The Crucible

 

 

Tituba

Reverend Parris

Abigail

Mrs. Putnam

Mr. Putnam

Mary Warren

Betty

John Proctor

Elizabeth Proctor

Giles Corey

Reverend Hale

Rebecca Nurse

Judge Danforth

Susana

Mercy

 

 

Questions over Act I

 

  1. Describe the importance of religion to the characters of this play.
  2. What caused the belief that witchcraft was in Salem?
  3. Why is Tituba a necessary character in this play?
  4. Why does Mrs. Putnam believe there are witches in Salem?
  5. Explain the political relationship between Putnam and the Nurse family.
  6. What effect does Rebecca have on Betty?
  7. What is Rebecca’s explanation for the girls’ behavior?
  8. What is Proctor’s reason for not regularly attending church?

 

 

 

Questions over Act II

 

  1. Why has Mary Warren disobeyed her employers and gone to Salem?
  2. What did Abigail Williams reveal to John Proctor?
  3. Why hasn’t John told the court what he knows?
  4. What lie does John Proctor tell Elizabeth that makes her more suspicious of him?
  5. What news does Mary Warren reveal to John and Elizabeth about the trials?
  6. How does Mary Warren behave towards her employers?
  7. How does Elizabeth react when she discovers she has been accused of witchcraft?
  8. What does Elizabeth ask John to do when she discovers she has been accused of witchcraft?
  9. Why does Reverend Hale visit the Proctors?
  10. How does John Proctor respond to questions about why he has not been attending church?
  11. What does Reverend Hale ask John Proctor to do?
  12. What news does Giles Corey reveal to the Proctors and Reverend Hale?
  13. Explain why Cheever is astonished and afraid when he finds the poppet with the needle in it.
  14. What does John ask Mary Warren to do?
  15. Why is Mary Warren so afraid to do what John asks?
  16. What does John decide to do about testifying?

 

 

 

 

Questions over Act III

 

  1. As this act opens, what accusation does Giles Corey make?
  2. What news do we learn about Rebecca Nurse?
  3. When John Proctor arrives at court with Mary Warren, of what does Reverend Parris accuse him?
  4. What proof does Giles Corey have that Putnam is “reaching out for land”?
  5. What happens to Giles Corey?
  6. When Mary Warren says she pretended to faint in court, was is she asked to do?
  7. What is the result?
  8. What does Abigail do when suspicion falls that she may be pretending?
  9. What does John do to discredit Abigail?
  10. How does Danforth react?
  11. What does Hale do when Proctor is arrested?

 

 

 

Questions over Act III

 

  1. What is Reverend Hale advising the condemned to do?
  2. What does Reverend Parris reveal about Abigail?
  3. What is the condition of Salem at this point?
  4. What does Hale want Danforth to do?
  5. How does Danforth react to that request?
  6. What do Hale and Danforth request of Elizabeth?
  7. What happens to Giles Corey?
  8. What is John’s excuse for confessing?
  9. What is Elizabeth’s proof that John is a good man?
  10. After John confesses, what does Danforth ask him to do?
  11. How does the play end?