Character description of the crucible. THE CRUCIBLE CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS 2022-10-14

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The Crucible is a play written by Arthur Miller in 1953 that tells the story of the Salem witch trials. The play is set in the Puritan village of Salem, Massachusetts in the late 17th century, and it explores themes of religious intolerance, mass hysteria, and the dangers of extremism.

One of the main characters in The Crucible is John Proctor, a farmer and landowner who is respected in the community. Proctor is a complex character who is torn between his sense of justice and his own personal flaws. On the one hand, he is a strong, independent thinker who refuses to be swayed by the religious zealotry of the other characters. On the other hand, he is also a flawed individual who has committed adultery and is haunted by his guilt. Despite his flaws, Proctor is a brave and noble character who stands up for what he believes in, even at great personal risk.

Another central character in The Crucible is Abigail Williams, a teenage girl who is the main instigator of the witch trials. Abigail is a manipulative and selfish character who is motivated by her own desires and ambitions. She is willing to lie, cheat, and even commit murder in order to get what she wants. Despite her treachery, Abigail is also a tragic figure who is driven by her own deep-seated insecurities and fears.

Reverend John Hale is another important character in The Crucible. Hale is a young, educated minister who is called to Salem to investigate the witchcraft accusations. At first, Hale is convinced of the truth of the accusations and is eager to root out the witches in Salem. However, as the play progresses, Hale becomes disillusioned with the witch trials and begins to see them for what they really are: a dangerous and misguided exercise in mass hysteria. He becomes an ally to Proctor and helps him expose the lies and corruption at the heart of the Salem witch trials.

In conclusion, The Crucible is a play that features a cast of complex and multi-dimensional characters. Each character is motivated by their own unique desires and flaws, and their interactions with each other drive the action of the play. Whether they are heroes or villains, each character is fully realized and adds depth and richness to the story of the Salem witch trials.

The Crucible: Character List

character description of the crucible

Herrick represents a neutral party who participates in the trials without necessarily condoning the persecutions. Giles Corey Giles Corey is a local farmer who is still physically and mentally formidable despite being eighty-three. Although she is weak and easily influenced by Abigail, Mary eventually tries to put things right by telling the court that the girls made up their accusations of witchcraft. Abigail wants to frame her for witchcraft: After piercing her own abdomen with a needle, she falsely accuses Elizabeth of having pierced the abdomen of a witch's "poppet" doll with a needle in order to torment her, an accusation of witchcraft. Susanna Walcott— Susanna is a nervous and hasty girl, younger than Abigail.

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The Crucible Characters

character description of the crucible

He refuses to name the town members who are also involved and is hanged. Abigail starts the fire of the witch hunt in order to frame Elizabeth Proctor as a witch so that she can claim John Proctor as her man. . Herrick The marshal of Salem. Proctor brings Mary to court to confess what Abigail did, however, she turns her back on Proctor and blames him for talking to the Devil. This leads Mary to renounce her confession and, subsequently, to accuse Proctor of forcing her to make it.

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The Crucible Characters

character description of the crucible

Putnam is a bitter man who feels that the citizens of Salem have not given him the respect that he and his family deserve. His arrival sets the hysteria in motion, although he later regrets his actions and attempts to save the lives of those accused, even begging some—like John Proctor—to lie and confess in order to live. If it was, soon enough the girls would accuse them of witchcraft as well. She knows of John's affair with Abigail and is trying to forgive her husband, though she clearly struggles to trust him. The last thing Salemites wanted was for their names mentioned in the courtroom. He uses the witch trials to increase his own wealth by accusing people of witchcraft and then buying up their land. The Crucible Characters The main characters in The Crucible are John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris, and Tituba.

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THE CRUCIBLE CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS

character description of the crucible

He remains firm in his conviction that the condemned should not be executed. Elizabeth fired Abigail when she discovered that her husband was having an affair with Abigail. Nurse is well respected by most people in Salem, but he is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife. She knows that the court is likely to be fooled by her words because of their superstitious beliefs. Ann Putnam has given birth to eight children, but only Ruth Putnam survived.


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The Crucible Character Description Essay

character description of the crucible

Ultimately, his misplaced confidence in his own judgment prevents him from administering true justice. He is upright and determined to do his duty for justice. She is bereaved and embittered as a result of the loss of most of her children. Betty falls into a strange stupor after Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the forest with Tituba. Reverend Parris called in an expert in witchcraft, Reverend Hale, to look at the comatose girls, because he suspected the girls of witchcraft. Mercy Lewis Mercy Lewis is the servant of Thomas and Ann Putnam.

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'The Crucible' Character Study: Rebecca Nurse

character description of the crucible

She is a timid girl, easily influenced by those around her, who tried unsuccessfully to expose the hoax and ultimately recanted her confession. Sarah Good is among the first individuals to be accused of witchcraft. Nurse also utters one of the more subtle and realistic lines of the play. Throughout the play, Abigail is shown to be cunning and manipulative. Read an Reverend John Hale A young minister reputed to be an expert on witchcraft. At the beginning of the play, she is the aggrieved wife of John Proctor, but, by the end of the play, she becomes more loving and understanding of her husband.

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Thomas Putnam Character Analysis in The Crucible

character description of the crucible

Nurse is well respected by most people in Salem, but is an enemy of Thomas Putnam and his wife. She flees Salem with Mercy Lewis during the trials. He has attempted to use force to get his way in the past but has always failed. His critical mind and intelligence save him from falling into blind fervor. He refuses to suspend the trials even as they tear Salem apart. Abigail takes great advantage of the Puritan court by scapegoating innocent people because, like Proctor, it is important to her to keep a good reputation of a young Puritan girl.

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The Crucible (Character Descriptions) Flashcards

character description of the crucible

She leads the girls in their accusations in court against some of the most well-respected and good townspeople, and resorts to hysterics to manipulate the jury during the trial. As a mother of eleven and a grandmother of twenty-six, she is an influential and established citizen. He is manipulative, leveraging the accusatory climate in his financial favor. By the end of the play, Hale rejects the trials as a Deputy Governor Danforth Danforth comes to Salem to oversee the witch trials. His indirect personality holds a lot of confidence and pride towards himself.


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character description of the crucible

Indeed, Parris is shown to be deeply concerned with his reputation and power, which he fears are being challenged by some in town. He is supposedly learned and educated on the phenomenon. He seeks to gain respect and revenge by increasing his wealth, landholdings, and influence however he can. He relies on knowledge coming from books, which, he believes hold all the answers. Danforth is depicted as short-sighted and unwilling to admit to errors. His arrival sets the hysteria in motion, although he later regrets his actions and attempts to save the lives of those accused. Judge Danforth The deputy governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge at the witch trials.

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