Parris and Putnam in Crucible
How do Act 1 and Act 2 develop the various characters in the play?
The play ‘The Crucible’ written by Arthur Miller is an allegorical reference to the McCarthyism of the 1950s. Set in the historical context of the 17th century Salem, this play explores several themes to point out how politics, greed and imaginative hysteria can tear a community apart. To further emphasize this, Miller uses different characters and develops them as the play progresses. In addition, his use of effective language intensifies the role of characters like John and Elizabeth Proctor, Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris and many others in the play.
The first act of the play is an exposition act which reveals all the primary characters and conflicts in the play. The play begins with Reverend Parris – a minister of the church – praying for his daughter Betty “He mumbles, then seems about to weep; then he weeps, then prays again”. Through the continuous weeping of Parris, Miller indicates to the readers that he is a weak character. In the Puritan society, ‘God’s law was the law’ and so the Bible was the truth. In that context, Parris, a minister, does commit a sin as he was praying in vain. Yet, it is only on the surface the Parris appears to be an anxious and worried father. Though he does inform the doctor and also calls for Reverend Hale, Miller implies that it is his reputation that Parris is most worried about, not his family’s welfare. He fears that Betty, Abigail and the others were engaging in witchcraft in the woods and his first concern is not the endangerment to their souls or the sin they have committed. Instead, he is troubled by the effect of the scandal on his reputation as seen in Parris’ reply to Putnam “Thomas, Thomas, I pray you, leap not to witchcraft…they will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.” Through this, Miller aims to give the readers an insight to the mass hysteria of the period – during the 17th and early 18th centuries, thousands were executed
The play ‘The Crucible’ written by Arthur Miller is an allegorical reference to the McCarthyism of the 1950s. Set in the historical context of the 17th century Salem, this play explores several themes to point out how politics, greed and imaginative hysteria can tear a community apart. To further emphasize this, Miller uses different characters and develops them as the play progresses. In addition, his use of effective language intensifies the role of characters like John and Elizabeth Proctor, Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris and many others in the play.
The first act of the play is an exposition act which reveals all the primary characters and conflicts in the play. The play begins with Reverend Parris – a minister of the church – praying for his daughter Betty “He mumbles, then seems about to weep; then he weeps, then prays again”. Through the continuous weeping of Parris, Miller indicates to the readers that he is a weak character. In the Puritan society, ‘God’s law was the law’ and so the Bible was the truth. In that context, Parris, a minister, does commit a sin as he was praying in vain. Yet, it is only on the surface the Parris appears to be an anxious and worried father. Though he does inform the doctor and also calls for Reverend Hale, Miller implies that it is his reputation that Parris is most worried about, not his family’s welfare. He fears that Betty, Abigail and the others were engaging in witchcraft in the woods and his first concern is not the endangerment to their souls or the sin they have committed. Instead, he is troubled by the effect of the scandal on his reputation as seen in Parris’ reply to Putnam “Thomas, Thomas, I pray you, leap not to witchcraft…they will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house.” Through this, Miller aims to give the readers an insight to the mass hysteria of the period – during the 17th and early 18th centuries, thousands were executed