The Crucible facts for kids

The Crucible is a 1950s play about the Salem Witch Trials by Arthur Miller.

Miller wrote this play during the time of McCarthyism in America. Many people were afraid that communism would stop the American way of life. Some people falsely accused their enemies and even their friends of being communists during this time. Miller writes about the ideas of fear and false accusation which affected him during this time.

A "crucible" is a severe test or trial, which is exactly what happens in the play. Miller intended "The Crucible" as an allegory to McCarthyism. The events that took place during the time the play was written were very similar to the Salem witch hunts. This is why Miller named the book "The crucible" after the salem trials.

Characters

Many of the characters in the Crucible are based on real people who were at the Salem Witch trials. Some are also based on people in the 1950s Red Scare, such as Joseph McCarthy and Julius Rosenberg

• John Proctor- Farmer in the town, had a romantic relationship with Abigail Williams, has three sons, is accused of being a witch, refuses to say he was wrong, and dies for his dignity.
• Abigail Williams- Niece of Samuel Parris, former servant to John and Elizabeth Proctor. Uses the trials to gain status in the town and get revenge on Elizabeth.
• Reverend Parris- The local Congregational minister, who starts the witch issue by bringing Rev. Hale. Uncle of Abigail
• Betty Parris- His daughter, who becomes sick after dancing in the woods
• Elizabeth Proctor- John Proctor's wife, accused of being a witch by Abigail Williams after she fired her for sleeping with her husband
• Reverend John Hale-An outsider who knows a lot about witches and the devil. Rev. Parris brings him in. Though he first is trying to find as many witches as possible, he later quits the witch trials because he finds out that there is no devil, but that unspoken revenge is working its way through the trials
• Giles Corey-Old man who owns a lot of land and often argues with his neighbors. Accidentally implies that his wife is a witch because she reads books and when she does, he can not pray. Arrested for not naming names, then killed by being crushed by large rocks
• Deputy Governor Danforth-One of the judges at the witch trials, who wants to end all bad practices in Salem, is sure there is a devil in Salem at the beginning but at the end has his doubts as well
• Thomas Putnam- Owns a lot of land, takes to the witch idea to explain the death of his children and to buy other people's land after they are hung
• Ann Putnam-Thomas Putnam's wife
• Tituba- Servant to Reverend Parris, from the Barbados Islands. She practices some sort of voodoo. crusty beard
• Martha Corey-Wife of Giles Corey, who is said to be a witch because she reads
• Rebecca Nurse-Old and religious woman who is killed for not thinking the witch trials were a good idea, charged because Mrs. Putnam was jealous she had so many kids when all but one of the baby Putnams died
• Cheever-the recorder of the trials, he writes down what happens and is told to arrest people

See also

In Spanish: Las brujas de Salem para niños