The Crucible PROJECT

BY: Kent Ticlavilca

Arthur Miller -
Bio / The
Crucible Arthur Miller is an American playwright born in
1915 in New York City, NY, USA. He has four
children. "The Crucible," a playbook he wrote, is
one of his famous books. The original book was
published in 1953 and then by Penguin Books in
2003. The book is one of the most classic books
published. He has also written more famous
playbooks.
 The play "The Crucible," which dramatizes the 1692 Salem witch
trials, was created as an analogy for the "witch-hunt" atmosphere that
swept through America when Republican representative Joseph
McCarthy led the country in its hunt for communists in the federal

Communism government. The search, according to Miller, "paralyzed the nation."

The Red Scare The red scare was hysteria caused by the idea that communism was
encroaching on the US. People were frightened during this time

McCarthy because they believed that communists could be among their own. The
Crucible by Arthur Miller uses the Salem witchcraft trials as a

Trials metaphor for the Red Scare.

Three similarities exist between "The Crucible" and McCarthyism: the

accused were required to confess and name witnesses; they were
imprisoned or even put to death without due consideration for the
evidence; and some had pleaded not guilty while aware that doing so
would jeopardize their own safety and lives.
 Setting - Salem,
The Crucible Tituba
Massachusetts
(playbook) Betty Parris
Setting/Characters Characters
Danforth
John Proctor
Rebecca Nurse
Abigail Williams
Giles Corey
Elizabeth Proctor

Mary Warren

Hale

John Proctor Parris

Putnam
 In 1692, they saw the Salem witch trials held
in Salem, Massachusetts. The book relates
The Crucible the tale of a village caught up in a witch hunt.
Book As more and more people were held for
witchcraft, the residents of Salem were forced
to live in a perpetual/constant state of fear.

First Published
The Crucible Film

The film relates to the book with all the information

from the book ACT I-IV. This film was released in 1996.
Some of the cast are Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor
and Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams
 Betty Parris, age ten, is bedridden and silent result of a
mystery sickness. The previous evening, she was
discovered dancing in the woods with a group of females
The Crucible - by her father, Reverend Samuel Parris. Abigail Williams,
his teenage niece, and Tituba, his slave, were also present.
ACT I People have gathered at the Parris home as a result of
townwide rumors that witchcraft is to blame for Betty's
illness. Abigail denies the accusations, saying the girls
were only dancing when Parris questioned her about
them.
 Betty is left alone with Abigail and two other girls who were in
the woods, Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren. While they get their
The Crucible - facts straight, they make an effort to awaken her. Abigail warns
Betty to keep silent when she blatantly claims that she consumed
ACT I chicken blood in an effort to conjure a spell that would kill
Elizabeth Proctor (or else). Mercy and Mary step out of the room
(continued) as Proctor enters, leaving Abigail by herself with him. When
Abigail was a servant in John Proctor's home, they had an affair,
and Abigail wants it to continue. Proctor maintains that he has
recommitted to Elizabeth, his wife.
 Elizabeth and John Proctor eat dinner together. Their servant,
Mary Warren, disobeyed Elizabeth's request. She stayed at home
and went to the witch trials. Fourteen persons were now
incarcerated. These alleged witches will be hung if they refuse to
confess. Whoever Abigail and her company are, they're detained
for bewitching the girls as they plunge into fits of hysteria.
The Crucible -
ACT II Proctor tells Elizabeth that Abigail had sworn her dance had
nothing to do with witchcraft, since he could hardly believe the
excitement. He must vouch that the claims are untrue, according
to Elizabeth. He claims that since Abigail revealed to him this
information while they were alone in a room, he is unable to back
up his claim. When she learns that her husband spent time alone
with Abigail, Elizabeth loses all faith in him. Proctor demands
that she refrain from criticizing him. Elizabeth retorts that the true
court is within his own heart when he claims that he feels as
 Mary Warren presents Elizabeth with a doll (poppet) that she made in
court when she gets home, claiming that it is a gift. She states that 39
persons are currently facing accusations. Mary and John disagree about
whether Mary should keep attending the trials. Mary claims that she
saved Elizabeth's life that day when he threatened to thrash her.
Although Mary will not identify the accuser, it appears that Elizabeth's
The Crucible - name was mentioned in the allegations. Nevertheless, Mary went out in
Elizabeth's defense. Mary insists that Proctor stop telling her what to do
ACT II as he tells her to go to bed. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is certain that
Abigail was the one who accused her of witchcraft in order for her to
(continued) share John's bed.

Hale meets the Proctors in order to talk to everyone whose name has
been linked to witchcraft. He just paid Rebecca Nurse a visit. Hale then
starts to probe the Proctor household devotion to Christianity. He
mentions the Proctors' infrequent church attendance and the fact that
their youngest boy has not yet been christened. Proctor discusses why
he disagrees with Parris' specific theology. They are required to repeat
the Ten Commandments by Hale. While doing so, Proctor forgets the
 Proctor tells Hale that Abigail assured him that the children's illnesses
had nothing to do with witchcraft at Elizabeth's insistence. Hale
responds, startled, "Many have already admitted," Without a
confession, hangman Proctor notes, they would have been executed.
Giles and Francis tearfully rush inside Proctor's house while
announcing the arrest of their wives. Rebecca is accused of killing Mrs.
The Crucible - Putnam's babies inexplicably. A guy purchased a pig from Martha
Corey, but it passed very soon after. He asked for a refund, but she
ACT II refused, claiming that he was unprepared to care for a pig. After that,
every pig he bought died, and he accused her of bewitching him to
(continued) make it impossible for him to keep one alive.

The town marshals Herrick and Ezekiel Cheever show up with a warrant for
Elizabeth's arrest. Hale is astonished because Elizabeth was not accused of
anything last he heard. Elizabeth responds that she hasn't owned dolls since
she was a child when Cheever asks if she has any dolls. The doll Mary
Warren gave her is noticed by Cheever. Inside it, he finds a needle. Cheever
recalls that that evening at supper in Parris' home, Abigail threw a fit. Abigail
accused Elizabeth of practicing witchcraft after Parris discovered a needle in
 The court is in session back in Salem. Giles interrupts the conversation
by yelling that Putnam is merely trying to get more land. He asserts
that he has proof to support this claim. Giles and Francis were joined in
the vestry chamber by Judge Hathorne, Deputy Governor Danforth, and
the Reverends Hale and Parris to investigate the situation. Mary Warren
and Proctor walk into the room. Mary claims that she and the other
The Crucible - ACT girls were merely acting like they were suffering from witchcraft.
Astounded Judge Danforth queries Proctor as to whether he has
III informed the community of Mary's allegations. They all want to
overturn the court order, according to Parris.

Proctor is asked by Danforth if he intends to subvert the court. Cheever

notifies the judge that Proctor tore up the warrant for Elizabeth's arrest
despite Proctor's assurances that he only wants to liberate his wife.
Danforth then presses Proctor on his religious convictions. He is
especially interested in Parris' revelation that Proctor only goes to
church about once a month. Proctor plowing on Sunday is a significant
infraction in Salem, according to Cheever.
 Proctor is informed by Danforth and Hathorne that despite Elizabeth's
alleged pregnancy, he need not be concerned about her impending
execution. She won't be hanged until after giving birth. Proctor refuses
to back down from his criticism of the court when asked to by
Danforth. He offers a declaration attesting to the virtues of Elizabeth,
Martha, and Rebecca, signed by 91 landowner farmers. Due to the fact
The Crucible - ACT that the deposition is an attack on the court, Parris demands that they
all be called in for questioning. Hale questions why each and every
III defense is viewed as an assault on the court.

(continued) Giles accuses Putnam of inciting his daughter to make a witchcraft

accusation on George Jacobs, and he is brought into the room to defend
himself. Jacobs' property would be forfeited if he were to be hanged,
and Putnam is the only person in Salem with the funds to buy such a
tract. Because he doesn't want to expose the source of the information
to Putnam's retribution, Giles declines to identify the man who
provided it. Giles is detained by Danforth for disobeying the court.
 Danforth and Hathorne go to a Salem jail to see Parris that autumn.
They are greeted by a worn-looking Parris. They inquire as to Reverend
Hale's rationale for going back to Salem. Parris assures them that Hale
simply seeks to get the rebellious inmates to come clean so they can
avoid the hangman's noose. He claims that Mercy and Abigail robbed
him and then left Salem. Hale had just emerged, looking sad and
The Crucible - ACT unkempt. He asks the men to release the inmates because they won't
confess. Danforth responds that postponements or pardons will raise
IV questions about the guilt of both the twelve people who have already
been hung and the seven convicts who are still being held. Hale warns
that the government is encouraging disobedience. As a result of the
trials, cows are wandering loose, crops are rotting in the fields, and
orphans are wandering without supervision. Many homes have fallen
into neglect because their owners were in jail or had to attend the
proceedings. Everyone lives in fear of being accused of witchcraft, and
there are rumors of revolt in nearby Andover.
 When Hale shows there, he claims that he hasn't yet gotten any
admissions. John Proctor is the only prisoner with whom he has not
spoken. The authorities decide to speak with him and persuade him to
confess by bringing in Elizabeth Proctor. When left alone, Elizabeth

The Crucible - ACT tells John of the passing of Giles Corey. Giles was stoned to death
because he would not admit guilt or innocence to the accusations of
IV witchcraft. John asks her to let him know if he should confess or not.
Because he has low self-esteem and believes his soul is already beyond
saving, he is leaning toward confessing. Elizabeth responds to his
request for forgiveness by saying that it is meaningless if he won't
accept it.
 Proctor has not yet heard from Hale. Danforth is hoping Elizabeth
would convince him to confess. Although she makes no guarantees,
Elizabeth consents to speak with Proctor. To give Elizabeth and Proctor
some privacy, everyone departs the space. Proctor is informed by

The Crucible - ACT Elizabeth that about 100 people have admitted to being witches. Even
though Giles never admitted guilt or denied the accusations against
IV him, she claims that he was killed by being crushed to death by heavy
stones. If he had rejected the allegations, the judge would have
(continued) sentenced him to death by hanging and taking his possessions. He
decided to forgo entering a plea for his farm to be passed to his sons.
Works Cited
ARTHUR MILLER
The Crucible