Plot in ‘The Crucible’ Arthur Miller’s play, ‘The Crucible’ is set in Salem, Massachusetts 1692 this time period in which Arthur Miller’s play is based upon was a time of great hysteria and relentless accusation. The play is based upon a group of young girls who were caught commencing the prohibited act of dancing; young and frightened they made the profoundly religious town believe in rumours of witchcraft; a lie which went too far. The play is closely linked to the events which unfolded at this time; Miller however adapts some events and characters to create a thrilling and tense tragedy for the audience to indulge in. ‘The Crucible’ commences with Reverend Paris, the local minster of the village, kneeling beside his daughter Betty. The girl lays seemingly unconscious whilst a crowd begins to form around her. Tthe crowd is made up of several young girls; amongst them is the Reverend’s niece, Abigail who becomes the source of questioning of Betty’s insentient state. The audience is made known to the events which had inaugurated before the gathering. The girls had been caught by Reverend Paris dancing in the forest with their black slave Tituba, an illegal act which had instigated the gathering in the first place. The bewildering collapse of Betty arouses intense suspicion of witchcraft amongst the villagers although Abigail refuses to admit to anything but dancing in the forest. The topic of conversation between the Reverend and Abigail diverts as to why she was released from the services of Villagers John and Elizabeth Proctor; he hints at an indignity of rumours which had circulated around the Village regarding this release. In this beginning of the act the audience is introduced to the bases of the play, as well as giving them an introduction to some of the characters, mainly Reverend Paris. The audience is given an insight through the shown conversations into Paris’s character; we learn that he believes himself to have several enemies throughout the village as well as learning that he fears for his position of authority amongst the villagers. We are also given an introduction to the character of Abigail, we learn that she has a past which are not yet exposed to, as well as learning that she seems to be the leader of the formed group of girls, and she is seemed to be stubborn and somewhat bothered. The questioning of Abigail ceases
upon the arrival of the Putnam’s, a couple who are known to have had encounters with witchcraft; their conversation with Paris is one of persistent claims of Betty’s state being closely linked with black magic and witchery. They commence persuading Paris of this claim and end up making him believe that their diagnosis is correct, he agrees to lead the villagers that have formed downstairs in a psalm but waits for the arrival of Reverend Hale, a seemed professional of the topic of witchcraft; he leaves the young girls, Abigail and Betty alone. Having been left alone, Abigail takes charge ...
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upon the arrival of the Putnam’s, a couple who are known to have had encounters with witchcraft; their conversation with Paris is one of persistent claims of Betty’s state being closely linked with black magic and witchery. They commence persuading Paris of this claim and end up making him believe that their diagnosis is correct, he agrees to lead the villagers that have formed downstairs in a psalm but waits for the arrival of Reverend Hale, a seemed professional of the topic of witchcraft; he leaves the young girls, Abigail and Betty alone. Having been left alone, Abigail takes charge of the girls insisting that they admit to nothing, threatening the girls with violence if they were to do so. We are first introduced to the character of Mary Warren, now servant of the Proctor family; she commences to persuade Abigail that admitting to all they did is the best option; she fears accusations of witchcraft however the dominance of Abigail her dominance persists. The girls try to wake Betty, leading to her flailing herself at the window trying to fly, screaming noted tails of witchery such as the drinking of blood and charm; Abigail commences with threats of death and violent abuse. Abigail’s character is made known further, her status amongst the other girls is made extremely clear at this point, and she appears to be manipulative and powerful amongst her peers. At this, the girls leave Abigail and John Proctor enters the scene. The scene which follows reveals more Abigail’s past and her connections with the Proctor family. The scene is the first mention of adultery between Abigail and John Proctor. As the two are left alone, she begins to be suggestive of past events between them, a teasing flirtation which Proctor momentarily responds to. The stage directions given in this scene shows this moment clearly, the directions Abigail has stood as though on tiptoe, absorbing his presence, wide eye-d suggests longing desire for Proctor as well as suggesting a familiarity between them, she knows him. Proctor’s directed response looking at Abigail now, the faintest suggestion of a knowing smile on his face confirms this familiarity. Abigail’s followed actions shake Proctor back into his senses, noting her seriousness, he pulls away from her. This scene is extremely key in the play as she confesses to not having taken part in any witchcraft, evidence late used by Proctor in a mission to expose her false claims in trial, leading to his downfall later on in the play. The psalm is heard by the two characters downstairs which causes Betty to once again awaken with a whine; triggering the assembled villagers to make for the room, assuming that it was the psalm which had awoken her, coming to the ludicrous assumption of alleged witchcraft . A frenzied argument commences between the adults over what had awoken Betty, the argument is followed by quarrels of land and money and accusations between Paris and Proctor over Paris believing that Proctor is conspiring against him (note the Reverend’s insecurities of overthrown authority). Reverend Hale then appears in mid heat where Proctor then takes his leave, leaving with a spiting comment thrown at Hale, ‘I’ve heard you to be a sensible man, Mr Hale. I hope you’ll leave some of it in Salem.’ Paris asks Reverend Hale to examine Betty; whilst doing so he is attacked with questions of witchcraft leaving Paris to try and explain the situation. Hypercritically he hushes the crowd wanting answers before he makes an assumption. Hale holds Betty attempting to get answers out of her; failing to do so he directs his questions at Abigail in hopes of further information. Under the pressure of such inquisitive questioning, Abigail lays the blame of events on Tituba, their black slave. Tituba feebly tries to defend herself, claiming her love for ‘Me Betty’. The interrogation proves too much for her and she ends up admitting to having associations with the Devil in hopes of sparing herself from being hung. She makes up a tale of the Devil wanting Paris dead and conjures up a convincing tale of her encounter; the tale she invents unfolds with several accusations of having seen several villagers with the devil too- a starting point of all mass accusation in the play. Abigail cleverly seeing a way out begins to shout out several names herself causing the other girls to follow lead and shift the blame from themselves too; hysteria forms. This scene is also quite crucial as it underlines a major theme in which Miller wished to incorporate into his play, the mass panic and accusations are closely linked to the Red scare and the McCarthy trials of his time. Act two begins in ‘The common room of Proctor’s house, eight days later’, at this time fourteen people have faced charges of witchcraft ultimately leading to imprisonment and the fear of death. We now learn that Elizabeth knows that Abigail had confessed the truth to John Proctor and she encourages him to tell the court what really happened, exposing Abigail; an argument follows John’s reluctance to do so. It is in this scene that we gain knowledge of Elizabeth’s knowing of her husband’s affair however we can tell that their relationship has been left strained. We can see that Elizabeth no longer has trust in her husband and believes that he still has feelings for Abigail. The argument is left at Mary Warren’s return from Salem where she then tells the couple that Elizabeth’s name has been mentioned amongst these accusations and Elizabeth guesses that it were Abigail who named her in court. Mary Warren is sent to bed whilst John and Elizabeth continue their argument only to be interrupted by the arrival of Revered Hale, Giles Corey and Francis Nurse who release information that their wives had been arrested; Reverend Hale’s visit had been to test Elizabeth’s devoutness to religion. Shortly after court officials arrive at the farm house to arrest Elizabeth; Proctor calls for Mary Warren and demands to know the grounds on which she’s arrested for. Mary Warren releases the information that Abigail had collapsed in court with a needles to her stomach, claiming that it were Elizabeth who had sent spirits to wound her. The ‘proof’ of this was satisfied by the keeping of a Poppet, a small stitched doll kept by Mary Warren. The skirt of the poppet is lifted to reveal a long needle protruding from it. Furious, John Proctor demands that Mary Warren go with him to court to confess to the lie. The following day, Proctor bring Mary Warren to court and tells Judge Danforth that she will testing in his wife’s defence and admit to Abigail and the girls deceit. Following Proctor’s pleas to let Mary testify he is told that his wife is pregnant and will be given a year’s relief before death. He refuses to this ‘compromise’ and instigates a petition which he produces to the judge signed by ninety one villagers stating their belief in innocence of all that were accused; shortly after, furious, Danforth demands that all who signed were to be arrested too. Proctor remains persistent and Mary Warren testifies against the girls. Mary Warren’s argument appears feeble in comparison to Abigail and the others case and the tables are turned upon Mary. The court room is filled with the girls screams and accusations that Mary herself is a witch and at that very moment Mary is sending spirits to hurt the girls, the shout statement such as ‘Your Honor, I freeze!’ and ‘It is a wind, a wind!’. At this Proctor yells at Danforth that Abigail is nothing but a whore and commences to confess to his adultery. He tells the judge that Abigail is jealous, wanting his wife killed out of spite; ultimately he damns himself in attempt to expose the girls as well as, one could say, out of love for Elizabeth, in attempt to save her. Danforth summons Elizabeth to see if Proctor is lying. Frustratingly, Elizabeth (despite being a hounest woman) lies for her husband, denying such lechery in hope of saving her husband’s dignity and pride. Seizing the opportunity Abigail continues to call out claims of Mary Warren’s witchery causing Mary to break, joining the girls in claims of witchcraft, accusing Proctor himself. Perturbed, Proctor begins to curse Salem, incriminating himself further; it appears that only Reverend Hale believes his innocence and knowing what he has done denounces the proceedings and calls off the court. The summer passes and Proctor has been imprisoned and has been left faced with a predicament, left with the option of confessing and perhaps death. At this time, Abigail has fled Salem with all of Reverend Paris’s money and Hale has lost all faith in court, trying to convince all of the accused to admit to their accusations. Danforth asks Elizabeth to talk to her husband and ask him to confess; John, although conflicted agrees to do so. However, being a man of honour Proctor refuses to name any of the accused; the court once again commences. Nonetheless, during the hearing Parris, Hale and Danforth over step the mark, insisting that his confession become public and is to be written down and nailed to the church door as proof. Begrudgingly Proctor signs but then tears the document up whilst arguing that whether he writes his confession down or merely speaks it, it is still a confession. Danforth will not back down to Proctor, insisting he need the document to be signed, Proctor too does not back down shouting that he needs his name. The argument reaches a plateau where neither man stands down; knowing he will be sentenced to death, Proctor, out of pride, takes back is confession. He walks to the gallows with the others knowing his fate, meeting cries of incredulity. The conclusion of the play takes place with Hale’s last desperate plea to Elizabeth, asking her to insist that Proctor sign the confession, the play ends with Elizabeth’s cry ‘He have his goodness now, God forbid I take it from him!’.
