FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE for Arthur Miller’s The Crucible

What kind of government does Salem have in The Crucible?

What is Parris’ position in Salem?

As the play opens, whom has Parris asked to come to Salem?

Before the play begins, what did Parris catch his daughter and other girls doing?

Why does Abigail Williams live with Reverend Parris?

What is Reverend Parris most concerned with at the beginning of the play?

What can we infer about the citizens of Salem beliefs about dancing?

Who led the girls in the forest with their dancing?

Who did Abigail drink a blood charm for?Why did Elizabeth Proctor fire Abigail?

What is John Proctor’s chief complaint against Parris’s sermons?

Why is Mrs. Putnam jealous of Rebecca Nurse?

What does Mrs. Putnam blame on witchcraft?

Who is the first person that Abigail claims practiced witchcraft?

Why did Tituba most likely confess to meeting with the devil?

In Act 2, why does Mary Warren seem to enjoy her role in court at first?

What does Mary Warren give to Elizabeth Proctor when she returns from the trials?

What news does Mary Warren bring from Salem?

Which commandment does John Proctor forget when Reverend Hale quizzes him?

What is the significance of the golden candlesticks?

Whom do Ezekiel Cheever and Herrick, the marshal, come to the Proctor house to arrest?\

Which character in the play is compared to Pontius Pilate?

What has Reverend Hale begun to worry about by the end of Act 2?

To what does John Proctor convince Mary Warren to testify?

In Act 3, who is in charge of the court?

Who is another of the judges?

Why will Elizabeth not be hanged if she is found guilty?

Giles Corey is arrested because he refuses to do what?

On what charge is Giles Corey arrested?

When Mary Warren testifies against them, what do Abigail and her troop of girls do?

What does John Proctor do, in a desperate attempt to stop Abigail?

Who is brought in to verify John Proctor’s claims about Abigail?

What does Elizabeth do when called upon to testify?

What does Elizabeth lie about to the court?

In Act 4, what can be concluded from the references made about Andover?

What does Abigail do at the end of the play?

While speaking to Danforth and Hathorne, why does Parris fear the villagers will turn against the court?

What can we infer about Abigail and Mercy’s reasons for leaving Salem?

Why does Danforth refuse to postpone the hangings?

What is the significance about Danforth’s support for Proctor’s confession?

What does the court do with John Proctor?

Why did Giles Corey neither admit nor deny being a witch?

What is Giles’ fate?

Why does Proctor retract his confession?

What ultimately happens to John Proctor?

What did John Proctor tear up?

In the end, why does Reverend Parris wish to spare Proctor?

Why do many of the accused admit to witchcraft?

When John Proctor is facing death, what does Hale urge him to do?