Crucible Essay Essay Research Paper The CrucibleShort
Crucible Essay Essay, Research Paper
The Crucible
Short Summary:
The Crucible, a historical drama based on events of the Salem witchery tests, takes topographic point in the little Puritan small town in the settlement of Massachusetts in 1692. The witchery tests, as Miller explains in a prose prologue to the drama, grew out of the peculiar moral system of the Puritans, which promoted intervention in others & # 8217 ; personal businesss every bit good as a inhibitory codification of behavior that frowned on any recreation from norms of behaviour.
The drama begins in the place of Reverend Samuel Parris, whose girl, Betty, lays ill. Parris lives with his girl and his seventeen-year old niece, Abigail Williams, an orphan who witnessed her parents & # 8217 ; slaying by the Indians. Parris has sent for Reverend Hale of Beverly, believing his girl & # 8217 ; s illness roots from supernatural accounts. Betty became sick when her male parent discovered her dance in the forests with Abigail, Tituba ( the Parris & # 8217 ; break one’s back from Barbados ) and several other local misss. Already there are rumours that Betty & # 8217 ; s unwellness is due to witchcraft, but Parris tells Abigail that he can non acknowledge that he found his girl and niece dancing like pagan in the wood. Abigail says that she will acknowledge to dancing and accept the penalty, but will non acknowledge to witchcraft. Abigail and Parris discuss rumours about the misss: when they were dancing one of the misss was naked, and Tituba was whining gibberish. Parris besides brings up rumours that Abigail & # 8217 ; s former employer, Elizabeth Proctor, believes that Abby is immoral.
Thomas and Ann Putnam arrive and state Parris that their girl, Ruth, is ill. Ann Putnam admits that she sent Ruth to Tituba, for Tituba knows how to talk to the dead and could happen out who murdered her seven kids, each of whom died during babyhood. When the grownups leave, Abigail discusses Betty & # 8217 ; s unwellness with Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren, the retainers of the Putnams and the Proctors, severally. Abigail threatens them, warning them non to state anything more than that they danced and Tituba conjured Ruth & # 8217 ; s sisters. John Proctor arrives to happen Mary and direct her place. He speaks with Abigail entirely, and she admits to him about the dance. John and Abigail had an matter, which is the ground why Elizabeth Proctor fired her. Abigail propositions John, but he severely refuses her. When Betty hears people singing Psalms from exterior, she begins to shrill. Reverend Parris returns, and realizes that Betty can non bear to hear the Lord & # 8217 ; s name.
Giles Corey and Rebecca Nurse are the following to see. The former is a combative old adult male, while the latter is a well-respected old adult female. Rebecca claims that Betty & # 8217 ; s unwellness is nil serious, but simply a infantile stage. Parris confronts Proctor because he has non been in church late, but Proctor claims that Parris is excessively haunted with damnation and ne’er references God.
Reverend John Hale arrives from Beverly, a scholarly adult male who looks for precise marks of the supernatural. Parris tells him about the dance and the conjuration, while Giles Corey asks if there is any significance to his married woman & # 8217 ; s reading unusual books. Hale inquiries Abigail, eventually inquiring her if she sold her psyche to Lucifer. Finally Abigail blames Tituba, claiming that Tituba made Abigail and Betty drink blood and that Tituba sends her spirit out. Putnam declares that Tituba must be hanged, but Hale confronts her. Upon recognizing that the lone manner to salvage herself is to acknowledge to the charge, Tituba claims that the Satan came to her and promised to return her to Barbados. She says that several adult females were with him, including Sarah Good and Sarah Osburn, and the misss articulation in the chorus of accusals, name more people they claim to hold seen with the Satan.
The 2nd act takes topographic point a hebdomad subsequently in the Proctor & # 8217 ; s place. John Proctor returns place tardily after a long twenty-four hours planting in the Fieldss, and Elizabeth suspects that he has been in the small town. Mary Warren has been at that place as an functionary of the tribunal for the witchery tests, even after Elizabeth forbid her. Elizabeth tells John that she must state Ezekiel Cheever, the constable, that Abigail admitted that Betty & # 8217 ; s illness has nil to make with witchery, but Proctor admits that cipher will believe him because he was entirely with Abigail at the clip. Elizabeth is disturbed by this, but Proctor reprimands her for her intuition. Mary Warren arrives and gives Elizabeth a poppet that she made in tribunal. Mary tells them that 39 people have been arrested and Sarah Osburn will hang, but non Sarah Good, who confessed. When Proctor becomes angry at Mary, she tells him that she saved Elizabeth & # 8217 ; s life today, for her name was mentioned in tribunal. Proctor vows to see Ezekiel Cheever, but Elizabeth tells him to see Abigail alternatively, for Abigail must cognize that no good can come of her impeaching Elizabeth.
John Hale arrives, somewhat weary and downcast. He tells the Proctors that Elizabeth & # 8217 ; s name was mentioned and the saintly Rebecca Nurse was charged, so inquiries Proctor on his churchgoing wonts. Finally he makes Proctor province the 10 commandments ; he can retrieve nine of the 10, but Elizabeth must remind him of the last one, criminal conversation. Proctor tells Hale what Abigail admitted about Parris detecting her in the forests, but Hale says that it must be nonsensical, for so many have confessed to witchcraft. Proctor reminds him that these people would surely squeal, if denying it means that they be hanged. Hale asks Proctor whether he believes in enchantresss, and he says that he does, but non those in Salem. Elizabeth denies all belief in witchery, for she believes that the Satan can non take a adult female & # 8217 ; s soul if she is genuinely unsloped.
Ezekiel Cheever arrives to collar Elizabeth on the charge that she sent her spirit out to Abigail and stuck a acerate leaf in her. Cheever finds the Po
ppet, which has a acerate leaf in it, but Mary Warren says that she made the poppet in tribunal that twenty-four hours, although Abigail witnessed her doing it. Upon hearing the charge, Elizabeth claims that Abigail is a liquidator who must be ripped out of the universe. Proctor rips up the warrant and Tells Cheever that he will non give his married woman to retribution. When Hale insists that the tribunal is merely, Proctor calls him a Pontius Pilate. He eventually demands that Mary Warren come to tribunal and attest against Abigail, but she sobs that she can non.
The 3rd act takes topographic point in the vestry room of the Salem meeting house which serves the tribunal. Giles Corey arrives with Francis Nurse and Tells Deputy Governor Danforth, who presides over the tests, that Thomas Putnam is bear downing people with witchery in order to derive their land. He besides says that he meant nil when he said that his married woman read unusual books.
John Proctor arrives with Mary Warren, and presents a deposition signed by Mary that asserts that she ne’er saw any liquors. Parris thinks that they are at that place to subvert the tribunal, and Danforth inquiries whether Proctor has any subterranean motivation, and Tells Proctor that his married woman is pregnant and therefore will populate at least one more twelvemonth, even if convicted. Proctor besides presents a request signed by 91 people certifying to the good character of Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey. Parris claims that this is an onslaught upon the tribunal, but Hale asks Parris if every defence is an onslaught on it. Danforth reminds Hale that they are populating in a crisp clip in which good and immoralities are rather clear.
Putnam arrives at the tribunal, and Giles Corey charges him with slaying. Giles tells Danforth that person told him that he heard Putnam claiming that he prompted his girl to impeach George Jacobs of witchery so that he could purchase his land after Jacobs is executed. Giles refuses to call this individual, therefore Danforth arrests him for disdain. Abigail so arrives with the other misss, and Proctor Tells Danforth how Abigail means to slay his married woman. Parris lies about happening a miss naked when the misss were dancing, and demands that Mary Warren pretend to conk as she had done earlier. Abigail threatens Danforth, claiming that the powers of Hell may impact him, so pretends that she feels a crisp air current endangering her. Proctor grabs her by the hair and calls her a prostitute, eventually acknowledging his matter.
Danforth orders that Elizabeth be brought to the tribunal. If Elizabeth admits to firing Abigail for her matter, Danforth will bear down Abigail with slaying. Elizabeth, believing that she is supporting her hubby, merely claims that she fired Abigail because of hapless work wonts. Proctor cries out for Elizabeth to state the truth, and Hale admits that Elizabeth & # 8217 ; s prevarication is a natural one to state. Abigail so claims that Mary Warren & # 8217 ; s spirit is assailing her in the signifier of a bird. Although Mary claims that the misss are lying, she shortly breaks down and Tells Danforth that Proctor is in conference with Satan and wants to draw down the tribunal. Proctor Cries out that God is dead, and that a fire is firing in Hell because the tribunal is drawing Heaven down and raising up a prostitute. Hale denounces the proceedings and quits the tribunal.
The 4th act takes topographic points several months subsequently in the fall at the Salem gaol cell. Marshal Herrick arrives at the cell rummy and wakes up Sarah Good and Tituba, who talk about how the Satan will take them to Barbados shortly. Danforth arrives with Hathorne, and they discuss whether it is wise to let Parris to run into with the captives, for Parris now has a huffy expression. Cheever inside informations how the town is in shambles because so many people are in gaol. Hale has been imploring Rebecca Nurse to acknowledge to witchcraft. Parris arrives and Tells Danforth how Abigail has vanished with Mercy Lewis and stolen his money. Parris worries about the rumours of rebellion against the witchery proceedings in Andover, but Hathorne reminds Parris how at that place has merely been great satisfaction in all of the Salem executings. Parris reminds him that Rebecca Nurse is no immoral adult female such as the others executed and there will therefore be less satisfaction, and claims that he worries for his safety, holding found a sticker outside his room access. Still, Danforth refuses to prorogue any of the executings.
Danforth calls for Elizabeth Proctor, and Hale tells her that he does non desire Proctor to decease, for he would experience responsible for the slaying. He tells Elizabeth that God may curse a prevaricator less than a individual who throws one & # 8217 ; s life off, but Elizabeth claims that this may be the Devil & # 8217 ; s statement. Finally Elizabeth agrees to talk with Proctor, who is brought in bearded and foul. Proctor and Elizabeth discuss their kids, and Elizabeth tells him how Giles Corey died: when he refused to reply yes or no to his indictment, and was therefore pressed with rocks until he would reply. He merely gave the words & # 8220 ; more weight & # 8221 ; before they crushed him. Proctor says that he can non mount the gallows tree as a saint, for it would be a fraud to claim that he has ne’er lied. Elizabeth says that she has her ain wickednesss, for merely a cold married woman would motivate lechery. Finally Proctor decides that he will squeal himself, although he does inquire whether what he does is evil. When Proctor agrees to salvage himself by acknowledging to witchcraft, Danforth demands a written confession and, to turn out the pureness of his psyche to others, he demands that Proctor accuse others. Hale suggests that it is sufficient for Proctor to squeal to God, but Danforth still requires a written statement. Proctor refuses, because he wishes merely to maintain his good name for the reputability of his kids. Danforth refuses to accept his confession, and orders that he be hanged. Hale begs Elizabeth to plead with Proctor to subscribe a confess, but Elizabeth claims that Proctor now has his goodness, and cipher should take it off from him.
