The Crucible

Salem Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Inc

the world of Abigail Williams and Betty Parris during the long, dark winter of 1692. There was little to feed their imagination that did not warn of sin and eternal punishment. It is no wonder that the young girls were so captivated by Tituba’s magical stories and fortune-telling games. These activities were strictly forbidden, which must have filled them with fear and guilt. This may have been one reason for their hysterical behavior. And at a time when young girls were forbidden to act out or express themselves, it is easy to see why they were so enraptured by the attention they received when they became “bewitched.

Characters  Each character has his own distinct quality.  Most characters are distinctly good or evil though few characters are really developed.  The reader is only able to see one side of each character.  Even John Proctor, the main character isn’t as developed as it could be.  This is probably due to the restrictions of time and narration of this particular genre. Parris - A minister in Salem who is more worried about his own reputation than the town or the truth. Betty - Parris’ daughter.  She is faint in the beginning of the play and later accuses various people for witchcraft. Abigail - Parris’ niece and Proctor’s mistress.  She is the leader of the girls who accuses people of witchcraft during the trial. Tituba - Parris’ slave from Barbados.  She is the first accused with being accused by Abigail. Mrs. Putnam - Wife of Thomas Putnam.  She first plants the idea of Betty being bewitched. Ruth - Daughter of the Putnams.  She is one of Abigail's friends who accuses people at the trial. Mercy Lewis - Putnams’ servant.  She is also involved in the accusations of the witches. John Proctor - Main character.  He is a good man, but has committed adultery with Abigail. Elizabeth Proctor - John Proctor’s wife.  She is an upright woman who is accused of being a witch.  She couldn’t forgive Proctor for adultery until just before he died. Mary Warren - Proctor’s servant.  She is one of Abigail’s friends and plants evidence on Elizabeth. Reverend Hale - Self proclaimed expert on witchcraft.  He is a minister who at first believes the girls accusations but eventually sees the evil in the court. Deputy Governor Dansforth - Deputy Governor of Massachusetts who believes the testimony of the girls despite evidence to the contrary.  He works more to keep the reputation of the court than to seek justice. Judge Hathorne - Judge presiding over the witch trials. Rebecca Nurse - Respected, upright wife of Francis nurse.  She is accused of witchcraft. Francis Nurse - Rebecca’s Husband.  He had land disputes with the Putnams. Giles Corey - Old cranky villager who accidentally causes his wife to be accused. Sarah Good - She is an accused witch who becomes insane while awaiting her hanging. Susanna -  One of Abigail’s friends who takes part in accusing the villagers. Cheever - He arrests the witches. Herrick - Also arrests the witches.  Is the jail keeping. Hopkins - Messenger.

. A local physician diagnosed several teenage girls as bewitched, which resulted in the hanging of 19 persons and one being crushed to death

THE ACCUSED Sarah Osborne: elderly lady, non-churchgoer for over a year Sarah Good: homeless, begged door to door and if rejected mumbled words under her breath. Tituba: slave from Barbados. Martha Corey: attended church regularly, not popular in the community, outspoken and opinionated, mothered an illegitimate mulatto. Rebecca Nurse: seventy-one year old woman, kind and generous, well liked by the community, accused of floating into rooms at night pinching and torturing girls. Mary Warren: Maidservant of John Proctor, displayed uncanny behavior. George Burroughs: Salem village minister accused of being the master of all witches, left Salem as its minister due to a dispute over his salary, widowed three times, said to mistreat his wifes and bragged about having powers. Now the investigation of the charges began. John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwan, traveled to Salem to head the investigations. The investigations of Sarah Osborne, Sarah Good, and Tituba were held in the Meetinghouse. Betty, Abby, and six other girls attended the investigations, ofter screaming and tumbling on the floor during the questioning. Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne maintained innocence, but Tituba confessed for three days.

The Putnam's daughter was not named Ruth, but Ann, like her mother, probably changed by Miller so the audience wouldn't confuse the mother and the daughter

American Puritanism Early in the 17th century some Puritan groups separated from the Church of England. Among these were the Pilgrims, who in 1620 founded Plymouth Colony. Ten years later, under the auspices of the Massachusetts Bay Company, the first major Puritan migration to New England took place. The Puritans brought strong religious impulses to bear in all colonies north of Virginia, but New England was their stronghold, and the Congregationalist churches established there were able to perpetuate their viewpoint about a Christian society for more than 200 years. Richard Mather and John Cotton provided clerical leadership in the dominant Puritan colony planted on Massachusetts Bay. Thomas Hooker was an example of those who settled new areas farther west according to traditional Puritan standards. Even though he broke with the authorities of the Massachusetts colony over questions of religious freedom, Roger Williams was also a true Puritan in his zeal for personal godliness and doctrinal correctness. Most of these men held ideas in the mainstream of Calvinistic thought. In addition to believing in the absolute sovereignty of God, the total depravity of man, and the complete dependence of human beings on divine grace for salvation, they stressed the importance of personal religious experience. These Puritans insisted that they, as God's elect, had the duty to direct national affairs according to God's will as revealed in the Bible. This union of church and state to form a holy commonwealth gave Puritanism direct and exclusive control over most colonial activity until commercial and political changes forced them to relinquish it at the end of the 17th century. Because of its diffuse nature, when Puritanism began to decline in America is difficult to say. Some would hold that it lost its influence in New England by the early 18th century, but Jonathan Edwards and his able disciple Samuel Hopkins revived Puritan thought and kept it alive until 1800. Others would point to the gradual decline in power of Congregationalism, but Presbyterians under the leadership of Jonathan Dickinson and Baptists led by the example of Isaac Backus (1724 - 1806) revitalized Puritan ideals in several denominational forms through the 18th century. During the whole colonial period Puritanism had direct impact on both religious thought and cultural patterns in America. In the 19th century its influence was indirect, but it can still be seen at work stressing the importance of education in religious leadership and demanding that religious motivations be tested by applying them to practical situations.

Several beliefs differentiated Puritans from other Christians. The first was their belief in predestination. Puritans believed that belief in Jesus and participation in the sacraments could not alone effect one's salvation; one cannot choose salvation, for that is the privilege of God alone. All features of salvation are determined by God's sovereignty, including choosing those who will be saved and those who will receive God's irresistible grace. The Puritans distinguished between "justification," or the gift of God's grace given to the elect, and "sanctification," the holy behavior that supposedly resulted when an individual had been saved; according to The English Literatures of America, "Sanctification is evidence of salvation, but does not cause it" (434). When William Laud, an avowed Arminian, became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633, the Church of England began to embrace beliefs abhorrent to Puritans: a focus on the individual's acceptance or rejection of grace; a toleration of diverse religious beliefs; and an acceptance of "high church" rituals and symbols.

Describe the clothing worn by men and women in Salem.  What types of fabrics were used?  How did their clothing support their religious views?