Their religion has taught them that witches do exist, and they believe...
Their religion has taught them that witches do exist, and they believe that it is possible for a witch to exist in their midst and for them to be unaware of her (or his) true identity and allegiance to...
View ArticleIn Act One, just as John Proctor enters the room, Miller provides some...
In Act One, just as John Proctor enters the room, Miller provides some background information. He says, in part, "In Proctor's presence a fool felt his foolishness instantly -- and a Proctor is always...
View ArticleThe irony is that John is describing the girls' behavior as a "black...
The irony is that John is describing the girls' behavior as a "black mischief" when what the girls are accusing others of is dealing in the black arts: witchcraft, sending out their spirits to torture...
View ArticleThe Salem Witch Trials took place in 1692. The real-life girls began to...
The Salem Witch Trials took place in 1692. The real-life girls began to do a bit of folk magic with Reverend Parris's slave Tituba in the winter at the beginning of that year, likely out of boredom....
View ArticleJohn Proctor and Giles Corey are both farmers, both practical, and both...
John Proctor and Giles Corey are both farmers, both practical, and both powerful within the community. They likewise seem to be well-respected by their peers. Politically, they also appear to be on the...
View ArticleOne of the first examples of hysteria is made evident when the Putnams...
One of the first examples of hysteria is made evident when the Putnams arrive at the Parrises' house. Right away, Mrs. Putnam is described as "shiny-eyed" and she wants to know how high Betty flew....
View ArticleDanforth has become a victim of his own logic, so to speak, when (in Act...
Danforth has become a victim of his own logic, so to speak, when (in Act Four) it is now too late for him to do the right thing without losing his authority and calling into question the guilty...
View ArticleWhat does Elizabeth mean when she says, “Oh, the noose, the noose is...
What does Elizabeth mean when she says, “Oh, the noose, the noose is up!”?
View ArticleWhen Elizabeth Proctor says, "Oh, the noose, the noose is up!" she says...
When Elizabeth Proctor says, "Oh, the noose, the noose is up!" she says it in response to Mary Warren's admission that her name was "mentioned" in court. Mary will not tell who began to accuse...
View ArticleThe judges discourage the defense of the accused by suggesting, as...
The judges discourage the defense of the accused by suggesting, as Reverend Parris puts it, that "All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem!" Therefore, if a person seems to...
View ArticleTituba is largely motivated by her fear of being punished. When Abigail...
Tituba is largely motivated by her fear of being punished. When Abigail first accuses her of witchcraft, Reverend Parris threatens to "whip [her] to [her] death" and Mr. Putnam calls for her to "be...
View ArticleIn many ways, yes, I do think he's a good husband. He says, in Act Two,...
In many ways, yes, I do think he's a good husband. He says, in Act Two, that "[he] mean[s] to please [...] Elizabeth," and he seems to mean it. He evidently finds her cooking to be a little bland, and...
View ArticleAbigail was dismissed from her position at the Proctors' house because...
Abigail was dismissed from her position at the Proctors' house because she had an affair with John Proctor some seven months before the play begins. In Act One, when Abigail and John speak alone, she...
View ArticleIf a person is already suspicious of something or someone, then they are...
If a person is already suspicious of something or someone, then they are a great deal more willing to respond emotionally and not logically to any news of that event or person. For example, Mrs. Putnam...
View ArticleWhat does Elizabeth mean when she says, “Oh, the noose, the noose is...
What does Elizabeth mean when she says, “Oh, the noose, the noose is up!”?
View ArticleIn many ways, yes, I do think he's a good husband. He says, in Act Two,...
In many ways, yes, I do think he's a good husband. He says, in Act Two, that "[he] mean[s] to please [...] Elizabeth," and he seems to mean it. He evidently finds her cooking to be a little bland, and...
View ArticleWhy does Danforth declare, "Mr. Parris, you are a brainless man!"?
Why does Danforth declare, "Mr. Parris, you are a brainless man!"?
View ArticleI'd argue that the main conflict of The Crucible is John Proctor's...
I'd argue that the main conflict of The Crucible is John Proctor's internal struggle with himself. He spends the entirety of the play trying not to feel like a "fraud." Though he does seem to have some...
View ArticleDanforth calls Reverend Parris "a brainless man" because he has allowed...
Danforth calls Reverend Parris "a brainless man" because he has allowed himself to be hoodwinked by his seventeen year-old niece, Abigail Williams. Parris has just confessed that she vanished three...
View ArticleHow does Abigail react to Tituba's change in heart in The Crucible?
How does Abigail react to Tituba's change in heart in The Crucible?
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