Teach The Crucible

Hysteria has two meanings: to suffer from an uncontrollable, over-the-top amount of an emotion or an old-fashioned term for a psychological disorder caused by severe stress.

We see both definitions in The Crucible: Betty begins the play sick in bed, leading the other girls to act hysterically. And meanwhile, fear in the community grows out of control, leading to a form of 'mass hysteria'.

Extract from e-learning video Unlocking Theme: Hysteria.

Many of the characters in the play are driven by different types of fear: fear of each other, fear of the law, and fear of God.

These different types of fear work together and build to hysteria and chaos in the community.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

In Salem, a good reputation was one of the most important things you could have. It would shape the way people talked about you and influence your daily life in a variety of ways.

For this reason, almost all of the characters of the play will go above and beyond to protect their reputation.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

In The Crucible, characters are forced to lie to save themselves from punishment. They admit to crimes they have never committed or conceal information to avoid unfair judgments.

This is the bizarre nature of Salem's society at the time: lies and secrets bubble under the surface of the play, and add to the tension as the play progresses.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

In the 17th century period of the play, Salem is a theocratic society, which means that the church and state are one and the same: justice and religion are very much intertwined.

This is why the status of the characters' individual souls becomes a matter of public concern for the town and for the court, and why there is very little room for argument.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

"How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!" (Proctor, Act 4)

John Proctor is a farmer in his mid-30s who might best be defined by his sense of pride (and perhaps his shame).

He is respected and perhaps feared by Salem society - he has a particularly public dislike for Reverand Parris, but privately, his marriage has been difficult since the affair with Abigail.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

"There are them that cannot sing, and them that cannot weep - my wife cannot lie. I have paid much to learn it, sir." (Proctor, Act 3)

Elizabeth is the wife of John Proctor, and is a woman of good renown in Salem.

When her name is first raised in court in connection with witchcraft, the accusation is not pursued, and later she is one of the wives in support of whom Giles Corey is able to gather 91 signatures.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

"And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot!" (Abigail, Act 2)

Abigail Williams is the niece of Reverand Parris, and is described as "a strikingly beautiful girl".

She is portrayed as being in love with - or at least obsessed with - John Proctor, and is driven by this obsession. Abigail hates that Proctor will not continue this affair.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

"I may shut my conscience to it no more - private vengeance is working through this testimony." (Reverand Hale, Act 3)

Reverand Hale is a young minister from Beverly, considered to be an expert on witchcraft and demonic arts.

He is first introduced to us as a man of absolute self-certainty who is proud to be doing God's work by hunting out witches. As the trials continue, he begins to lose this confidence. 

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.

"This is the highest court of the supreme government of this province, do you know it?" (Danforth, Act 3)

Danforth is the most senior official in the play, the Deputy-Governor of Massachusetts.

He presides over witchcraft trials not only in Salem but throughout the state, and his conviction in the law and unswerving belief that God will protect the innocent mean he has no qualms in sentencing those who will not confess to be hanged.

Extract from The Crucible Study Guide.