Plot and Conflict
The Crucible is a play written in 1953, inspired by Senator Joseph McCarthy’s “witch-hunts” in the United States. This book is a reflection of the anti-communist hysteria that took place. The play is set in 1692, in Salem, Massachusetts. It starts when a few girls were caught outside the woods dancing. One of the girls, Betty Parris, is sick after they were caught, and her father is afraid that her sickness may have been caused by witchcraft. He interrogates his niece, Abigail Williams, who was also in the woods, if they were doing witchcraft. Abigail denies it, and Parris has called for Reverend Hale that specializes in witches. While they wait, other adults come in, hearing the rumors of Betty being bewitched. One of them …show more content…
She is a very self-righteous woman and believes in always doing the right thing. Elizabeth is a protagonist of the story. She is a flat character for she isn’t described by Miller in detail, and she is a stereotyped character: “Whatever the situation is, she is always devoted to John: “… when you come to know that I will be your only wife, or no wife at all!” (59). But she also feels uneasy with her marriage to John since figuring out John’s and Abigail’s affair. Elizabeth fires Abigail and the couple’s relationship goes to strain: “Elizabeth, with a smile, to keep her dignity: John, if it were not Abigail that you must go to hurt, would you falter now? I think not” (52). Elizabeth’s conflict is external because she is battling the court against their accusations of witchcraft. She tries to convince the judges that she didn’t try to kill Abigail, but the evidence is used against her and she is jailed. When jailed, it is found that she is pregnant, and that forces the judges to keep her alive. Her husband is jailed as well on counts of witchcraft. She refuses to judge her husband and that she will support him no matter what the decision is: “I cannot judge you, John” (125). She forgives John of the affair and helps him forgive himself before his death. She remains a static character until the end, because she is faithful to John and is very supportive of him until his death. (259 …show more content…
He was called by Reverend Parris to see to his daughter, Betty. His job is to diagnose witchcraft and provide a cure. He is very devoted to his work and his faith, and his good intentions to help the afflicted motivate him. But he is also motivated by flattery and pride as well. He is a protagonist of the story: “Mr. Hale is nearing forty, a tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual. This is a beloved errand for him; on being called here to ascertain witchcraft he felt the pride of the specialist whose unique knowledge has at last been publicly called for” (30-31). He is round and complex for he is described in detail by Miller, and he undergoes changes throughout the play. He starts off with great confidence in himself, saying that there is witchcraft in Salem: “… we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points!” (68). But from his confidence, he goes to slowly doubting himself through Abigail’s manipulations: “Hale, in a fever of guilt and uncertainty, turns from the door to avoid the sight” (74). Hale has two conflicts. One is external, as he is constantly battling with Proctor and the evidence provided to the courts. First Proctor and Hale disagree over Abigail’s accusation against Elizabeth, but later Hale tries to convince Proctor to confess so he could live. The other is internal as his values shift in the reality of witchcraft claims in Salem. He realizes that Proctor was
The Crucible is a play written in 1953, inspired by Senator Joseph McCarthy’s “witch-hunts” in the United States. This book is a reflection of the anti-communist hysteria that took place. The play is set in 1692, in Salem, Massachusetts. It starts when a few girls were caught outside the woods dancing. One of the girls, Betty Parris, is sick after they were caught, and her father is afraid that her sickness may have been caused by witchcraft. He interrogates his niece, Abigail Williams, who was also in the woods, if they were doing witchcraft. Abigail denies it, and Parris has called for Reverend Hale that specializes in witches. While they wait, other adults come in, hearing the rumors of Betty being bewitched. One of them …show more content…
She is a very self-righteous woman and believes in always doing the right thing. Elizabeth is a protagonist of the story. She is a flat character for she isn’t described by Miller in detail, and she is a stereotyped character: “Whatever the situation is, she is always devoted to John: “… when you come to know that I will be your only wife, or no wife at all!” (59). But she also feels uneasy with her marriage to John since figuring out John’s and Abigail’s affair. Elizabeth fires Abigail and the couple’s relationship goes to strain: “Elizabeth, with a smile, to keep her dignity: John, if it were not Abigail that you must go to hurt, would you falter now? I think not” (52). Elizabeth’s conflict is external because she is battling the court against their accusations of witchcraft. She tries to convince the judges that she didn’t try to kill Abigail, but the evidence is used against her and she is jailed. When jailed, it is found that she is pregnant, and that forces the judges to keep her alive. Her husband is jailed as well on counts of witchcraft. She refuses to judge her husband and that she will support him no matter what the decision is: “I cannot judge you, John” (125). She forgives John of the affair and helps him forgive himself before his death. She remains a static character until the end, because she is faithful to John and is very supportive of him until his death. (259 …show more content…
He was called by Reverend Parris to see to his daughter, Betty. His job is to diagnose witchcraft and provide a cure. He is very devoted to his work and his faith, and his good intentions to help the afflicted motivate him. But he is also motivated by flattery and pride as well. He is a protagonist of the story: “Mr. Hale is nearing forty, a tight-skinned, eager-eyed intellectual. This is a beloved errand for him; on being called here to ascertain witchcraft he felt the pride of the specialist whose unique knowledge has at last been publicly called for” (30-31). He is round and complex for he is described in detail by Miller, and he undergoes changes throughout the play. He starts off with great confidence in himself, saying that there is witchcraft in Salem: “… we dare not quail to follow wherever the accusing finger points!” (68). But from his confidence, he goes to slowly doubting himself through Abigail’s manipulations: “Hale, in a fever of guilt and uncertainty, turns from the door to avoid the sight” (74). Hale has two conflicts. One is external, as he is constantly battling with Proctor and the evidence provided to the courts. First Proctor and Hale disagree over Abigail’s accusation against Elizabeth, but later Hale tries to convince Proctor to confess so he could live. The other is internal as his values shift in the reality of witchcraft claims in Salem. He realizes that Proctor was