The Crucible (Masterplots II: Drama)
At a glance:
- Author: Arthur Miller
- First Published: 1953
- Type of Work: Historical
- Time of Work: May to October, 1692
- Setting: Salem, Massachusetts
- Principal Characters: John Proctor, Elizabeth, The Reverend Samual Parris, Abigail Williams, The Reverend John Hale, Deputy Governor Danforth, Mary Warren, Thomas, Giles Corey, Rebecca Nurse, Tituba
- Genres: Drama, Allegory, History play
- Subjects: Justice, Folkloric or magical people, Religion, New England, Trials, Seventeenth century, Ethics, Witches or witchcraft, Puritans or Puritanism, Libel or slander
- Locales: Salem, MA
The Play
The Crucible begins at daybreak in the house of the Reverend Samuel Parris, who is praying at the bed of his motionless daughter, Betty. Her apparently incurable illness sets in motion the action of the play, which centers on the historic Salem witch trials. In quick succession, key characters enter; the first is slave Tituba, on whose exit follows Parris’ ward, the seventeen-year-old Abigail Williams. Interrogating her sparks off Parris’ fear that “unnatural things” may be going on, occult practices that could wreck his career; he has already been...
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