What is Reverend Parris's relationship with the community in Act 1 of The Crucible?

Part of this answer does depend on whether or not you are allowed to use the narrator's information given in the opening overture of the play. If you are reading this play, the narrator immediately gives key information about Reverend Parris and his relationship to the town and people. The information that we are given paints a picture that Parris does not embrace and love his community, and his community reciprocates that same feeling. He feels persecuted by the community, and that tells readers that for whatever reason there is definite tension between him and the people in the community.

He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side. In meeting, he felt insulted if someone rose to shut the door without first asking his permission. He was a widower with no interest in children, or talent with them.

If the answer to this question has to be limited to Act 1 dialogue and stage directions, then the above information can't be used. If that is the case, then look to the initial conversation between Parris and Abigail. Parris tells Abigail (and audience members) that there are people in the town that he considers "enemies." He uses the word twice, and then he lets Abigail know that there is a faction of people that want to see him completely removed from his pulpit.

There is a faction that is sworn to drive me from my pulpit. Do you understand that?

This information clearly shows readers that Parris is not universally loved within the town or even within his own congregation. His relationship is a rocky relationship, and Parris definitely struggles with maintaining a positive image in the town.

What is Reverend Parris's relationship with the community in Act 1 of The Crucible?

Reverend Parris is the first character to whom we are introduced in The Crucible, and Miller tells us a lot about him even before the first words are spoken. Miller notes that he has "cut a villainous path" in history and confesses "there is very little good to be said for him." He is described as a paranoiac who sees enemies everywhere and believes himself insulted by the most innocent action.

In the first few pages, Parris confirms this unfavorable judgment, together with his unpopularity in Salem. He keeps referring to his "enemies" and is far more concerned with what they might say about Abigail's conduct than with what actually happened. We learn that there is a crowd waiting downstairs from Parris's congregation, but he continually refuses to go down and face them, clearly regarding them as hostile.

We also learn that Thomas Puttnam, one of Salem's leading citizens, had put forward a candidate for Parris's position and that two-thirds of the parish had voted for him. How Parris became minister instead is not clear, but it is evident that he did so without the support of the majority of people in Salem. On every front, then, his relations with the community are uneasy, hostile, and marked by mutual suspicion.

What is Reverend Parris's relationship with the community in Act 1 of The Crucible?

Reverend Parris is deeply conflicted between caring for his daughter Betty, who he fears is bewitched, and his responsibilities to his congregation. Parris is committed to his calling of saving souls, but he also enjoys the prestige of being a minister. He is fundamentally more political than religious in his outlook. Parris sees theological disagreements in secular, partisan terms. In his mind, people who do not share his religious views are his personal enemies and are eager for him to lose his position, to "drive me from my pulpit." In Act 1, he demands of Abigail,

Let me know what you done there. Abigail, do you understand that I have many enemies?

Abigail agrees to having heard this mentioned, so the audience infers that he is not simply paranoid.

What is Reverend Parris's relationship with the community in Act 1 of The Crucible?

Reverend Parris is not in good with the community.  They are angry with him, and he is pushy with them.

In Act I scene 1, Parris lashes out at Abigail for being caught in the woods and for what this will mean for his career as Reverand.  He specifically tells her that there are those in the community that would have him gone and that her behavior will be attached to him since they are related.

In Act II, scene 3, John Proctor tells Reverand Hale other things that have put Parris at odds with the community.  Parris wants gold candlesticks when the community felt that pewter would do.  There is an issue about what Parris is paid and how much firewood he is allowed--Parris obviously arguing for more and the community stating that he is already paid more than reverends in nearby parishes.  Proctor states to Hale that Proctor, "does not see the hand of God" in Parris which is why their youngest child has not been baptized by the reverend.

What evidence links Reverend Parris to greed in Act 1 of The Crucible?

The misgivings of Reverend Parris are not immediately unraveled to the reader in Act I. However, Miller writes in his preface that Parris has less than redeeming qualities for a man of God, and it is clear that he demands both preferential treatment and the awarding of goods and services that he does not necessarily deserve nor has worked for.

However, it is important to note that, while these specifics are not brought up in Act I, there is evidence of Reverend Parris's want for power...and his desire to keep it at all costs.

For example, he mentions early in Act I

I am your third preacher in seven years. I do not wish to be put out like the cat...

Moreover, he is adamant that he is the man in charge, that his position renders him more important and influential than everyone else, and he is more than willing to let everyone know this

You people seem not to comprehend that a minister is the Lord’s man in the parish; a minister is not to be so lightly crossed and contradicted…

Aside from this, Parris asks Abigail about her time in service, and he is vexed that the dealings of his family will put his position and the reputation of his family at odds with the villagers. Eventually it will unfold that the blackmail and persecution that will occur in the village will lead Parris to use his position to bully and upset others.

What evidence links Reverend Parris to greed in Act 1 of The Crucible?

Reverend Parris argues in the first act with John Proctor about his salary and his ancillary benefits. Proctor accuses Parris of abusing his position and craving selfishly and materialistically after more than his due. 

Proctor points to two examples of Parris' greed. Parris demands that he be given firewood on top of his salary. (Proctor says that part of the salary is specifically designated as firewood money.) Parris also is the first minister to demand the deed to the house that the community has provided to him to live in. 

Instead of accepting the generosity of the town in supplying him with a free place to live, Parris demands that he be given the deed of ownership to the house, changing his legal position to one of greater material power.

What role does Parris play in Act 3 of The Crucible?

In Act Three, Reverend Parris tries to install himself as a deputy to the court. He has no official position within the court, but he is clearly trying to get on Deputy Governor Danforth's good side while also trying to strengthen his own position and power. To Danforth, Parris says of John Proctor, "Beware this man, Your Excellency, this man is mischief." When Proctor explains his purpose in bringing Mary Warren, Parris exclaims, "They've come to overthrow the court, sir!" He tries to influence Danforth, and he also seems to hope that he can gain more power in order to punish his enemies. He accuses Proctor, in front of Danforth, of not coming to church because he knows this is damning. He also tries to call Proctor out, implying that he doesn't read the Bible either. Finally, he repeats his accusation that Proctor has "come to overthrow the court!" He tries to "enlist Danforth's sarcasm" by employing sarcasm himself to insult his parishioners, and he encourages Danforth to arrest everyone who has signed the petition that attests to Rebecca Nurse's, Elizabeth Proctor's, and Martha Corey's good character.

It is clear that Parris is actively trying to turn the court against John Proctor because he fears the damage Proctor could do to the trials: if it comes out that the girls are lying, then Parris is implicated either as a fellow liar or an incredible idiot. He claims, "All innocent and Christian people are happy for the courts in Salem! These people are gloomy for it." He implies that anyone who questions or presents concerns about the trials is unChristian or guilty.

What role does Parris play in Act 3 of The Crucible?

Act Three of "The Crucible" is where the action of the court trials actually begins for the reader/audience. We already know that Parris is going to be on the court's side because that will keep any suspicion off of him and keep it on the people who have been accused by the girls. In this act, Parris tries as hard as he can to discredit anyone who tries to go against the court. At times in the act, he even tries to push his way into pretending that he is one of the judges by questioning the accused -- he does this until Danforth finally gets annoyed by it and tells him to stop. This is the role that Parris plays in Act Three.

What is Reverend Parris's role in act 3 of The Crucible?

I have edited your question because you asked two. You are only allowed one question per entry.

In Act III, I really start to get mad at Rev. Parris. Everything he says is accusatory, and the only thing he ever has to back any of it up is that John Proctor doesn't go to church regularly. So, this must make him a sinner.

Parris puts himself in the role of a self-appointed judgement. He does this with an accusing tone and he presumes it is his right to ask questions just like the magistrates. When Proctor presents information, if it feels like the magistrates might be swayed by it, Parris will smurk or smile as if to presume that they couldn't possibly believe such untruth... since it is a sinner telling it.

Parris almost tries to act like a DA or prosecuting attorney, although these cases didn't really include any attorneys. He has become a sarcastic person who has one goal in all of this: covering his own self and making sure he doesn't go down because witchcraft was in his house.

What is Reverend Parris's role in act 3 of The Crucible?

As the Salem court convenes to begin the witchcraft trials, Parris inserts himself into the proceedings. The magistrates in charge are Danforth and Hathorne, and Parris has no official standing. That fact does not, however, prevent him from interfering. Because Hathorne and Danforth are not Salem citizens, they do not know the accused, but Parris attempts to shape their perceptions. When Giles Corey arrives at the court, for instance, Parris describes him to Danforth as "contentious." When John Proctor speaks up, Parris interrupts and tells Danforth, "Beware this man, Your Excellency, this man is mischief." When Mary Warren confesses that what the girls were doing was "pretense," Parris once again interjects and protests, "Excellency, you surely cannot think to let so vile a lie be spread in open court!"

When attention turns to John Proctor, Parris actually begins to interrogate him by asking him if he reads "the gospel." When Proctor persists in his defense of Elizabeth, Martha, and Rebecca, Parris tells Danforth, "He's come to overthrow the court, Your Honor!" Mary Warren's deposition gets Danforth's attention, and when he begins to read it with interest, Parris once again interjects himself to protest until Danforth has finally had enough and tells him to "be silent." However, Parris is not able to maintain silence for long and reinserts himself in the proceedings. Parris exults when John Proctor loses his temper at the end of the act and denounces God. Parris has been working against his political enemies from the beginning of the hysteria, and Proctor's outburst pleases Parris because he knows the consequences will be catastrophic for Proctor.

What is Reverend Parris's role in act 3 of The Crucible?

Throughout Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," Reverend Parris has constantly been worried about his own reputation. Even when is daughter, Betty, is found to be ill, his main concern is the blackening of his own name (given that his home is identified as the beginning of the rumors surrounding witchcraft). Over the course of the play, Parris constantly worries about how others perceive him and his position as the clergy for the town.

In act three of the play, Abigail is found to be lying by the court. Instead of protecting his niece, Parris is only concerned with his own welfare. He states that Proctor has only been concerned with ruining him. That said, Parris turns the trial's attention to himself and tries to, once again, protect his own future.

The role of Parris in this act is to illuminate the idea that many of the villagers in Salem are only concerned with their own well-being. Regardless of what is going on around them, and who is being wrongfully accused, Parris fails to act as a reasonable and God fearing man. Instead, as stated, his only concern is himself.

What is Reverend Parris' personality in The Crucible?

Reverand Parris displays a few personality traits throughout the play.  In Act 1, Parris is portrayed as a greedy man who cares more about his reputation than he does about his own daughter.  In this act, he is praying and seems to be worried about Betty’s well-being but when explaining his worry to other characters, he constantly mentions how his congregation will see him if witchcraft is found in his house.  In Act 3, Parris can be described as bossy, pushy, and annoying.  As the trials progress, he is always in the way of the judges and tries to almost act as a judge to the point that Danforth says to him, “Mr. Parris, I bid you be silent.”  In Act 4, Parris changes a bit; he is still worried about his reputation but when he realizes that his life may be at stake, he becomes fearful that someone will kill him.

What are Reverend Parris' motivations for supporting the witch trials in The Crucible?

Reverend Parris is a character who cares much more about his own reputation and his own well-being than anyone else in the play, possibly even that of his own daughter.  In the very first act, the audience can tell just how self-centered he is and how fearful he becomes of the possiblity that once word gets out that witchcraft has been found in his house that he will be ousted from his position as reverend in Salem village.  When, in Act 1, Susanna Walcott returns to Parris with news from Dr. Briggs that he can not find anything wrong with Betty and that her affliction must be blamed on "unnatural causes" he is quick to tell her to tell the doctor that there is no witchcraft in his house and basically tells everyone else at that point not to spread around this information.  Rev. Parris reacts similarly throughout the play as he constantly tries to "help" the judges by egging on the accusations.  Even in Act 4 we can see how paranoid Parris is when he finds a dagger stabbed into his door.  At this point in the play he tries to almost befriend his enemy John Proctor in order to get him to confess, therefore hopefully saving his own life from people who might riot against him.  

What are Salem's general feelings towards Reverend Parris in The Crucible?

Most of the people of Salem do not appear to like the Reverend Parris very much in The Crucible. In his commentary to his readers in Act I, Arthur Miller describes Parris, and the description is not flattering.

At the time of these events Parris was in his middle forties...and there is very little good to be said for him. He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side. In meeting, he felt insulted if someone rose to shut the door without first asking his permission. He was a widower with no interest in children, or talent with them. 

This characterization of Parris as a man who is always on edge because he is sure others are out to get him is accurate, and Parris's paranoia will add to the chaos of the witch trials very quickly. Parris tries to "win people and God to his side," which is a tragic commentary on a supposed man of God. 

Even worse, he lives with a chip on his shoulder, just waiting for someone to give the slightest sign of possible offense. In short, Parris is not the kind of man who is well suited to be a shepherd because he is suspicious and disdainful of his sheep.

As the play opens, it is clear that Parris does not have many friends. Even the people who tolerate him do not particularly like him. Rebecca Nurse treats Parris fairly well, but that is mostly just because she is a very kind woman by nature. The Putnams do not hate Parris, but they certainly do not really care about him except for what he can do for them. 

In contrast, nearly everyone else actively dislikes the man, including John Proctor and Giles Corey, well respected members of the town. Parris is an unpleasant and condemning man who is quick to accuse others of whatever he can in order to deflect any negativity from himself. 

Parris's biggest fear seems to be that a faction of his own people are out to get him, and this fear and paranoia is what drives him most of the time. Despite their unhappiness with Parris, however, his congregation does seem to to be more tolerant of him than he is of them. 

What power does Reverend Parris hold and how does it change throughout The Crucible?

The Rev. Samuel Parris is the pastor in Salem. As a member of the theocracy, his power in Salem is secure until he invites Rev. John Hale to come and investigate whether his daughter and the daughter of the Putnams are bewitched. Reverend Hale's probing questions and the interrogation of Tituba and the girls unleash issues that quickly grow beyond Parris's control.

Once Hale and Parris provoke confessions from Tituba, Betty, Abigail, and other girls, hysteria breaks out in the village. Accusations come from many sources, and trials begin in earnest. When Danforth and Hathorne arrive in Salem, Parris and Hale are outranked by these senior government officials who preside over the trials. However, Parris does have the power to excommunicate citizens from the Salem church, and he is only too glad to do so when the wives of his political enemies, Nurse, Corey and Proctor are accused. Parris's swift excommunication and support for the hangings of Salem's accused are an abuse of his power. He also has a role in the unjust execution of Giles Corey by attempting to force him to either confess or implicate others.

In The Crucible, how does Miller characterize Parris and his feelings towards parishioners?

In addition, Reverend Parris seems to really look down on his parishioners in Salem.  Early in Act 1, when he is trying to convince Abigail, his niece, to be honest with him about her reputation and recent activities in the forest, he says to her, "Abigail, I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me [...]."  He seems to view his congregation as stubborn, and perhaps even difficult or slow, as "stiff-necked" seems to imply a number of negative qualities like these.  In addition, the need that he feels to "bend" them to his will indicates that he sees them less as people that he leads down a righteous path and more like animals for him to control (we "break" horses, and the like). 

Further, Parris later suggests something even more outlandish when speaking with John Proctor.  As they argue about money, Parris says, "I cannot offer one proposition but there be a howling riot of argument.  I have often wondered if the Devil be in it somewhere; I cannot understand you people otherwise."  Referring to his parishioners as "you people" is hardly a sensitive or inclusive way of speaking; he views himself as separate, set apart, and apparently above them.  He even suggests that they have some link to the Devil or else they would never treat him as they do.

In The Crucible, how does Miller characterize Parris and his feelings towards parishioners?

In “The Crucible”, Arthur Miller characterizes Reverend Parris as a man who is more concerned with his own reputation than anything else.  His daughter is seemingly bewitched, yet all he seems to worry about is whether or not he will be overthrown while he takes the time to argue over land and money with John Proctor, Giles Corey, and Thomas Putnam in Act 1 of the play.  While questioning his niece about what happened in the woods, he is also worried about reputation when he questions her own, thinking that any bad reputation on her part would fall back on him.  Additionally, when the Putnams begin to lay the blame of Betty and Ruth’s sicknesses on witchcraft, Parris refuses to allow this information to leave his house because he thinks that since it began in his house that he will be blamed and overthrown from his position as Salem’s reverend.  Parris fears his congregation because he knows that they have the power to get rid of him, therefore everything that he does seems to be more to appease the congregation than to help his own family in such horrendous situations.  Parris is self-centered, egotistical, and money-hungry and worries more about what other people think of him than about what he can do to help out in the situation.

In The Crucible, how does Miller characterize Parris and his feelings towards parishioners?

To me, Parris seems characterized as cautious and nervous. What I find most ironic about such characterization is that Parris, if a holy man, should have no fear of others opinions if he is indeed right with God and his heart is pure.

This is not how Miller paints him. I see Parris watching his back. He works to hide the situation of his daughter Betty from his congregation. He fears having them know that the demonic has had power over his family.

Parris feels his parishioners are out to get him. He feels cheated by them. There was a discrepancy over his annual salary. He thought his salary should be 66 pounds a year plus firewood. His parish understood the salary to be 60 pounds a year and 6 pounds worth of firewood. When he is issued the latter of the two he is disappointed and feels slighted.

Because John doesn't regularly come to church, Parris judges his holiness. He finds Proctor less of a man because of his faithlessness to church attendance. That is not the measure of a man, Parris will soon learn what is.

What is Parris's role in the community in The Crucible?

Samuel Parris is a reverend and the leader of the church in Salem. He is also the uncle to Abigail, one of the key players in the conspiracy against some members of the Salem community. Although Parris is at first not convinced that the issue of witchcraft is present in Salem, he is convinced by Mrs. Putnam. Parris falls into the trap because he is also hoping to shift attention from himself, since his daughter is among those rumored to have been bewitched after participating in some ungodly event with other girls in the forest.

Although Parris is expected to consult the local authorities on the matter, he is quick to call Reverend Hale to focus on the witchcraft issue. Parris also takes the witch hunt as an opportunity to dismantle the faction led by Proctor that opposes him. Parris plays a key role in condemning many innocent people, and it is only when his niece robs him and runs away that he tries to make amends for a situation that had spiraled out of control.

What is Parris's role in the community in The Crucible?

Parris is the town minister in Salem.  Although he is not well liked by many members of the community -- Giles Corey and John Proctor, among others -- this is his role.  John, for example, feels that Parris places too much emphasis on material objects, like the golden candlesticks on the altar and even his own income, and he does not "see the light of God" in Parris.  Parris also has a daughter, Betty, and he has taken in his niece, Abigail Williams, whose parents were killed during an Indian raid on her home.  Parris's job is to be the community's spiritual leader, to lead religious services included officiating at weddings and funerals, christening children, and the like.  Although his role is primarily spiritual, it becomes evident fairly quickly that his role is politically charged as well.

What kind of man is Reverend Parris in The Crucible?

We learn a lot about the Reverend Parris in The Crucible, both through the play itself and through Arthur Miller's description of him. He is an unpleasant man who is always ready to pick a fight. Miller describes him this way:

At the time of these events Parris was in his middle forties. In history he cut a villainous path, and there is very little good to be said for him. He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side. In meeting, he felt insulted if someone rose to shut the door without first asking his permission.

He is a minister, but he does not think of his congregation as a shepherd thinks of his flock. In fact, he sees them as his enemies. More than one he refers to them as a "faction" and a "party" that is constantly out to get him.

We also know that Parris does not particularly like children, yet he is raising two of them, his daughter, Betty, and his niece, Abigail. He is not a kind or compassionate man or father.

John Proctor and Giles Corey reveal that Parris preaches too much hellfire and damnation, and some parents have even kept their children home because it is too much for them to bear.

Parris is also consumed with money and is bitter that he is not paid what he thinks he is worth, despite his contract. His current complaint is that he should be given the deed to the house he is living in, but it does not appear that he will get his way.

Parris's home is the seat of all the supposed witchcraft trouble in Salem. Betty and Abigail, along with some other girls, were in the forest last night. That is a great taboo in the Puritan world, an offense punishable by whipping. The interesting thing is that Parris knows about this because he, too, was in the forest last night. He saw one of the girls running naked as well as all the dancing, and he is afraid that this witchcraft furor is going to impact him. He asks Abigail directly about it.

We did dance, uncle, and when you leaped out of the bush so suddenly, Betty was frightened and then she fainted. And there’s the whole of it.

Clearly Parris has some hidden things in his life, as well.

Parris is obsequious and fawning to the parishioners he thinks are on his side, like the Putnams, but he is willing to turn on those he somehow fears, like Proctor.

When the trials begin, Parris is the first to take advantage of the situation and is happy to do whatever he can to keep any attention off himself and his household in terms of witchcraft. He lies by omission to the court by not telling about the girls dancing in the forest, and it is clear he will do anything to protect his own interest.

At the end of the play, when Parris has undergone some kind of change, he shows himself to be a weak man. He is full of self-pity because Abigail absconded with his money and because some people in town have delivered threats to his door. 

The Reverend Parris has no discernible redeeming qualities, and I can only repeat what the playwright said, that "there is very little good to be said for him."

In The Crucible, what are John Proctor's feelings towards Reverend Parris?

John's distaste for Parris is such that he rarely attends church, which is an issue that will come back to haunt him in the course of the play.  He states that Parris is never satisfied, asking for more money and gold candlesticks.  John also refused to allow Parris to baptise his younger son as he did not want him to lay hands on the child.  As a member of the Puritan community this was an issue of great significance, seeing that they hoped to build a new Jerusalem in the wilderness.  Religion was the single issue upon which the lives of these people turned, so for John to reject God's vessel is not taken lightly by men like Hale and Danforth.

In The Crucible, what are John Proctor's feelings towards Reverend Parris?

John is fairly open about his feelings for Parris.  In the first act, he gets into arguments with Parris, and some of his feelings come out.  One issue he has with Parris is his preaching style.  Of it, Proctor states, "I have trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation...there are many others who stay away from church tese days because you hardly ever mention God anymore."  So, he feels that Parris' preaching style is much too intense, negative, and critical.  Proctor also feels that Parris is unusually worldy and materialistic.  When Parris demands to outright own the house that the church provides for him, Proctor says, "to ask ownership is like you shall own the meeting house itself," voicing his dismay that a preacher would need that ownership.  In act two he adds to his opinion of Parris' materialism by mentioning of Parris that "for twenty week he preach nothin' but golden candlesticks until he had them."  He feels that Parris is a petty, negative man, and he "sees no light ofgod in that man."  He feels so strongly that Parris isn't a good minister that he jokingly says that he is going to "find and join" the faction or party that is forming against Parris, and, his youngest son isn't baptized because John doesn't want Parris to "lay his hand upon my baby."

I hope that gives you a feel for how John feels about Parris; it certainly isn't warm and fuzzy, and John has no qualms expressing it.

In The Crucible, what are John Proctor's feelings towards Reverend Parris?

The principal reason for John and Elizabeth Proctor's absence from church is that neither of them wants to be near Abigail after John's affair with her. Another reason however, and one that is easier for him to express in public, is that he has a poor opinion of the Reverend Parris and his preaching. In act 2 he tells Mr. Hale that he stays away from church and objects to having his children baptized by Parris because he sees "no light of God in that man."

John also regards Parris as greedy for money and says that this avarice makes its way into his preaching. Not only did he demand the deeds to his house and quibble over his firewood allowance but he also declared that the pewter candlesticks Francis Nurse made for the church were not good enough and demanded gold ones. John says that:

for twenty week he preach nothin' but golden candlesticks until he had them.

He then remarks that he thinks Parris dreams of cathedrals rather than clapboard meeting houses. This is a serious slur against Parris as a preacher, since it aligns him with the Anglican church the Puritans came to America to escape, or even the Catholics, rather than the Puritan church of Salem.

Why does Reverend Parris face issues with the church-goers in The Crucible?

Reverend Samuel Parris is presented as a pious man who is inordinately concerned with his reputation. Although he seems sincere in his concern for the church members’ spiritual lives, from the beginning of the play, it is made clear that he worries too much about others' opinions and does not tolerate contradiction. In leading the congregants away from sin, Parris is strict and even rigid. However, he also makes demands of the villagers for material support, which many of them resent.

The minister’s distress over his daughter’s insensate condition comes across as genuine. However, as he speaks with Abigail about the girls’ activities that he witnessed, it becomes obvious that he is highly apprehensive about the townspeople’s reactions. Parris refers to his congregation members as stubbornly resistant to his teachings but also tells Abigail that he thinks he has made some progress in leading them.

I have sought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and … some good respect is rising for me in the parish.

Gossip and rumors play an active role in the village, and he quickly confirms that people are already saying that Betty, his daughter, is a witch. He is sure that his “enemies” will take advantage of her involvement as proof that he is ineffective and has allowed the devil into the community. This faction will “ruin” him and try get him removed from his “pulpit.”

When he speaks with John Proctor, some of the reasons for their antipathy are revealed. For example, the community has provided the house in which he lives. However, he is requesting to be made the actual owner of the property. Whereas Proctor speaks of Parris being keen on “deeds and mortgages,” Parris sees his position as absolute and not to be contradicted:

There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning!

How is Reverend Parris the antithesis of Puritan values in The Crucible?

Certainly, the Puritans valued honesty and humility, and Reverend Parris possesses neither of these qualities.  In Act One, he admits his knowledge of his daughter's and niece's illegal activities in the forest, but he is anxious to hide this information rather than bring it to light, despite the fact that it could (in their view) account for Betty Parris's and Ruth Putnam's illness. He says to Abigail, "if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it." He seems to be far more concerned about his position than he is about his daughter. Further, he's most interested in covering up the truth so that it cannot be used against him. The fact that he doesn't reveal the girls' activities until he is forced to by John Proctor in Act Three supports this.

Moreover, Parris's pride makes him resentful.  While arguing with Proctor and Giles Corey, he says, "I am not some preaching farmer with a book under my arm; I am a graduate of Harvard College." Because he feels like they do not pay him enough or respect him enough and because they will not hand over the deed to the home in which he lives (which they never give to the current minister), he imagines himself to be persecuted and victimized. He interprets any and all disagreements or questions about his methods as an attack. His arrogance and conceit leads him to be angry and somewhat bitter. These are not good qualities for any Puritan to possess, let alone the town minister. 

How does Reverend Parris demonstrate immorality in The Crucible?

Just as the witch hunt in Salem reveals the strength and courage of some characters in the drama, it also reveals the greed and cowardice in others, especially in Reverend Samuel Parris. From the moment witchcraft is mentioned as a possible cause of the children’s strange behavior, Parris views every subsequent event and circumstance in terms of its impact on his reputation and personal finances. At no time does he demonstrate concern for anyone but himself as the hysteria grows in Salem. John Proctor recognized the moral deficiencies in Reverend Parris long before Salem is consumed by the witch hunt. In explaining why the Proctors’ third child had not been baptized, John says, “I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man.” In Parris’s actions as the leader of the church in Salem, Proctor finds no love, humility, compassion, or dedication in serving God; he sees instead Parris’s selfishness and greed.

Before becoming the head of the church in Salem, Parris had lived in Barbados where he made his living in commercial trade. In accepting the position in Salem, he had been driven by worldly rather than spiritual concerns, especially in regard to money and what it can buy. He negotiated his services to the church, no doubt, as he had once negotiated deals in his “thrifty business” in Barbados. The Reverend had demanded a contract under which he would be paid sixty-six pounds annually and be provided with a house and firewood; once employed, he demanded a deed to the house. Moreover, Parris had been displeased with the simple trappings of the little church in Salem, insisting that the congregation buy candlesticks made of gold to replace the pewter candlesticks on the altar. “I think, sometimes, the man dreams of cathedrals, not clapboard meetin’ houses,” Proctor says of the Reverend.

Parris views his position in Salem as a career, not a calling, which is made evident in how he reacts when witchcraft is mentioned in regard to the children’s strange behavior. “I am certain there be no element of witchcraft here,” he reassures Goody Putnam. He then begs her husband, “I pray you, leap not to witchcraft …. They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.” In a time when many believed in the power of witches to act in concert with the devil in taking human souls, Parris refuses to entertain the possibility that the children are afflicted by evil spirits. He fears even the mention of “so disastrous a charge,” viewing it as a dire threat to his personal wellbeing. That the children’s souls might be at risk is of no concern to him, but he is very concerned about losing his job.

Despite Parris’s attempts to stifle the discussion of witchcraft in Salem, the community is soon overwhelmed with the hunt for witches and the establishment of Judge Danforth’s court. Throughout the trials, Parris aligns himself with the court and its proceedings; unlike Reverend Hale, a man guided by conscience, Parris does not question the workings of the court, even though he has good reason to question the veracity of Abigail Williams as the chief accuser of the innocent, nor is he affected by the tragedy occurring in his congregation. It is only when Abigail breaks into Parris’s strongbox and runs away with his money that the Reverend responds with heartfelt emotion. “Thirty-one pound is gone. I am penniless,” he exclaims to Judge Hathorne. Parris then “covers his face and sobs.” Reverend Parris has no tears for innocent lives destroyed, but in his greed and cowardice, he has a great deal of pity for himself.

In The Crucible, how does Reverend Parris exemplify the convergence of greed and power in religion?

Parris is constructed as a weak character who must cling to the public perception of religion in order to substantiate his own power.  Greed is a reflection of this weakness.  This is evident from the very start of the drama.  Parris is more concerned with how his perception will be altered when it is revealed that his daughter and niece were out dancing in the woods after hours.  The notion of conjuring up accusations of the "devil's work" is where his greed for power becomes a part of his characterization.  He recognizes that being able to utilize public opinion under the guise of religious fervor is a way in which is own greed is satiated as his power is consolidated.  At the trials, Parris is able to demonstrate his own power and the greed for control as he centers his focus on chastising Proctor in both the legal court and in the court of public opinion.  Finally, Parris' greed for his own weakening stature is seen when he uses religion as a way to save himself.  In his insistence that Proctor's confession is made public and his lobbying for Proctor not being put to death, one sees how Parris uses religion for personal gain, to support his own greed for power.

How did Reverend Parris instigate and perpetuate the Salem Witch Trials in The Crucible?

If you watch Parris in the opening scene, his biggest concern is his reputation. He is less concerned with Betty's condition than he is about what his parishoners are going to think. This effort to hide put a series of events into play that took a dangerously deadly turn. Had Parris been more concerned about Betty's well-being and promised no retribution to Abigail, she likely would not have begun the set of lies that began that first scene.

Later, Parris is concerned with his salary (once again, a selfish purpose). In seeking an answer or an end to this means, he finds himself at odds with church attender John Proctor. To further the plot, John's attendance or lack thereof is brought to light by Parris and a personal bout between the two of them begins. Parris allows himself to be played by Thomas Putnam who also has angst for Proctor.

As the play nears the end of the third act, Parris is supporting all accusations of witchcraft that the girls make and seems to be out for revenge although he likely names it justice or spiritual morality.

By the end, Parris begins to understand that way too many people are being condemned and that they are good people. Unfortunately by that point, it is too late. This demonstrates his understanding of the perpetuation of the Trials.