But Who Tells Us Rebecca Curse Murdered Seven Babies

The offset act of The Crucible sets the stage (literally, heh) for the disturbing sequence of events that volition unfold in Acts 2, 3, and 4. Most of the major characters are introduced, and there are critical insights into various political and personal conflicts that threaten to disrupt the social order in the boondocks of Salem. We also larn how the witchcraft craze got started and why it spiraled out of control. This commodity volition go over the very important sequence of events and their thematic relevance so you can respond all the questions your English language teacher throws at y'all.

I'll provide both a short summary and a long summary. The curt summary is just the bare bones of what happened without getting into too much detail about conversations that are less relevant to the central plot. It's more of a review to read later on you've already gone through the play yourself.

The long summary, which I'grand choosing to call the "oops, I didn't read it" summary, is more in-depth. It goes through everything that occurs in Deed ane without getting too far into the weeds. Despite the title of the 2d summary, I urge you to really read the play so you have a stronger understanding of the voices of the characters and the thematic points Miller is trying to make. Likewise, if you don't read information technology you'll miss out on some amazing phase directions that can be easily misinterpreted as giggle-worthy euphemisms if y'all're as immature as me and my young man blog writers.

The CrucibleAct 1 Summary — Short Version

Ten-year-sometime Betty Parris has contracted a mysterious affliction that renders her mute and bedridden. Her begetter, Reverend Samuel Parris, caught her dancing in the woods the night before with a group of girls. The group included his teenage niece, Abigail Williams, and his slave, Tituba. Rumors have spread around town that witchcraft is the cause of Betty's affliction, and people are now gathered at the Parris household. Parris questions Abigail nigh the rumors, only she claims the girls were only dancing. Ann Putnam says that her daughter, Ruth, who was with the group in the woods, is also afflicted with a strange disease. All of Ann's children except Ruth have died equally infants. Ann sent Ruth to Tituba in hopes that she would be able to communicate with her siblings and find out who or what was responsible for their deaths. To her uncle's dismay, Abigail admits that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits in the woods.

Abigail and two girls named Mercy Lewis and Mary Warren, who were also in the wood, are left alone with Betty. They endeavour to wake her upward as they get their story straight. Betty blurts out that Abigail drank craven blood in an effort to cast a spell that would impale Elizabeth Proctor, and Abigail warns her to keep tranquillity (or else). John Proctor enters the room, and Mercy and Mary go out Abigail solitary with him. John and Abigail had an affair when Abigail worked as a retainer in his house, and Abigail wants information technology to continue. John insists that he has recommitted himself to his married woman, Elizabeth. Betty whimpers when she hears the Lord's name in a psalm that people are singing outside the room. Everyone who is singing outside the room rushes in to bank check on her. Betty's distress is taken equally additional evidence of witchcraft past Ann Putnam, and some of the others start to come around to this theory equally well.

An intellectual church building leader named Reverend Unhurt arrives from the town of Beverly to investigate the state of affairs and encounter if he can notice whatsoever signs of witchcraft. Abigail confesses that Tituba called the Devil after more details about the previous night are revealed. Tituba isn't allowed to tell her side of the story (that Abigail was actually the instigator), and when she is threatened with hanging she confesses that she's been forced to work for the Devil. She also names Sarah Skilful and Sarah Osburn as fellow witches after prompting by Parris and Hale. Abigail and Betty then admit their unwilling involvement in witchcraft and shout out the names of several other women who they merits to accept seen with the Devil.

I want You to join my plot to totally mess with a super lame town in Massachusetts.

The CrucibleAct one Summary — "Oops I Didn't Read It" Version

Act 1 opens on a bedroom in Reverend Samuel Parris' house in the spring of 1692. Parris' daughter, ten-year-old Betty, is in a deep sleep as a result of an unknown illness, and Parris is kneeling in prayer next to her bed. A woman named Tituba is introduced equally the Parris family's center-aged slave from Barbados; she tries to cheque on Betty, just she is immediately ordered out of the room by Reverend Parris.

Abigail Williams, Parris' 17-year-old niece, enters the room. She tells him that Susanna Walcott is at that place with a message from the doctor. Susanna is a teenager a fiddling younger than Abigail. She says that the doctor can't find anything physically wrong with Betty, and they should offset to consider supernatural forces equally a potential culprit. Parris is very concerned about damage to his reputation if witchcraft is discovered in his business firm. He urges Susanna to tell the doctor to go on looking for medical reasons for Betty's status. Even so, he has also summoned Reverend Unhurt from the neighboring boondocks of Beverly to quietly investigate whether there is any truth to this supernatural hypothesis.

Susanna leaves, and Abigail and Parris are alone with Betty. Abigail reveals that the rumor of witchcraft has already spread effectually town, and many people are gathered in the parlor of the business firm. Parris is reluctant to discredit these rumors because he fears they may be truthful.The previous nighttime, he saw Abigail and Betty dancing in the woods with Tituba. He also saw a apparel on the basis and a girl running naked through the forest. Abigail says that they were simply dancing, but Parris knows that she's not telling the whole truth.Parris demands to know whether witchcraft was involved.

He thinks that his reputation is shaky in town and that there'south a grouping of people who would like to oust him from his position of power. He doesn't want one of his enemies to observe out what really happened before he does and use it against him. Abigail continues to insist that the girls were simply dancing.

Parris yet doesn't trust her, and he brings upwardly another suspicious scenario. Abigail was dismissed from the household service of a homo named John Proctor without explanation, and Proctor's wife Elizabeth seems to strongly dislike her. Abigail says Elizabeth is just a big ol' meany and she didn't do anything to deserve this.

At this betoken in the chat, a tormented eye-anile adult female named Ann Putnam enters the room along with her married man, Thomas Putnam. Ann's only girl, Ruth Putnam, is acting catatonic, and Ann thinks Betty is afflicted with the same apparently supernatural illness. Ann is a business firm believer in witchcraft because seven of her babies accept died in infancy, leaving her with simply one living child. She sees no possible explanation for this that is non supernatural in nature. The Putnams are glad that Parris has summoned Reverend Hale to investigate the situation because Unhurt supposedly defenseless a witch in Beverley recently.

Parris is still trying to shut down the witchcraft conversation because of the harm it might do to his reputation. Ann reveals to Parris that she actually sent Ruth to consult with Tituba the night before because Tituba can communicate with the dead. Ann wanted Ruth to talk to her dead siblings and discover out who killed them. The Putnams say they are convinced that a baby-killing witch is running rampant. Abigail realizes that she tin't hide the truth completely now that Ann has revealed that she sent Ruth to Tituba to try and communicate with the expressionless. Abigail admits that Tituba and Ruth were conjuring spirits. Parris is convinced his livelihood is ruined now that someone who lives nether his roof has been revealed to exist a witch. Thomas Putnam tells Parris he should get ahead of the situation and brand the witchcraft accusations himself so no one can accuse him first.

A daughter named Mercy Lewis, who is Putnam's servant, arrives to cheque on how Betty is doing, and the Putnams and Parris exit then that Parris tin lead everyone in a psalm. Abigail and Mercy are left alone, and they endeavour to rouse Betty to no avail. The two girls make up one's mind their official story volition be that they were just dancing, and there was no magic involved. And so, another teenage daughter named Mary Warren enters the room. She was as well with them in the forest the previous night, and she is convinced they must confess to what they've done because of the rumors swirling around.

All of a sudden, Betty gets a burst of energy. She reveals that Abby drank chicken blood in the wood in an endeavour to cast a spell to kill Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail slaps her and tells everyone that they had better stay repose about the details of what really happened. Abigail says that she's seen some stuff (i.eastward. her parents were murdered by Native Americans right in front of her), so she has no qualms about resorting to violence to strength them to keep her secret.

John Proctor, a farmer, then enters the room.He yells at Mary Warren, who is his servant, for leaving his firm when he forbid her from doing so. Mary and Mercy both get out, and Abigail and John are left alone. Abigail and John had an affair that was discovered by his wife, which was the reason for her dismissal from their household. Abigail is nonetheless in honey with Proctor, but he wants to altitude himself from her and recommit to Elizabeth. Abigail is angry and frustrated that he won't return her advances. She insults his married woman and continues to insist that he however loves her.

Their attention is diverted because Betty starts whimpering after the words "going upwards to Jesus" are uttered in the psalm people are singing in the other room. Reverend Parris, the Putnams, and Mercy Lewis all rush in to bank check on her. Ann Putnam is convinced that they upset Betty by saying the Lord's proper noun and that her reaction clearly ways that she is bewitched with blackness magic.

Rebecca Nurse, and quondam and highly respected adult female in Salem, enters the room along with an quondam homo named Giles Corey. Rebecca stands calmly next to the bed, and Betty quiets down. Anybody is impressed with this, and the Putnams ask if Rebecca can too help Ruth, but Rebecca doesn't remember there's annihilation supernatural going on. Betty is just interim upward equally kids are decumbent to do. John Proctor questions Reverend Parris on his decision to summon Reverend Hale. This activeness seems to imply that Parris believes witchcraft could be the source of Betty'south affliction. Rebecca suggests that they should rely on the doctor and avoiding bringing Reverend Hale into the situation because it will cause unnecessary conflict. Thomas Putnam takes issue with this, and he tells Parris that when Reverend Hale arrives they must wait for signs of witchcraft.

Proctor says Putnam tin't tell Parris what to practise but because Putnam owns a lot of country in the town. Putnam fires dorsum that he hasn't seen Proctor in church recently, and so he conspicuously doesn't care that much about upholding the integrity of their social club. Proctor claims he doesn't get to church because all Parris talks near is Hell. Parris says that a lot of people in Salem need to hear more well-nigh Hell because he hasn't been properly compensated for his job based on his qualifications. He and so implies that Proctor is the leader of a faction against him in the church. Proctor is unaware of the being of this faction, but he says he would gladly join it because he'southward fed up with Parris' superiority complex.

He expects Giles Corey to be on his side, but Giles unexpectedly suports Parris because he thinks there may be something to the witchcraft hypothesis. Giles has been in courtroom 6 times that year for diverse lawsuits. He says that everyone has been suing each other  left and right, and then there must exist some sort of night magic going on behind the scenes. Proctor points out that Giles is the cause of many of these suits because he is always suing people for defamation for no reason. Proctor and Putnam argue briefly about who owns a certain tract of land near the woods where Proctor plans on gathering lumber. It turns out that there is a lot of ambivalence in Salem over who owns which tracts of land because in his will Putnam's grandfather claimed land that he didn't really own.

Reverend Hale enters the room with a stack of academic books.He speaks briefly with everyone, and it'south clear that he's well-respected. Hale views the investigation of witchcraft every bit serious scientific enquiry. He makes everyone concur non to button the issue if he doesn't discover anything pointing to the Devil'southward work. He brought the books because they explain all the dissimilar forms the Devil can take. With this information on hand, he'due south sure that he can find out whether Betty's illness is linked to the work of Satan. Rebecca Nurse is skeptical of the whole situation, and she leaves the room before Unhurt begins his investigation. Giles tries to consult Hale most his wife, Martha, who he says has been reading strange books. He is worried that this might signify something sinister because he was unable to say his prayers while she was reading. Hale is somewhat intrigued and says they tin can discuss the issue afterwards.

Hale addresses Betty, asking her if someone is bewitching her. Betty does not respond to his questions at first. Abigail is pressed with more than questions most what exactly was going on in the woods. Parris says that when he came upon the girls, he saw that they had a kettle with a frog in it. Faced with this damning testify of black magic, Abigail admits that Tituba called the Devil. Tituba is dragged into the room to face these charges. Immediately, Abigail places all the arraign on her, claiming that Tituba made her drinkable chicken claret from the kettle. Tituba protests that Abigail was the one who instigated the coming together in the forest, but she is drowned out past further accusations from Abigail. Parris and Unhurt also talk over her attempts to explain herself.

Parris says Tituba must confess to what she'due south done or he volition whip her to death, and Putnam says she must be hung. Tituba is terrified, so she breaks downward and says the Devil forced her to work for him. She claims someone else is bewitching Betty because she'southward seen other people with the Devil. Putnam, Parris, and Hale encourage her to tell them who she has seen (and establish the names of Goody Adept and Goody Osburn in her mind as potential witches). They claim that after renouncing her fidelity to the Devil, she is now God's instrument in the village sent to help them uncover the full extent of his Satanic plot.

Tituba says the Devil told her to impale Reverend Parris, and he promised her a better life if she worked for him. She claims that she saw Goody Skillful (Sarah Good) and Goody Osburn (Sarah Osburn) with the Devil. Goody Osburn was Ann Putnam's midwife three times, so this accusation confirms the Putnams' suspicions that witchcraft was involved in the deaths of their babies. Abigail soon chimes in with her own hysterical set of confessions, claiming that she saw the Devil and wrote in his book. Abigail adds more people to the list of the accused.Betty suddenly wakes upwards and joins her in shouting out additional accusations. Hale and Parris rejoice at Betty's apparent miraculous recovery.Putnam summons the marshal so that they can arrest the witches and bring them to justice.

The Devil evidently has some kind of special friendship book that he makes people sign when they join his coiffure. Adorable.

The CrucibleHuman action ane Quotes

In this section, I'll go over a few quotes that I think are important in establishing the themes and characterizations that emerge in Human action 1.

"I have fought here iii long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and at present, just now when some proficient respect is rise for me in the parish, yous compromise my very character." (Reverend Parris pg. 11)

This quote shows the gravity with which Parris views his position in the town and the degree of authority he thinks should accompany it. He's less focused on spreading the word of God than on exploiting his position as a religious authority so he can proceeds greater power in the community. Now his reputation may be ruined, which means he'll exist back to square one and have to rebuild the control he has worked so hard to acquire.

"My name is good in the hamlet! I will not accept it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!" (Abigail Williams pg. 12)

The value of a person's name is a recurring topic in The Crucible. Reputation is hugely important to these characters because it'south inextricably linked to respect and ability in a highly interdependent community. Here Abigail shifts the focus away from her own reputation past trashing the reputation of Goody Proctor. If she can convince people that Goody Proctor is not to be trusted, the rumors about her own sins will lose credibility.

"Let either of you breathe a give-and-take, or the edge of a give-and-take, about the other things, and I will come to you in the blackness of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. And y'all know I can do information technology; I saw Indians smash my beloved parents' heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun become down!" (Abigail Williams pg. 19)

Abigail threatens the other girls with violence if they dare tell anyone that she tried to kill Goody Proctor with black magic. This quote tells usa that Abigail has experienced astringent emotional trauma in the past that near certainly affects her current mental state. Information technology besides gives us a taste of how far she's willing to go to achieve her desired outcome and/or exact revenge.

"I wait for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my middle! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew what lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the lite out of my optics?" (Abigail Williams pg. 22)

Abigail pleads with John Proctor to continue their affair, which she feels has enlightened her to the hypocrisy that permeates Salem's civilization. She can't become back to her ignorant state subsequently she'due south already seen the light, and the affair is the merely outlet bachelor to her to feel special and different inside a community where she has picayune power or outlets for honest expression. After John'southward rejection, her angst will find another, even more destructive path to follow.

"There are wheels within wheels in the hamlet, and fires within fires!" (Ann Putnam pg. 26)

Ann Putnam says this because she's convinced that in that location are supernatural Satanic forces conspiring against her that have led to her family misfortunes. Nonetheless, this quote has a much broader secular meaning that applies to the events in the play overall. There are all kinds of underlying motivations that trigger accusations of witchcraft in Salem. Petty vengeance, greed, and jealousy are festering beneath the surface of an outwardly respectable community, and they're almost to notice their release.

"We cannot look to superstition in this. The Devil is precise; the marks of his presence are definite equally stone, and I must tell you all that I shall non proceed unless you are prepared to believe me if I should find no bruise of Hell upon her." (Reverend Hale pg. 35)

From our modern viewpoint, this quote is a very strong example of irony. By  searching for marks of the Devil's presence in the start identify, Hale has already subscribed to superstition. People are also condemned throughout the balance of the play for involvement with the Devil when at that place'due south absolutely no hard testify too the word of one other person. Hale's adherence to scientific principles volition give him just enough insight to come across the injustices that have been committed in Salem after it'southward likewise tardily for him to turn back the tide of hysteria.

I'grand not sure what Hale expected to find. A pentagram ankle tattoo? A little souvenir pitchfork? A push that says "Satan four Prez"? Eh, I guess at that place are a lot of possibilities.

The CrucibleAct 1 Thematic Analysis

Permit's go over some of the play'south key themes and how they chronicle to the first act.

Irony

Irony and hypocrisy are recurring concepts in The Crucible. There are several exchanges in Act 1 that are rife with irony. Abigail claims that John Proctor opened her eyes to the pretenses of Salem (pg. 22). She realized all the lies she'd been told by people who supposedly adhered to the conventions of respectable order. Nonetheless, in distress from Proctor's refusal to admit their relationship, Abigail creates her own lies that give her increased command over the society she resents. By putting on a imitation front to advance her condition and become what she wants, she becomes merely like the hypocrites she claims to despise.

The most prominent case of dramatic irony in this human action is the quote from Hale (pg. 35) that was explained in the last section. Hale claims that they must avoid superstition and hasty conclusions in their investigation of Betty's illness. We, the modern audience, know that searching for "the Devil's marks" as the potential cause of an ailment is an inherently superstitious practice. Hale, however, is convinced that a scientific inquiry based merely on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence.

Hysteria

In Act 1 it becomes clear how mass hysteria can evolve out of desires for self-preservation. When Abigail admits that Ruth and Tituba were conjuring spirits, Thomas Putnam urges Parris to go on the offensive immediately with this information. If he makes his own accusations of witchcraft, he will forestall others from accusing him kickoff and putting his credibility at stake. As rumors of witchcraft spread, this fear-driven philosophy volition be universally adopted, leading to more than and more accusations and an surroundings of paranoia.

The speed at which rumors morph into accepted truths is too rapid for a few rational voices to incorporate them. Although Parris only calls Reverend Hale to examine Betty every bit a precaution, people assume that Hale's interest ways at that place must be a supernatural element to her illness. Even every bit Parris tries to avert supernatural explanations to protect his reputation, he is quickly caught upward in the misplaced interpretations of others and forced to adopt them as his own and so that he isn't gobbled upwards by the hysteria monster.

It becomes abundantly clear that people see only what they desire to run into (i.e. whatever keeps them in the adept graces of society) in situations that don't appear to have piece of cake rational explanations. Ann Putnam, for example, will seize at any opportunity to blame supernatural forces for the deaths of her children. Farthermost conclusions similar Ann's "a witch murdered my babies with blackness magic" are accustomed because rational people are too agape to challenge this consensus and risk bringing accusations upon themselves.

Reputation

Reverend Parris' concerns nigh his reputation take center stage, and so to speak, in Human activity 1. Parris initially insists that there are "no unnatural causes" for Betty'southward illness, not considering he'southward devoted to scientific discipline and rationality, only because he fears that he volition exist disgraced if witchcraft is discovered under his roof. He interrogates Abigail because he's worried his enemies will learn the total story first and apply it to ignominy him. Once he gets confirmation from Abigail that some witchy business organisation happened in the forest, he is quick to position himself on the side of the accusers and threaten violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. 42). He has no central belief system beyond a desire to practise what makes him expect all-time in the eyes of the majority.

Abigail is also concerned nearly her reputation. She is enraged when Parris insinuates that there was something untoward most her dismissal from the Proctors' service. She insists that she has done cipher wrong and tries to ignominy Elizabeth Proctor to divert attention away from her own actions. "My proper noun is expert in the village! I will not have it said my name is soiled! Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!" (pg. 12).

These deportment and reactions in Act 1 found the importance that characters place on maintaining respect for their names. A poor reputation tin can severely affect a person's position in this small, interdependent guild, whether the assumptions or rumors swirling around are true or not.

Ability and Authority

The church has a great bargain of power in Salem, and therefore much of the authority we see exercised in the play is associated with faith. Reverend Parris is currently in a position of ability as the boondocks'southward spiritual leader. However, he is convinced at that place is a faction in town that is determined to unseat him, and he will say and do whatsoever information technology takes to retain control. He demands unconditional respect for his authorisation as God's musical instrument in the customs. From his point of view,"There is either obedience or the church will burn like Hell is burning!" (pg. 28)

Abigail, on the other hand, struggles to claim greater agency exterior of traditional ways. Her ascendant personality doesn't fit with her depression status in society as a young woman with no family. Initially, s he sees a path to college standing in lodge through becoming John Proctor'southward wife. When he rejects her, she takes another route to power through accusations that exploit the fears of others to a indicate where even the almost respected people in boondocks are afraid to challenge her.

The power structure in Salem is as well responsible for the blame heaped on Tituba and the misinterpretations that follow. Tituba has the least say-so out of anyone, so it's easy for Abigail to utilise her as a scapegoat. If Tituba was permitted to explain what really happened, the tragic events of the residual of the play might take been prevented . However, she is only given a vocalism when she agrees to corroborate the version of events that the people in traditional positions of authorization believe to exist authentic. She becomes, according to Unhurt, "God's instrument put in our hands to discover the Devil's agents among usa" (pg. 44) after she renounces her presumed allegiance to the Devil and accepts her role as a pawn to be used past those with greater ability.

Equally has been the case throughout history in both fiction and reality, the desire for power ends upward costing way too many innocent people their lives.

The Crucible Human action one Summary: Determination

In Act 1 of The Crucible, the roots of the witch hysteria are established, and we learn critical background information about many of the characters. Let's do a super short bullet point recap of the important plot points:

• The play is set in the town of Salem, MA, and the year is 1692.

• Betty Parris, a young girl, is sick, but no one can figure out why.

• Rumors spread around town that she's been bewitched.

• Betty'south dad is Reverend Parris, the new-ish church leader in Salem, who is paranoid virtually his reputation amongst the townspeople.

• Abigail Williams, Reverend Parris' teenage niece and Betty'southward cousin, is questioned by Parris nigh the cause of Betty's illness.

• He knows that Abigail, Betty, and Parris' slave, Tituba, were dancing in the woods the night before and mayhap conducting some kind of ritual.

• Abigail claims at that place was no witchcraft involved.

• Abigail had an affair with a farmer named John Proctor while serving in his house, and she's still into him, but he wants to forget it ever happened.

• Betty says that Abigail tried to put a expletive on John's wife, Elizabeth Proctor, in order to kill her and take her identify, but no one else knows about this, and Abigail warns her to keep quiet.

• Reverend Hale, the church building leader from the town of Beverley, is summoned to examine Betty because he's an good on witchcraft.

• Tituba is accused of calling the Devil in the woods based on Abigail's testimony, and she confesses under pressure from Hale.

• Tituba names Goody Practiced and Goody Osburn as swain witches after their names are suggested.

• Abigail plays the victim and accuses more women of witchcraft.

• Betty wakes upwardly and makes accusations of her ain, following Abigail's atomic number 82.

In Act 2, yous can expect forward to learning more about the state of the Proctors' spousal relationship and but how crazy things have gotten in Salem in the weeks after the initial accusations. Besides, John Proctor throws a few more than tantrums borne of emotional immaturity, so get PUMPED.

What'southward Next?

If you want a complete summary of the whole play rather than only one human action, we've got yous covered. Check out our holistic summary article to review what happens from start to cease.

Looking for some in-depth analysis of characters in The Crucible? Read our complete assessments of John Proctor, Abigail Williams, Rebecca Nurse, Giles Corey, and Mary Warren.

If you want some advice on agreement the ideas behind the play and then you tin can write a killer essay or ace your next test, read our guide to the most important themes in The Crucible.

Want to amend your Sabbatum score by 160 points or your Human action score by 4 points?Nosotros've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to take a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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About the Author

Samantha is a blog content writer for PrepScholar. Her goal is to help students prefer a less stressful view of standardized testing and other academic challenges through her articles. Samantha is likewise passionate near art and graduated with honors from Dartmouth College as a Studio Art major in 2014. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, v'due south on all 7 of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar.

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