ENGLISH III

Study Guide for The Crucible

40 multiple-choice questions and one essay response

Act I:

  • The significance of the arguments about deeds and boundaries
  • The type of behavior expected from children of Salem and the type of life they lived
  • The setting of the play
  • The real reason Parris is concerned about the girls
  • The Puritans’ beliefs about slaves
  • Mrs. Putnam’s motive to hunt for witches
  • The Puritans’ thoughts about reading books
  • Abigail’s motives at the beginning of the play
  • Reason(s) for John Proctor’s guilt

Act II:

  • The relationship between John and Elizabeth Proctor at this point
  • The significance of an “everlasting funeral” marching around Elizabeth’s heart
  • The meaning of the allusion to the crowd parting like the Red Sea for Abigail
  • Elizabeth’s character traits and her dignity
  • The meaning of Mary Warren’s “work for a Christian girl to hang old women”
  • The meaning of Hale’s line when he says, “An hour before the Devil fell, God thought him beautiful in heaven.”
  • John Proctor’s feelings about Hale and his desire not to answer Hale’s questions
  • The original use of a poppet and the additional significance it acquires in this play
  • The significance of Hale’s appearance and actions when he arrives at the Proctors’ home
  • The reason Abigail accuses Elizabeth of witchcraft

Act III:

  • Martha Corey and Judge Hathorne and what each represents in this act
  • The reason John Proctor brings Mary Warren to court with him
  • John Proctor’s behavior towards Danforth during the questioning during this act
  • How Giles unknowingly harms his wife with his comments
  • The significance of Giles’ refusing to name names
  • What John means when he wished other people had some “evil” in them so they could “know” him
  • Be familiar with Elizabeth’s denial of John’s adultery and why it is a type of irony
  • Reasons why Mary Warren changes her testimony
  • The irony when Miller uses the phrase “out of her infinite charity” to describe Abigail
  • Evidence that Reverend Parris and Abigail are the most villainous characters in the play

(Over, please)

Act IV:

  • The setting at the beginning of this act
  • Proof that unjust use of law can destroy communities
  • Why Danforth treats Parris with contempt in this act
  • Why Danforth wishes to execute the accused quickly and what this suggests about the misuse of law
  • Inferences about why the people are refusing to cooperate with the witchcraft hearings in Andover
  • The event that provides the climax in Act IV
  • The significance of Proctor’s tearing up the confession
  • How Proctor’s refusal to sign a false confession compares to people who refused to testify during the McCarthy era of the 1950’s
  • The truth that Danforth’s actions illustrate in Act IV
  • How Elizabeth shows she understands John at the end of the play

Essay response:

Using your annotations for Miller’s article entitled “Tragedy and the Common Man” and the textbook itself, explain in your own words Miller’s definition of the modern tragedy and the contemporary tragic hero. Then, using examples from the play, prove that The Crucible is a tragedy and that John Proctor is the tragic hero. There is no set length for your response; just be certain that you thoroughly address all aspects of the question in your essay. You will have time to complete this portion in class, so use that time wisely.