Plot Summary Of The Crucible

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The Crucible is set in the town of Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. We open in the home of Reverend Parris, who is trying desperately to wake his daughter Betty. Betty is in a strange state of sleep and the doctor can find no cure. As a result, whispers of witchcraft are spreading through the town. Parris has sent for the Minister Hale, an expert in witchcraft to come and dispel these rumors and his own fears. The day before he found his daughter, niece and several other girls dancing in the woods while his slave Tituba, muttered and sang. Upon his finding them, Betty fainted and hasn’t woken since. Parris questions his niece Abigail as to what they were doing but Abigail holds firm that there was no witchcraft involved, only dancing. Parris, …show more content…

The Putnams urge Reverend Parris to look to witchcraft and Ann Putnam explains that she sent Ruth to Tituba for the very purpose of attempting to conjure her seven children who died in childbirth so that she might finally know why. At the Putnams request, Parris goes downstairs to his parlor to lead the people there in a psalm to the Lord. Once alone Abigail begins to speak with Mercy on the current situation when a terrified Mary Warren flies into the room, babbling of how they are the talk of the town. Suddenly Betty sits up and begins to call for her dead mother. Ignoring her, Abigail tells the other girls they must admit to nothing, at which point Betty cries out that she has not told about drinking a blood charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor. Furious Abigail slaps her and warns all the girls not tell her secret. Betty returns to unconsciousness just as John Proctor is entering the …show more content…

Proctor begins to berate her, stating that she is paid to help his wife, not spend time in the town. Mary insists however, that her work is of the utmost significance, she is doing the will of God. In a moment of seemingly levity, she gives a poppet to Elizabeth, something she worked on all day while at the trials. Then with an air of great importance she tells John that she will no longer be ordered about by him, she is doing God’s work and is therefore a child. Furious, John begins to threaten her, at which point she terrified lets slip that Elizabeth’s name came up in the trials that day. Mary further explains to the shocked Procters that she saved Elizabeth’s life and had insisted to the judge that their was no witchcraft in their

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