Crucible+Reading+Questions

//The Crucible// by Arthur Miller
 * AP English - Drama

Reading Questions

Act One**

1. Who are Reverend Parris, Betty, and Abigail? What is their relationship?

2. Who is Tituba? What is her relationship to the family?

3. What is wrong with Betty?

4. Why does Parris suggest calling in Reverend Hale?

5. Who are Ann and Thomas Putnam? What do they suggest is Betty's problem? What is their motivation for suggesting this?

6. Who is Ruth? What is her relationship to the Putnams? What is wrong with her? How do the Putnams tie her problem to Betty's?

7. Who is Mercy Lewis? What is her relationship to the Putnams?

8. What does the conversation between Abigail, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty reveal about their recent activities?

9. Who is John Proctor? What is his relationship to Mary Warren? What is his relationship to Abigail? How does he feel about his relationship with Abigail?

10. Who is Elizabeth Proctor? What does Abigail think of her? How might this affect the outcome of the play?

11. Who is Giles Corey? Why is he introduced into the play?

12. Who is Rebecca Nurse? What is her role likely to be in the play?

13. Why is the issue of Parris's salary raised?

14. What is the Putnams' grievance over land? (p. 32) What significance might this have in the play?

15. What do the Puritans think of books other than the Bible? How do you learn about this in Act one?

16. How does Hale confuse Tituba? What is the significance of their conversation?

17. How and by whom are the other villagers accused of witchcraft? What is the motivation for the girls' accusations?


 * Act Two**

1. What is the significance of the scene between Elizabeth and John Proctor? What does it reveal about their relationship and about each of their characters?

2. What is the gift Mary Warren gives to Elizabeth?

3. What information does Mary provide about the trial? What role is she playing at the trial? Why does John forbid her from attending?

4. Why does Reverend Hale come to the Proctors' home? What does this scene reveal about Hale's role in the trial?

5. What relationship does Hale suggest exists between the church and the court?

6. What does Proctor tell Hale about why the children were ill? How does he claim to know?

7. What is the point of the discussion between Hale and the Proctors about whether or not they believe in witches?

8. What does Giles report to the Proctors? What is the significance of his revelations?

9. What event begins to change Hale's opinion about the arrests? How does he feel about the court?

10. What role does Cheever play? What is revealed about his character?

11. What do we learn about why Mary Warren gave the poppet to Elizabeth?

12. Why is Elizabeth arrested? On what grounds?

13. What do we learn about Mary Warren's motives at the end of the act?

14. What is meant when John uses the metaphor "your justice would freeze beer"? (p. 55)

15. What does John mean when he uses the metaphor "the man dreams cathedrals, not clapboard meeting houses"? (p. 65)

16. What does Hale mean when he says "theology...is a fortress"? (p. 67)

17. What does an individual's ability to use figurative language, such as metaphors, tell you about that person? Which characters in the play speak in metaphors?


 * Act Three**

1. What is the setting of Act Three?

2. What is the significance of the behind the scenes discussion between Hathorne, Danforth, Martha Corey, and Giles Corey?

3. How do Proctor, Francis, and Giles plan to use Mary Warren's testimony to prove that "Heaven is NOT speaking through the children"?

4. What is the significance of Proctor plowing on Sunday?

5. How do Danforth and Hathorne attempt to get Proctor to drop the charge that Mary Warren has lied? Why do they want him to do so? Why does Proctor refuse?

6. Why are Proctor, Francis, and Giles repeatedly accused of attacking the court?

7. Why is Putnam brought into the court?

8. Why is Giles accused of contempt of court?

9. What is the significance of the point made by Danforth that "no uncorrupted man may fear this court"? Is this true? How does this point tie the court and the church together?

10. Why does Hale suggest that Proctor should have a lawyer? What does this tell us about Hale's feelings about the justice of the trial? Is this a change in his attitude? Why does Danforth refuse?

11. What is contained in Mary Warren's depositions? Why are the other children who have cried out brought in?

12. How does Danforth equate the court with the church?

13. What does Abigail say about Mary's testimony? Why does she lie?

14. What role does Parris play during the testimony? Why does he lie about the dancing in the woods?

15. What point does Hathorne make about Mary fainting? Why can't she faint on command?

16. How does Danforth confuse Mary Warren?

17. What does Abigail do to befuddle Mary?

18. What secret does Proctor reveal about himself and Abigail? Why does he reveal it?

19. Why does Elizabeth deny John's relationship with Abigail? What is the result of her denial?

20. What evidence is there that Hale no longer believes the testimony and crying out of the girls?

21. What do the girls do to convince the men otherwise? Why? How does their action further befuddle Mary? What does Mary do?


 * Act Four**

1. What is the significance of the scene between Herrick and the accused witches?

2. Why does Reverend Hale tell the accused witches to confess?

3. What does the news of what is happening in Andover have to do with the trials in Salem?

4. Why does Parris say Abigail has vanished?

5. Why does Parris suggest the hanging be postponed?

6. Why does Danforth want Proctor to see Elizabeth? What does he hope it will cause him to do?

7. What are the conditions in Salem? Why?

8. Why doesn't Elizabeth beg John to confess?

9. Why does Proctor initially say he will confess? Why does he refuse to sign the confession?

10. Why does Parris beg Elizabeth to get John's confession? Why does she refuse?

11. Why does Miller end the play with Proctor's refusal to sign the confession and Elizabeth's refusal to beg him to do so?