Characters and Setting
Where does the play start? What location?
In the house of Rev. Parris
Why is Betty 'sick' at the beginning of the play?
She is not sick. She was out dancing in the woods with other girls and they all got caught. She is faking sick to protect herself.
What kind of details does the narrative commentary provide the reader?
-More detailed descriptions of characters and their relationships to one another
-Casts judgement or opinions on the events of the play and provides context
-Describes the historical accuracy and changes made
What does conjure mean?
to make something appear by magic or as if by magic
What was the 'red scare?'
Accusations of communist sympathy; humiliating and unfair trials of many innocent people
Who is Tituba? Where did she come from?
She is the slave of Rev. Parris. He brought her to Salem from Barbados
Why does Tituba confess to witch craft?
She confesses because she thinks it will save her life; this also gives her a little power to turn the accusations away from herself and towards other people.
What year is the play taking place?
1692
Why are women referred to as 'Goody?' What does it mean?
Goodwife; Mrs.
means the woman is married
When was the play first published?
1953
Who is Abigail? How old is she?
She is Rev. Parris niece, adopted, and 16
Why is the poppet significant in Act Two?
Mary Warren made the poppet for Elizabeth and gave it to her. Abigail uses the poppet to accuse Elizabeth of witch craft by stabbing herself with a needle.
What does the commentary reveal about Thomas Putnam?
- a man of many grievances
- very interested in parish affairs and wants power in Salem
- Vindictive
- a deeply embittered man
What was the event that sparked the Salem witch tirals?
A group of teenage girls caught behaving strangely: dancing out in the woods at night
What is communism?
communism, political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society.
Name 3 of the girls caught out dancing in the woods that night.
Abigail, Betty, Mary Warren, Mercy Lewis, Ruth Putnam
Who hold the most power in Salem at the end of Act Two?
The courts; Rev. Hale and Parris; the teenage girls
NOT the regular townspeople of Salem
- did not believe in entertainment or having fun
- worked all the time or prayed
- they believed they were the light of the world as a christian community
What was 'spectral evidence?'
refers to a witness testimony that the accused person’s spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person’s physical body was at another location.
Why was the United States afraid of communism at this time?
A threat to democracy, nationalism, and capitalism
Who is Rev. Hale? Why is he important?
He was hired by the town of Salem to help with accusations of witch craft. He sees himself as an expert in witchcraft. He has some authority in the town as far as who gets accused.
What is the relationship between truth and justice so far in the play?
Truth is the play is relative. Only people in power get to decide what is "true." However, truth seems intentionally misplaced from "justice" in the play, as many people are using justice as a means to get wat they want.
The commentary describes the Salem tragedy as a paradox. How is it a paradox?
Even though the government and forms of justice were established under their religious views, there was no presence of Christian charity in the witch hunt proceedings. The members of this community that once prided itself on being the light of the world, turned on one another. Religion became the way to justify getting what one wanted.
What are some of the legacies of the Salem witch trials?
- Still use the term 'witch hunt'
- innocent until proven guilty
- legal representation
How are the red scare and the Salem witch trials similar?
Both are a witch hunt where people were wrongfully accused and tried for crime they did not commit.