraft when two
  young girls (Abigail and Betty) appear to be
  bewitched and allegations are made against many
  innocent people. At the same time, John Proctor
  struggles with his own guilty conscience over his
  recent infidelity with Abigail Williams.

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THE CRUCIBLE BY ARTHUR MILLER
Born on October 17, 1915 on 112th Street in Manhattan. Family was middle class and Jewish. He went to grammar school in Harlem and high school in Brooklyn. He got a job as a "loader" and shipping clerk and managed to pay his own way at the University of Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1938. Miller was also a public figure. In 1956, he appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee. He refused to name people who were thought to be members of the Communist Party. Because he refused to give the names of the people at the meeting, Miller was convicted of contempt of Congress in 1957. The Supreme Court reversed this in 1958. This political witch-hunt, known as McCarthyism after Joseph McCarthy, inspired Miller to write The Crucible. In 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy of West Virginia, began accusing people in the government of being or supporting Communists. Fear broke out in the American public, much like the fear that erupted in Salem once people were accused of witchcraft. Miller wrote the play from the standpoint that people must not only be careful about how they react to situations, but that they also cannot avoid involvement in issues, for that would mean to deny one's own personal responsibility in the human race. Miller married three times and died early in 2005. Some of Miller's famous plays include Death of a Salesman-1949, All My Sons, The Crucible-1953 and A View From the Bridge.
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Who were the Puritans?

• Definition Refers to the movement for reform,
  which occurred within the Church of England
  between the time of Elizabeth and Charles II.
• The Puritans wanted to rid the Church of any
  Catholic residue and build upon the ideas of John
  Calvin. When Elizabeth died and Charles II
  dissolved parliament, and any connection between
  church and state, he demanded that anyone be
  killed who did not support the new Anglican
  Church. Hence, religious persecution began for
  the Puritans.
• Left for the new world in 1620 and established
  the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

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The Puritan community was a theocracy, a
government which blends church and state. The
churchs officials were the governments
officials. Thus, church and state were not
separate.
Because of the theocratic nature of the society,
moral laws and state laws are one and the same
sin and the status of an individuals soul are
matters of public concern. There is no room for
deviation from social norms, since any individual
whose private life doesnt conform to the
established moral laws represents a threat not
only to the public good but also to the rule of
God and true religion. . In Salem, everything
and everyone belongs to either God or the Devil
dissent is not merely unlawful, it is associated
with satanic activity. This dichotomy functions
as the underlying logic behind the witch trials.
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Theological Beliefs Espoused by the Puritans
These beliefs originated in Calvinism.

• Total depravity Humankind is totally sinful
  through the fall of Adam and utterly unable to
  work out their own redemption.
• Unconditional election (Predestination) God is
  under no obligation to save anyone. He saves or
  elects those who he wills with no reference to
  good works.
• Limited atonement Christ died only for the
  elect.
• Irresistible grace Gods free grace is neither
  earned nor refused. Anyone who has it, has it.
• Perseverance of saints Those whom God has chosen
  have thenceforth full power to do the will of God
  and the ability to live uprightly to the end.

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The Puritan Dilemma

• Puritanism required
• That a man devote his life to seeking salvation
  but told him
• he was helpless to do anything evil.
• That he rest his whole hope in Christ but taught
  him that Christ would utterly reject him unless
  before he was born, God had foreordained his
  salvation.
• That man refrain from sin but told him he would
  sin anyhow.
• That he reform the world in the image of Gods
  holy kingdom but taught him that the evil of the
  world was incurable and inevitable.
• That he work to the best of his ability at what
  ever task was set before him and partake of the
  good things that God had filled the world with
  but told him he must enjoy his work and his
  pleasures only, as if it were, absentmindedly,
  with attention fixed on God.
• Edmund S. Morgan, Historian

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Signs of Puritan Decay

• Visible decay of godliness
• Manifestations of pride,especially among the rich
• Violations of the Sabbath
• Rise in contentious lawsuits
• Sins of sex and alcohol on the rise
• Decay in business morality laborers underpaid,
  lying, etc
• Lack of desire to reform

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Witchcraft

• For many hundreds of years throughout Europe
  there was a belief in witchcraft. At times this
  belief developed into hysterical fear, leading to
  campaigns of persecution against suspected
  witches. Some of them might have had a knowledge
  of herbal medicine or other folk remedies.
  Superstitious people would assume they had
  magical powers or were in league with the devil.
• In a time of fear it would be easy to accuse
  someone you did not like and very difficult for
  the accused to prove their innocence.
• Some scholars became experts in witchcraft and
  believed they knew how to identify witches. It
  was thought that witches were agents of the Devil
  and that they could change their shape.
• Many thousands of people accused of being witches
  were tortured and executed throughout the Middle
  Ages and up to the seventeenth century.
• The authorities used the text from Exodus 2218
  to justify these killings Thou shalt not suffer
  a witch to live.

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Salem

• This belief in witchcraft persisted among the
  English colonists in America. In 1692 there was
  an outbreak of accusations of witchcraft in
  Salem, Massachusetts.
• The colonists there were Puritans who followed a
  particular form of Protestant Christianity and
  would tolerate no other. They felt surrounded by
  ungodly people and associated the forest with
  savages and with evil.
• Two young girls had been taking part in magical
  ceremonies. Ministers, doctors and magistrates
  were called in and soon accusations were
  multiplying.
• Before the panic had burned itself out, twenty
  people had been executed (one man was pressed to
  death by stones) and about two hundred had been
  accused.
• Later some of the witnesses and judges who had
  been involved publicly regretted what had taken
  place.

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The Salem Witch Trials, 1692

• Innocent prank caused mass hysteria during time
  of unrest
• Hysteria implies Puritans deep belief in
  supernatural
• Puritans cannot handle anything threatening the
  quest for perfection/religious purity (magic is
  out of place)
• Puritans brought pre-existing ideas about women
  magic to colonies
• Women evil sexual--targets for Devil

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Am I a witch?

• One of these people were accused (and imprisoned)
  for being a witch during the salem trials. Can
  you guess which one? Give reasons for your
  answer.

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• Dorcas Good
• She was Sarah Good's daughter.
• 5 years old
• Fond of snakes
• Sarah Good
• She was a homeless woman and begged door to door.
  
• She would mumble words under her breath if people
  failed to give her alms.

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• George Burroughs
• He was the second Salem Village minister
• He had five children.
• He was widowed three times.
• Giles Corey
• He had a criminal record mostly for stolen foods
  and tobacco.
• 80 years old

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You're Accused! It's the spring of 1692 in
Salem, Massachusetts.  You've just been accused
by "an afflicted girl" of being a witch.  The
reason for the accusation against you might have
been any from a long list of possibilities. 
Perhaps you're reclusive, talk to yourself, or
exhibit some other form of eccentric behavior. 
Perhaps you were involved in a previous dispute
with the family of the afflicted girl.  Perhaps
you don't go to church, or go to the wrong
church, or sided with the wrong faction in recent
congregational strife within the Salem Village
Church.  Perhaps you speak French or are
suspected with having aided the Wabanakis in the
recent Indian wars.  Or perhaps you expressed
support for a recently accused witch or--worse
yet--accused the accusers of lying.  Whatever the
reason, you're in big trouble now.  What do you
do?  (Pick an option below).
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Options

• Flee Salem
• Accuse Someone Else
• Get pregnant
• Confess
• Go on trial
• Refuse to stand for trial

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Options

• Flee SalemGood idea, if you can swing it. 
  Several accused witches did escape from jail and
  survive the 1692 hysteria.  They included Philip
  and Mary English, John Alden, Hezekiah Usher, and
  Mrs. Nathaniel Cary.   However, all these accused
  persons had either money or influence that made
  their escape possible.  You don't have either. 
  Try your next option.
• Accuse Someone ElseThe theory here is that if
  you're afflicted by witchcraft, you can't be a
  witch yourself.  This theory even convinced some
  daughters to testify against their own mothers. 
  It's not a bad idea (if you have no conscience),
  but--sorry--it's too late now.  You should have
  thought of this idea a few days ago.  Now, your
  accusation will look like an obvious attempt to
  distract attention from your own guilt.  The
  accusation of witchcraft has been made against
  you and you're still going to have to deal with
  it.  Pick another option.

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• Get Pregnant This isn't as silly an idea as it
  sounds.  Pregnant women, even if convicted of
  witchcraft, would not be executed so long as they
  remained pregnant.  The theory is that even if
  you deserve death, the baby inside you does
  not--so the officials will put off your
  execution.  This was called "reprieve for the
  belly." Of course, you still might be executed
  eventually, but the hope is that the hysteria
  won't last another nine months. One slight
  problem, however.  Who will you find in jail to
  impregnate you?  Sorry, this option is not
  available Try another!
• ConfessThis route, pioneered by accused witches
  Tituba and Deliverance Hobbs, turned out to be a
  life saver.  Confessing witches weren't
  executed.  Instead, they were kept apart from
  other prisoners, to be called upon in trials when
  their testimony might be helpful to the
  prosecution.  The Puritans believed that once a
  person made a full confession, his or her fate
  should be left in God's hands, not man's. 
  Fifty-five persons in the Salem area confessed to
  witchcraft in 1692, adding substantial
  credibility to the initial charges of witchcraft
  made by the afflicted girls. Do you really want
  to admit to being a witch?  Is this something you
  want on your resume?  If not, try another
  option..

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• Plead Innocent and Stand for Trial This is the
  approach that led to nineteen innocent persons
  being carted off to Gallows Hill during the
  summer of 1692.  If you plead innocent, you'll
  have to face trial without a lawyer and without
  the ability to call witnesses on your own behalf,
  answer unanwerable questions ("If you're not a
  witch, how do explain the fact that these
  afflicted girls fall into fits the minute you
  enter the room?")--all before a court that
  unanimously believes in witchcraft and believes
  that you're guilty.  This approach looks
  hopeless.  You better try another option.
• Refuse to Stand for Trial Octogenarian Giles
  Corey gave this option a try.  Knowing the fate
  that awaited him if he stood for trial, Giles
  refused to answer the ritual question, "Will you
  be tried by your God and your country (that is, a
  jury)?"  The penalty for refusing to answer was
  peine forte et dure, an especially unpleasant way
  of going that involves piling heavy stones on
  your body until you either agree to stand trial
  or are crushed to death. I don't think you want
  to go through with this.  Better try another
  option.  

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The Crucible is a play by Arthur Miller which
explores the Salem Witch Trials.
A Crucible is a severe test.
It does not maintain authentic situations from
the historical events. However, it does
demonstrate how hysteria and blind faith can
corrupt individuals, even those with good
intentions.
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The play is social commentary made by Miller in
response to the McCarthy Un-American, witch hunt
trials of the 1950s.
"The reason why we find ourselves in a position
of impotency is not because the enemy has sent
men to invade our shores, but rather because of
the traitorous actions of those who have had all
the benefits that the wealthiest nation on earth
has had to offer - the finest homes, the finest
college educations, and the finest jobs in
Government we can give."
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The Film

• The Crucible
• Film (1996)
• Dir. Nicholas Hytner
• DISCLAIMER
•  
• Just as Arthur Miller changed history for his
  own artistic ends, so too did the director with
  his film version of the play. It may differ
  slightly from the original text, which is what we
  will be using for our exam answers.
• The film WILL help with your understanding of the
  plot etc. but NEVER base an essay/exam answer on
  the film. You have been warned.
• WATCH THE FULL FILM HERE  http//vimeo.com/5298940
  3

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AS YOU WATCH take notes on

• Important characters
• Important events
• Relevant aspects of setting
• Possible themes

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AFTER YOU HAVE WATCHED

• Discuss with a partner and take notes on how
  suitable you think the title The Crucible is
  for this play. Dictionary definitions are
  included below to help you.
•  
• A vessel for melting a substance at a very high
  temperature.
•  
•  
•  
• A severe test or trial
• A situation in which interacting influences
  produce something new.

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READ THE FULL TEXT HERE 

•  http//asbamericanlit.edublogs.org/files/2011/10/
  21078735-The-Crucible-Arthur-Miller-2hmdzot.pdf
•  
• NOW
• do homework sheet ONE on The Prologue

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Setting in the Crucible
COPY

• The Crucible is set in Puritan New England in
  1692. The action takes place between spring and
  autumn in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the
  town of Salem and the surrounding countryside.
  Salem was a theocracy in which the Christian
  moral law, as interpreted by the Puritan settlers
  of the town, was supreme.  
• Puritanism began in England in the 1500's when
  reformers attempted to purify the Protestant
  Church of England with the pure word of the
  Bible. Several thousand Puritans came to America,
  settling in Virginia and the Massachusetts Bay
  Colony, to establish and practice their religion.
  The Puritans were sombre, disciplined people who
  did not allow any frivolity to come between them
  and their work. Miller researched the period in
  great detail to make his portrait of Salem life
  as authentic as possible.
• Each of the settings in the play reflects Salem
  life and can give us insights into the characters
  and their motivations. Miller gave each of his
  acts a single setting and because of this, each
  of the settings can offer a different view of
  life in Salem. Act One takes place in the
  bedroom of Betty Parris and the initial stage
  directions help us to understand not only what
  life was like in Salem but also how the events in
  the play will unfold as they do.

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Read the stage directions and complete the
table below to show how they reinforce what we
already know about life in Salem.
POINT EVIDENCE COMMENT
Salem was a new town
They were god fearing people
No self expression was allowed
They lived simply
Now read up to the entrance of John Proctor
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The Crucible Scene OneUnderstanding Questions

• What happened in the woods the night before Act
  One begins?
• How did the events come to light?
• b) Why do Betty and Ruth behave as they do?
• Why is the town so stirred up by these events?
• Are the girls actually guilty of witchcraft?
• What is Reverend Parris first reaction to the
  crisis?
• What reason does Ann Putnam have to be resentful?
• b) How was she involved in events in the forest?
• What reason does Thomas Putnam have to be
  resentful?
• Why do the girls argue about whether or not to
  tell the truth?
• How does Abigail eventually get her way?
• Comment on Abigail, Betty Ruth, Mercy, Tituba and
  Marys mental states in this scene.

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The Crucible Scene OneAnalysis Questions

• Find three pieces of evidence to show how Tituba
  is shown to be an outsider from the very start of
  the play.
• Already, we see that Salem is a town full of
  conflicts. Identify 3 examples of
  individuals/groups in conflict in scene one and
  provide quotations.
• The audience are introduced to Abigail Williams
  in scene one. She does not behave like a typical
  girl of her age and society. Name three ways in
  which this is shown to be true.
• b) Are there any reasons to feel sympathy for
  Abigail?
• By the end of the scene, the main players could
  choose to put an end to proceedings. It is this
  choice that allows the drama to escalate.
  Identify the course of action available to each
  and comment on why you think they dont take it.
  (Abigail, Putnam, Parris and The Girls)
• Miller shows how quickly lies and gossip can
  corrupt people. Provide three quotations to
  show that this is happening already in Salem.

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Copy and complete the following table to show
the various different attitudes towards
witchcraft displayed in Scene 1. Some can appear
contradictory this is the wonder of human nature
as Miller presents it. Be sure to include all
you can.
Character Quotation Comment
Parris there be no unnatural cause He is scared for his reputation and doesnt want gossip spreading. As a spiritual man this is quite odd. With Puritan attitudes to witchcraft etc we would expect him to be concerned for Bettys soul and wellbeing before himself. Only concern is for his position and the reaction of his enemies.
Now read up to the entrance of Rev Hale.
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John Proctor John Proctor is the main
character of the play and as such it is very
important that we pay close attention to how
Miller introduces his hero  .

• 1) Millers brief prose insert about John paints
  a vivid picture. What information are we given?
  Use bullet points. 
• 2) John Proctor is described by Miller on p27 as
  a sinner who has come to regard himself as a
  kind of fraud.
• b) What evidence is there of how he has sinned in
  the next few pages?
• c) Why does he consider himself guilty of
  fraud?
• 3) How does he feel about his sin? Quote and
  explain.
• 4) From the information we are given compile a
  series of events that outlines the affair from
  beginning to end (you may have to look back to
  scene one fro some information).
• b) What does Proctors treatment of Abigail in
  this scene tell us about his character?

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• 5) What is his initial reaction to the reports of
  witchcraft? 
• 6) How does Proctor explain his absence from
  Church to Parris? Quote and explain. 
• 7) What is revealed about the relationship
  between Proctor and Parris?  
• 8) What does this tell us about Proctors
  character? 
• 9) What is revealed about the relationship
  between Proctor and Putnam?
•  10) What does this tell us about Proctors
  character?
• Now write a paragraph about how the character is
  presented to the audience in scene two, using
  quotations from the play.

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Abigail

• Why was Abigail really fired from being a servant
  to the Proctors?
• Why does Abigail dislike Elizabeth Proctor so
  much?
• What was her real reason for being in the
  forest?
• How does Miller show her power over the other
  girls?
• COMPLETE a mind-map where you note down all the
  facts that we have learned, opinions we have and
  judgements we have made so far.

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Halehave no fear we shall find (the devil)
out if he has come among us and I mean to crush
him utterly)

• Read scene three and write the report that Hale
  send to Danforth after the events of Act One.
  You should mention
• Why he first came to Salem
• His impressions of the people
• His reaction to events in the Parris household
• His assessment of the witchcraft in the
  village/children
• What he believes to be the best course of action

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Scene Three Questions

• 1. When Reverend Hale first arrives, he enters
  Parris' home carrying something. What is he
  carrying and why would the author choose this
  object for this character?
• 2. Giles tells Hale that John Proctor doesn't
  believe in witches. What is John Proctor's
  response?
• 3. Rebecca Nurse makes a comment to Mrs. Putnam
  before she leaves Parris' home to go home. What
  is it and what is she implying?
• 4. Giles asks Hale about his wife's behaviour.
  What is he concerned about?
• 5. There is a disagreement about the kettle in
  the forest. Who disagrees and what about?
• 6. In Act 1, when Abigail feels cornered by Hale,
  she shifts the blame. Who does she blame and for
  what?
• 7. Does Tituba come up with the idea of other
  townspeople talking to the devil? Why do you
  think she confesses?
• 8. What was Titubas initial motivation for
  accusing others? Second? Third?
• 9. What was the girls initial motivation for
  accusing others? Second? Third?

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Hysteria in The Crucible

• Act One begins quietly with a young girl lying
  unresponsive on a bed. By the end of the Act,
  eleven people have been accused of witchcraft.
• Hysteria, superstition and gossip are other
  factors that contribute to the escalation of the
  situation in Salem. Act One shows JUST how
  quickly rumours can spread in a small, fearful
  town such as Salem and demonstrates the power of
  gossip and fear
• Reading from scene one, make a note of ALL the
  instances of gossip/superstition and rumour of
  witchcraft that would play a part in allowing the
  situation to escalate as people get more afraid.
• DETAILS pg 17/18 Susanna Walcott you might look
  to unnatural things for the cause of it
• WHO IS INVOLVED Parris/Susanna/Dr Griggs

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For example

• DETAILS pg 17/18 Susanna Walcott you might
  look to unnatural things for the cause of it
• WHO IS INVOLVED Parris/Susanna/Dr Griggs
• DETAILS pg 21 Mrs Putnam
• DETAILS pg 28 John Proctor
• DETAILS pg 30 Putnam
• DETAILS pg 32 Rebecca Nurse
• DETAILS pg 43 Giles Corey

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Gossip

• See how fast gossip can spread and how much
  damage it can cause...
• Three college students chose a class project on
  Gossip and how fast it spreads, which spirals out
  of control.
• http//www.amazon.co.uk/Gossip-DVD-James-Marsden/d
  p/B000056BB4/refsr_1_1?sdvdieUTF8qid13853762
  77sr1-1keywordsGossip

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A Tragedy

• A story about serious issues
• It ends unhappily
• It usually ends with the deaths of the main
  characters
• The main characters death is usually a result of
  his or her own downfall

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A Tragic Hero

• Aristotles classic definition of a tragic hero
  is someone of high rank who embodies nobility yet
  has a fatal flaw which leads to his inevitable
  downfall e.g. Macbeth, Romeo etc. Proctor
  cannot be considered a tragic hero on the
  classical sense since he has no rank, nor is he
  particularly noble. He is an ordinary farmer and
  adulterer. However, he is tragic in as much as
  he has a sense of what nobility or morality
  should be and is painfully aware of his own
  shortcomings. He senses his own weaknesses and
  failures keenly. He could also be seen to
  achieve nobility by the end of the play when he
  refuses to compromise his principles and chooses
  to face death rather than lie. In the end he
  chooses his own integrity over his life which is
  ultimately Proctors tragedy.

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The Plot structure for a Tragic Pattern
Crisis/ Turning Point
R.A
Falling Action
Exposition
Climax/Resolution
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Act I Exposition

• Introduces the setting, main characters, themes
  and the main conflict e.g. Salems underlying
  tensions and secrets are exposed.
• Act 1 Bettys bedroom

Exposition
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Millers Tragic Pattern

• Act I Exposition (Bettys bedroom)
• Act II Rising Action (Proctor House)
• Act III Crisis or Turning point (Courtroom)
• Act IV Falling Action (Cell)
• Act IV Climax and resolution (Cell)

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The Crucible Act one Essay

• Work in groups to gather the information you
  would need to answer the following question
• Act One begins quietly with a young girl lying
  unresponsive on a bed. By the end of the Act,
  eleven people have been accused of witchcraft.
  Making close reference to the text, show how
  circumstances in Salem allow the situation to
  develop into hysteria.
• There are 11 possible reasons to look for.

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Mini CEL

• Now you will work individually to write a mini
  CEL in response to the question.
• You will need a FULL introduction, THREE
  paragraphs and a FULL conclusion.

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IntroductionText, Author, Summary, Task,

• The Crucible by Arthur Miller is concerned with
  early settlers in the village of Salem, where
  religious superstition and personal conflict is
  rampant. The first act introduces the underlying
  conflicts and tensions of the community which
  will eventually allow the situation to develop to
  its tragic climax. In this essay I will examine
  the contributing factors to this tragedy and show
  how Miller portrays a community on the verge of
  hysteria.

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Point
Sentences must refer to the question and states
what topic is being covered in the paragraph.
REMEMBER LINKING!
Quotation
A quotation must be written in your essay exactly
as it is written in the text
Comment
You must explain how the quotation supports your
topic sentence. This demonstrates...
Evaluation
You should choose a word or phrase form the
quotation to evaluate (discuss how effective it
is) in helping to answer the question. The
word...suggests...
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Conclusion Text, Author, Sum up, Task

• The first act of The Crucible by Arthur
  Miller introduces the underlying conflicts of
  Salem society and through the accusations at the
  end of the act, reveals to the audience how
  easily a community based on guilt and repression
  can be manipulated to the point of hysteria. The
  communitys treatment of children and outsiders,
  religious intolerance, personal conflicts and
  ultimately the pride and vanity of certain
  townspeople are all seen to be contributing
  factors which will lead to Salems downfall.

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John and Elizabeth
Quotation What it tells us How it effects audience
What keeps you so late?
I mean to please you Elizabeth
(as gently as he can) Cider?
You ought to bring some flowers into the house
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PROCTOR in ACT 2

• COPY
• In this Act, Proctors sense of guilt begins to
  eat away at him. He knows that he can bring down
  Abigail and end her reign of terror, but he fears
  for his good name if his hidden sin of adultery
  is revealed. John Proctor is a tormented
  individual. His best possession is his good name
  and the respect and integrity associated with it.
  Once he acknowledges his affair with Abigail,
  Proctor effectively brands himself an adulterer
  and loses his good name. He dreads revealing his
  sin because guilt and regret already overwhelm
  him. Proctor believes a public display of his
  wrongdoing only intensifies the extent of his
  sin, thereby multiplying his guilt.
• At this point, John can do little about his
  involvement with the witch-hunt. He is bound to
  become involved despite his constant efforts to
  hide from the issue. Elizabeth has just been
  "mentioned" in court, and this directly links
  John to the witch-hunt. No matter how much he
  wants to escape it now, he cannot. His
  involvement is inevitable.

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• Despite his efforts to remain unconnected with
  Abigail and the trials, John has no choice but to
  become involved, now that his wife has been
  accused. He takes the warrant for Elizabeth's
  arrest and rips it. This is a clear statement
  that says he will speak openly about what he
  thinks about the whole situation. He can no
  longer stay quiet and hope that the childish
  nonsense, as he always perceived it, will run its
  course. His wife being arrested forces John to
  make some form of confession to the court to
  discredit Abigails name.
• Questions
• What decision does John have to make in Act 2?
• Why would this make a difference to proceedings?
• Why is he reluctant to do this?
• What eventually forces him to make a decision?
• By the end of the scene, he still does not commit
  fully to his decision. What does he do/say that
  lets us know this?

53
CONSTRUCT A TIMELINE OF ACT 2 WHERE YOU TRACE
JOHNS INNER CONFLICT AS HE STRUGGLES WITH HIS
DECISION.

• QUOTATION 43/33
• scoffing but without conviction
• COMMENT
• He does not want to acknowledge the extent of the
  problem as he realises he has the power to stop
  it BUT does not want to become involved.
• QUOTATION pg 66/56
• you will tell the court what you know
• COMMENT
• Still trying to get out of confessing. If Mary
  confesses to the lies then he wont have to. Has
  resolved to confront court but still wont commit
  fully.

54
Act II Rising Action

• A series of complications which are a result of
  the main characters taking action. Arrests are
  made as accusations fly.

R.A
Exposition
55
Write about a character who you admire despite a
flaw.

• In Act 2 the audience see Johns inner struggle
  as he resists getting involved by telling the
  court the truth and exposing his own guilt over
  his affair with Abigail. THIS is his flaw.
• Despite Proctors flaw
• ( his affair and his desire to conceal it )
• the audience can sympathise with him AND still
  see him as an admirable character.

56
Arguments

• 1) Shame at affair
• 2) Level headed and sensible (see Millers prose
  insert)
• 3) Loves his wife and wants to make amends
• 4) Stands up to court

57
Skeleton CEL

• Write a skeleton essay (Introduction, 4 points
  and quotations and a conclusion) showing how John
  is an admirable character DESPITE HIS FLAW.

58
Act three

• 1) Scene One
• From opening stage directions to entrance of Mary
  and John Proctor
• 2) Scene Two
• From entrance of Mary and John to when Danforth
  summons the other girls
• 3) Scene Three
• From the entrance of the girls to the end of the
  Act.

59

• Much of Act III has to do with determining who
  will define innocence and guilt and the struggle
  for power. Proctor makes one desperate bid for
  this authority by finally overcoming his desire
  to protect his good name, exposing his own secret
  sin. He hopes to replace his wifes alleged guilt
  with his own guilt and bring down Abigail in the
  process. Unfortunately, he mistakes the
  proceedings for an actual search for the guilty,
  when, in fact, the proceedings are better
  described as a power struggle. He exposes his
  private life to scrutiny, hoping to gain some
  authority, but he does not realize that too many
  influential people have invested energy into the
  proceedings for him to be able to stop them now.
  Too many reputations are at stake, and Proctors
  revelation comes too late to stop the avalanche.
  As Act Three progresses, Hale will become further
  shaken by the injustice of the hearings until he
  finally denounces them. At this early point in
  his transformation, however, it is already clear
  that he has lost his influence with the court.
  His revelation has come too late.

60

• SETTING
• In this Act, the action moves from the private
  spheres of The Parris and Proctor residences to
  the meeting house or church, which is now being
  used as the highest court in the land where
  everyones business is open to scrutiny and can
  be used against them, underlining the fact that
  the church and the state are the same thing in
  Puritan society. The setting is becoming more
  austere and sinister within this forbidding
  room with its plain and heavy furniture. While
  one door leads outside, two doors lead inside to
  the main room of the meeting house, suggesting
  metaphorically perhaps that the route out of the
  courtroom is more difficult than the way in. The
  effect of the setting is obviously to intimidate
  those individuals who come to challenge the
  authority of the courts.

61

• The stage is empty at the start of the act and
  the audience are aware of voices offstage. The
  atmosphere of the trial is disturbed with the
  interruptions of Giles and the uproar of the
  townsfolk, giving the impression that the action
  is spilling out onto the stage. The stage
  directions to Act Three indicate that sunlight
  streams into the room from two high windows in
  the back wall. Millers use of lighting adds
  another dimension to the symbolism of the play.
  In an atmosphere of darkness, ignorance, and
  evil, a few shafts of pure light are visible
  coming from above, symbolizing goodness and
  truth. Unfortunately, while the light burns
  brightly, it is not enough to overcome the
  overwhelming darkness of the witch-hunts. The
  setting is ironic and shows how far the concept
  of good and justice have been twisted.

62
Act III in The Crucible is a turning point as
several important points of the plot lead to the
resolution in Act IV. 

• Proctor confesses to adultery in Act III in an
  effort to shake Abigail's hold over the court,
  instead of helping him, it seals his fate.
• In order to prove the charge of adultery,
  Elizabeth Proctor is brought in to verify the
  claim, she lies to protect her husband's
  reputation.  
• Mary Warren turns on Proctor under pressure from
  Abigail's charade about seeing a bird flying in
  the court, that she claims is Mary's spirit. 
• Mary accuses Proctor of trying to force her to
  follow the devil.
• Proctor is arrested and thrown in jail along with
  Giles Corey, who refuses to name the individual
  who told him about Thomas Putnam instructing his
  daughter Ruth to accuse George Jacobs of
  witchcraft.
• Reverend Hale quits the court and leaves Salem at
  the end of Act III. This is a very significant
  turning point.  Hale becomes convinced that the
  court is being used for vengeance by members of
  the town and he questions the court's authority.
• The actions of the characters in Act III, lead
  up to the resolution that occurs in Act IV.

63

• Read act 3, Scene 3 and find quotations to
  support each of the points above. You must also
  provide a brief comment on each quotation to show
  WHY this can be considered important to the scene
  as a turning point e.e the effect it will have on
  the outcome of the play overall.

64
Act III The Crisis or Turning Point

• A choice made by the main characters determines
  the direction of the action
• A happy ending Comedy
• Downward action Tragedy
• Most dramatic and intense moment
• All the complications lead to this moment
• John admits adultery BUT is let down by Elizabeth
  and Mary.

Turning Point
R.A
Exposition
65
Remember!

• SCENE IS PIVOTAL DUE TO THE OUTCOME. THE REST
  OF THE PLAY HINGES ON WHETHER ABIGAIL IS EXPOSED
  AS A FRAUD AND THE MADNESS IS STOPPED OR THE
  FAÇADE IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE AND MANY INNOCENT
  PEOPLE ARE HANGED.

66
Questions

• Chooses a play in which a scene provides a
  definite turning point in the action. Briefly
  describe why the scene is a turning point and go
  on to show how it enhances your appreciation of
  the play as a whole.
• Choose from a play an important scene, which you
  found particularly entertaining or particularly
  shocking. Explain briefly why the scene is so
  important to the play as a whole and discuss in
  detail how this makes the scene so entertaining
  or shocking. 
• From a play you have studied choose a scene that
  you consider to be crucial to the development of
  the drama and explain how its importance is made
  clear to the audience.

67
COPY

• Opening stage directions before scene 1 good is
  prevalent BUT evil/power is trying to overcome
  and by the end of the scene evil and corruption
  will have overshadowed good.
• Change from private to public spaces -
  everyones private business has come under public
  scrutiny where everyone is a suspect and must
  adhere to societys expectations and by the end
  of the scene two more innocent men will have been
  put in jail because they refuse to conform.
• Change in mood throughout scene - initial quiet
  of scene reflects that of Proctor household but
  the uproar that follows and the subsequent
  hysteria shows that the calm mood that permeated
  the first half of act 2 is now gone and the
  entire town has succumbed to the hysteria. By
  the end of the scene the hysteria will have
  escalated to its peak.

68

• Build up of tension in scene. Miller alternates
  quiet moments and then dramatic moments of high
  tension and hysteria. E.g. When Elizabeth enters
  the court it is quiet. The tension is even more
  evident by the silence. Miller heightens the
  tension by Elizabeths hesitant replies. Too many
  examples to list her.
• Theme of power takes centre stage. Rather than
  being a search for the guilty, the court in now
  in the grip of a power struggle. Thomas Putnam
  moves from an original motivation of grudges
  against others to unabashed greed. Abigail
  Williams, in contrast, has moved from
  self-preservation to a more general lust for
  power.
• Proctor confesses to adultery in Act III in an
  effort to shake Abigail's hold over the court,
  instead of helping him, it seals his fate meaning
  that there is no more chances to discredit
  Abigail meaning that the trials will continue.
  Before this scene there is a chance that he can
  tell the truth and prove Abigail wrong, by the
  end of the scene that chance is gone.
• In order to prove the charge of adultery,
  Elizabeth Proctor is brought in to verify the
  claim, she lies to protect her husband's
  reputation meaning that is testimony against
  Abigail is meaningless as no-one will believe
  him. Before the scene John and Elizabeths
  honesty was admired in the village but by the end
  of the scene his good name is lost and with it
  goes any chance of ending the trials.  

69

• Mary Warren turns on Proctor under pressure from
  Abigail's charade about seeing a bird flying in
  the court, that she claims is Mary's spirit. 
  Before this scene Mary was Proctors last hope to
  discredit Abigail as she alone knew the truth of
  what happened in the forest and Abigails true
  nature and with her betrayal all hope is lost for
  any reprieve from the madness at hand.
• Mary accuses Proctor of trying to force her to
  follow the devil further tarnishing his name and
  sealing his fate entirely. Before this scene, he
  enjoyed a good reputation within the village. His
  attack on Abigail and declaration that God is
  dead fully blackens his name in the court and
  not only foils any attempt to stop the trial BUT
  also means that his life is now in danger unless
  he makes a heartbreaking decision.
• Proctor is arrested and thrown in jail along
  with Giles Corey, who refuses to name the
  individual who told him about Thomas Putnam
  instructing his daughter Ruth to accuse George
  Jacobs of witchcraft. These men were symbols of
  good in the play, men who stood up for themselves
  and what they believed. Before this scene,
  Proctor is unwilling to get involved in the
  trials and prefers to stand outside society but
  by the end of the scene the corrupt power of
  society has well and truly won and he as an
  individual has no choice but to become involved
  for the greater good.

70

• Reverend Hale quits the court and leaves Salem at
  the end of Act III. This is a very significant
  turning point.  Hale becomes convinced that the
  court is being used as an instrument of
  vengeance by members of the town and that the
  truth has been subverted in favour of maintaining
  the court's authority. Before this scene he was
  the main supporter of the trials and believed
  that it was Gods work and by the end of the
  scene he has realised that the court is on the
  side of evil rather than good . This shows how
  far the concept of good and justice have been
  twisted as the most Godly man in the play turns
  his back on proceedings.

71
Act IV (Scenes 1 and 2)From start of Act to
entrance of Proctor(Scenes 3 and 4)From Entrance
of Proctor to Epilogue

• Act Four takes place in the Salem jail, dimly lit
  by moonlight seeping through the bars. The light
  of goodness is still present, though it has been
  greatly dimmed. No longer the bright sunlight of
  Act Three, we now see only the reflected light of
  the moon. While evil has managed to overpower
  good, as is vividly portrayed in the apparent
  madness of Tituba and Sarah Good, it cannot be
  obliterated.
• Time has passed since Act Three, and it is now
  fall. The symbolism of the season is apparent.
  Fall is the time of fruition, when crops reach
  their fullness and are harvested. It also heralds
  a time of death and decay. The hysteria of the
  witch trials has now reached its peak and is
  approaching its inevitable end.
• The setting of Act 4 is just about as bleak and
  confined as it could be. As well as the darkness
  of the setting, we are struck by the emptiness of
  the room. Here, life is stripped down to the
  bare minimum. The setting in Act 4 is somewhat
  ironic when compared to Act 3 as it is this foul
  and dingy prison cell where honour and integrity
  is found and ultimately where redemption is
  achieved.

72
Study Questions  read to in the corridor
outside...

• 1 What are Tituba and Sarah Good discussing as
  the act opens?
• 2. How does Tituba describe the devil in
  Barbados?
• 3. What has happened that has made Parris so
  anxious?
• 4. What happened in Andover?
• 5. Why is Parris afraid to hang more people the
  next morning?
• 6. Why is Parris more frightened to hang Proctor
  and Nurse than anyone else?
• 7. Why does Parris request a postponement of the
  hangings?
• 8. What does Hale request instead of
  postponement?
• 9. Why does Danforth refuse Hales request?
• 10. What has Hale been advising those condemned
  to do?
• 11. What does Hale plead with Elizabeth to do?
• 12. Why does Hale believe a lie would not be a
  sin in this case?
• 13. Why is Hale so adamant in his attempts to
  convince Elizabeth?

73
Answers

• Escaping to Barbados with the Devil
• A fun character, pleasureman.
• Dagger/rebellion/Abigails disappearance
• A similar court investigating witchcraft was
  overthrown
• It might begin a similar rebellion
• Their standing/reputation in the village
• To give them time to confess
• Pardons
• Would be a sign of weakness
• Lie and confess to save their lives
• Convince John to confess
• Life is a sacred gift and God may see it as less
  of a sin to lie than to throw away a life
• He feels that if John dies he would be
  responsible.

74
Hale

• Hale has now come full circle in his
  development. While he appeared in Salem bearing
  the weighty authority of his books on the devil
  and witchcraft, he is now there to attempt to
  reverse the consequences of that early behaviour.
  Far from examining the souls of these men and
  women and judging their content, he is now
  encouraging them to lie and save their lives.
  Hale is finally acting as an individual, and he
  attempts to persuade others to do the same. The
  trials had been a farce, and Hale saw no sin in
  telling a lie to an unjust authority to save
  ones life. This action illustrates how
  disillusioned he is with the justice system and
  the church. Those who refuse to confess are
  actually truer to their faith than he.
• Let you not mistake your duty as I mistook my
  own

75

• Write Hales journal entry of that day. You
  should include
•  
• His intentions when arriving at the jail that
  morning
• His feelings about the other characters
  (especially the court)
• His hope for John and Elizabeths discussion
• His overall feelings about his time in Salem.

76
Collapse of Trials In Act 4 scenes 1 and 2 we
see the consequences of the courtroom scene in
Act 3. The trials are on the verge of collapse
and the courts hold over the town is tenuous by
this point.

• FIND QUOTATIONS TO BACK UP THE FOLLOWING AND
  PROVIDE A COMMENT TO SHOW HOW THEY MAY CONTRIBUTE
  TO THE DEMISE OF THE COURT
• Hale trying to convince people to lie and SIN to
  save their lives
• Abigails disappearance
• The dagger
• Parris state of mind
• Rebeccas refusal to confess
• Johns refusal to confess
• Reputation of those now accused
• Recent rebellion in Andover
• Talk of rebellion in Salem
• State of town cows etc
• 3 months have passed hysteria has died
• Poor treatment of accused at hands of court

77
Act IV Falling Action scene 3

• Presents consequences of characters decision
• The characters downfall begins
• Events lead to tragic climax e.g Proctor is
  arrested and struggles with his confession.

Turning Point
F.A
R.A
Exposition
78
John and Elizabethread to I want my life...

• The final scene between Proctor and his wife
  Elizabeth is full of emotion and the tension
  never falters. Throughout the scene we see a man
  in torment and inevitably full of indecision
  knowing that his decision is literally a matter
  of life or death.
• The dramatist evokes our sympathy in the opening
  lines. There is raw emotion when they first meet
  after so many months of imprisonment. One can
  sense Elizabeths pity when she sees her tortured
  husband.
• Scene 3 reveals a dramatic change in the
  relationship between Proctor and Elizabeth. They
  have learned to forgive one another and to
  communicate their feelings. Elizabeth realizes
  that she cannot blame Proctor entirely for the
  affair. Her insecurity prevented her from
  trusting Proctor and her lack of emotion created
  distance between them. When Elizabeth tells
  Proctor of her feelings, he sees that Elizabeth
  no longer condemns him. She refuses to influence
  her husband's decision despite her own wishes
  he has earned her respect and she loves him all
  the more for his ability to make the right
  decision on his own. He can believe her when she
  tells him she has forgiven him as a result, they
  manage to put the affair in the past and move on
  to consider the future.

79
Confession

• Now complete scene three table

80
Confession(read from I want my life to
Proctor has just finished signing.)

• Proctor's decision to confess seems surprising at
  first. Considering his options, however, the
  choice seems less surprising. He can refuse to
  plead guilty and be hanged for witchcraft, or he
  can confess the crime and live. Either way the
  court declares him guilty, but the confession
  shows repentance for the crime and saves him from
  execution. Both Proctor and Elizabeth realize
  that lying about the confession is a small price
  to pay for his life. Scene 4 exemplifies a
  struggle. Proctor knows that signing the
  confession is lying, and this sacrifice of honor
  is the hardest for him to bear. His desire to
  remain honest and his desire to preserve his
  family tear him in two.

81
Act IV Climax (CATASTROPHE) and Resolution
-scene 4

• Also known as the CATASTROPHE
• Occurs at the end of the play
• Usually ends with the death of the main
  characters (John)
• Resolution- the loose ends of the play are tied
  up. (Echoes)

Turning Point
R.A
F.A
Exposition
, Climax/Resolution
82
Redemption read to end of act

• John is willing to sacrifice his honour and live
  with the knowledge that others will view him
  differently if he confesses. However, Proctor
  cannot bear the shame of having his confession
  nailed to the church door. Because confessing
  will save his life, he can live with that idea,
  but he believes nailing his confession to the
  church door constitutes a betrayal of everyone
  who refuses to confess. John realises that if
  his confession is made public it will be used to
  force others to confess. His lie WOULD save his
  life but in the process he would be condemning
  innocent people. THIS is what he fears the most.
  He cannot turn his back on his community any
  longer and merely act in his own interests, he
  has to acknowledge the consequences of his
  actions and either live with the knowledge that
  he sold his friends and lie to save himself at
  the expense of others OR lose his life but die as
  an honest man. He commits to society and decides
  to die an honest man, and also a man that got
  involved and stood for what was right.
• Complete act 4 table