The Crucible Summary (Act 1)

The Crucible Summary (Act 1)

  • Submitted By: lotti
  • Date Submitted: 10/26/2008 11:19 AM
  • Category: Book Reports
  • Words: 440
  • Page: 2
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Summary (Act 1)

The play begins in the bedroom. Betty Parris, the daughter of the local preacher Samuel Parris, has fallen ill. It is soon discovered that Betty was found with some local girls who were dancing and chanting around a fire in the woods with Parris's slave, Tituba. A well to-do in the town, Thomas Putnam, and his wife Ann, are also concerned as their daughter, Ruth, has also fallen sick after the escapade in the forest. Panic spreads through the village as people believe that witchcraft is afoot. Reverend Parris sends for the Reverend John Hale, an authority on witchcraft, to investigate what is going on. Reverend Parris questions the manipulative Abigail Williams, who is the unofficial leader of the group of girls, regarding what took place in the forest. Abigail denies any witchcraft and claims she and the girls were simply dancing. Abigail then threatens the other girls to prevent them from revealing what really happened in the forest the last night. John Proctor enters, and Abigail confronts him, alluding to her past affair with him. When Parris and Hale interrogate Tituba, she confesses to witchcraft after Parris threatens to whip her to death. She accuses Sarah Good and Goody Osborne. Betty and Abigail take Tituba's cue, confess witchcraft, and start accusing almost all of the women from town.

The play begins in the bedroom. Betty Parris, the daughter of the local preacher Samuel Parris, has fallen ill. It is soon discovered that Betty was found with some local girls who were dancing and chanting around a fire in the woods with Parris's slave, Tituba. A well to-do in the town, Thomas Putnam, and his wife Ann, are also concerned as their daughter, Ruth, has also fallen sick after the escapade in the forest. Panic spreads through the village as people believe that witchcraft is afoot. Reverend Parris sends for the Reverend John Hale, an authority on witchcraft, to investigate what is going on. Reverend Parris questions the manipulative...

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