Reverend Parris Betty Parris Abigail Williams Tituba Giles Corey Ann Putnam Thomas Putnam Ruth Putnam Mercy Lewis Mary Warren John Proctor Elizabeth Proctor Reverend Hale Rebecca Nurse Francis Nurse Sarah Good Susanna Walcott Judge Hathorne Deputy Gov. Danforth Ezekia Cheever / Marshal Herrick / Hopkins For this character chart, fill in each box with adjectives and quotes from the text that represent the character.
Vocabulary Defamation act of harming or ruining another s reputation Abrogate Abyss Adamant Ameliorate Apparition Augury Autocrat To abolish; to do away with bottomless hole; a vast expanse or depth inflexible; immovable; obstinate to make better; to relieve; to improve ghost an omen or prophecy a person with unlimited influence and authority (usually a negative word) Deference Deposition Dissemble Dogmatic Ecstasy Effrontery Exalt courteous going along with the opinions or wishes of another written statement by a witness to disguise; to pretend strongly opinionated in an unwarranted manner extreme happiness extreme boldness; audacity to glorify; to praise; to raise in rank Baseness the quality of lacking higher values Fiend the devil; demon Begrudge to give reluctantly; to envy a possession or one s enjoyment Formidable menacing; causing fear or awe Beguile to deceive; to mislead; to persuade with charm Gaunt very thin; emaciated; angular Bemuse to confuse or to bewilder Blasphemous irreverent; profane Calamity a serious event causing distress or misfortune Conciliate to reconcile; to pacify; to renew a friendship Confound to cause one to become confused Conspiracy the act of plotting together Contempt scorn; extreme dislike or disdain Contentious quarrelsome; stirring controversy Corroboration confirmation Credulous believing on slight evidence; gullible Innate existing from birth; inborn Guile Heretical Hypocrite Indictment Indigenous Indignation Ineptness Inert Ingratiate Iniquity deceitful cunning; duplicity contrary to church doctrine or accepted beliefs or standards one who is insincere or deceitful an accusation native to a certain area anger as a result of something unjust lack of competence or judgment unable to move or to act; sluggish to make an effort to gain good favor with someone wickedness; immorality
Junta Licentious a group of people who join in running a government (after a revolution) lacking in moral or sexual restraint; wanton Propriety Providence correct conduct sign of good fortune; God s will; God s intervention in human affairs Malevolence ill will or evil intentions Prudent wise and careful about practical matters Malign to utter injuriously misleading reports about Quake to shake from shock or instability Methodical proceeding in a regular or systematic order Reprieve to delay punishment Orthodox conforming to established standards; conventional Reproach to blame for something; a disgrace Pallor extreme paleness usually relating to the face Rescind to cancel Paradoxical Parochial Partisan something that appears false or contradictory but is actually correct limited in range or scope; narrow; provincial one who exhibits extreme or possibly blind allegiance to a group or cause Resurge Savory Sectarian Sublime to rise again appetizing a member of a sect that is a faction with extreme beliefs exalted; noble; uplifting Penitence regret or sorrow for sins or faults Theocracy governed by religion Pious religious Trafficked had dealings with Placid peaceful; calm Trepidation fear; trembling; agitation Predilection Prodigious preference extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree; great in size; enormous Vestry Vindictive room in a church used for nonreligious meetings or church business revengeful; spiteful Wily cunning; crafty; sneaky
The Crucible Act I 1. What does Parris question his niece Abigail about? 2. Why does Abigail say she was dismissed by the Proctors? What s the real reason? 3. Betty Parris reveals that the girls were doing witchcraft; what does this reveal about the differences in character between Betty and Abigail? 4. When Abigail proclaims Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word what figurative language does she use to threaten the girls? (Provide text evidence.) What does Arthur Miller want us to think about Abigail Williams? 5. What happened in the past between John Proctor and Abigail? How does each of them feel about it now? 6. How does John Proctor feel about Reverend Parris? (Provide text evidence.) 7. Describe the difference of character between Rebecca Nurse and Mrs. Putnam. 8. What is the dispute between John Proctor and Thomas Putnam? 9. What does Giles Corey reveal to Reverend Hale? How do you think this might affect the play later?
10. When Abigail is questioned by Reverend Hale, who does she blame? What proof does she offer? Why do you think she chose this person? 11. What ultimatum does Parris give Tituba? What is her reaction? 12. Analyze the stage directions for the end of Act I; start at Abigail rises Why did Miller choose to portray the characters in this way? The Crucible--Act II 1. Why inspires Mary Warren to disobey her employers and go to Salem? 2. Why does Elizabeth want John to go to Salem? Why do you think he hesitates? 3. Oh, Elizabeth, your justice would freeze beer! What does this quote reveal about Elizabeth? What has this conversation revealed about the Proctor s marriage? 4. What news does Mary Warren reveal to John and Elizabeth about the trials? 5. What does Mary Warren mean when she says, I saved her life today!? What realization does Elizabeth have? 6. Why does Hale have Proctor recite his ten commandments?
7. What is ironic about John Proctor s response to reciting the commandments? 8. What information does John Proctor reveal to Reverend Hale? 9. How do Giles actions in Act I result in Rebecca s arrest? 10. Believe me Mr. Nurse, if Rebecca Nurse be tainted then nothing s left to stop the whole green world from burning. a. Why is it surprising that Rebecca Nurse has been charged? b. What is significant about the contrasting images green world and burning? c. What is significant about the fact that it is Hale saying this? 11. Why do Ezekial Cheever and Marshal Herrick arrive at the Proctor home? 12. Explain why Cheever is both astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it? 13. My wife will never die for me! What does this reveal about the contrast of John and Elizabeth Proctor? How does John feel about Elizabeth?
14. Read the stage directions closely. Fill in the table below. Character Stage Directions Stage Directions Affect on the Other Character John Proctor Mary Warren The Crucible Act III 1. As this act opens, Giles Corey is trying to prove his wife s innocence. What evidence does he have? 2. Hale states I think that in all justice you must. What does this show us about his character? 3. How is Danforth s response to Francis Nurse I m amazed to find you in such an uproar ironic? Given that in the line prior Hale has confirmed that Rebecca Nurse is to be hanged. 4. John Proctor is finally coming clean; Danforth is baffled. a. What do you predict would ve been different if Proctor had confessed sooner? b. Why do you think Danforth sides with the girls? 5. What two pieces of evidence are brought out against Proctor in regard to his Christian nature?
6. What s the significance of Elizabeth s pregnancy? 7. What is going to happen to the 91 people who signed the testament stating a good opinion of Elizabeth, Martha Corey, and Rebecca Nurse? 8. Why does Rev. Parris attack Giles Corey s and John Proctor s character? (PS: it isn t just because he doesn t like them.) What is he afraid of? (Think back to Puritan society.) 9. Fill in the table thoughtfully: Characters What do they want the court to do? John Proctor Giles Corey Judge Danforth Rev. Parris Rev. Hale 10. When Mary Warren says that she pretended to faint in court, what is she asked to do? What is the result?
11. When Abigail enters the courtroom, what affect does this have on Mary Warren? 12. What does John Proctor do to try and discredit Abigail? 13. What does John Proctor expect his wife to say about his relationship with Abigail? What fatal error does Elizabeth make? What does Elizabeth s answer suggest about her changed character? 14. What happens when Reverend Hale states that Abigail has always seemed false to him? How do the girls react to Abigail s outburst? 15. What does Hale do when Proctor is arrested? The Crucible--Act IV 1. Read the stage directions carefully. What does the imagery suggest about the mood in Salem? 2. What is Reverend Hale advising the condemned to do? What does that say about the change in Rev. Hale s character? 3. What does Reverend Parris reveal about his niece Abigail? 4. Now that it seems clear that Abigail is the guilty one; why does the court continue to uphold their convictions?
5. What does Reverend Hale mean when he says, There is blood on my head!? 6. Why does Danforth refuse to postpone the hangings? 7. What do Hale and Danforth request of Elizabeth Proctor? 8. What happened to Giles Corey? 9. What is John Proctor s dilemma about his fate? (Remember the Puritan s stance on lying.) 10. At first, what does John tell Hawthorne he will do? 11. What is Elizabeth s proof that John is a good man? 12. After John Proctor claims he is willing to confess, Danforth claims he must write it down, sign it and post it to the church door. How does this influence Proctor s decision? 13. What does John Proctor mean when he shouts I am John Proctor! You will not use me!
14. Read the final stage directions beginning with Elizabeth bracing herself. What is the significance of Miller ending the play this way? What is John Proctor claiming about Salem and the trials, by refusing to sign the Proclamation? -