Act One Response

The Crucible

Act 1 Response

Peter Joelson

9/23/08

The first act showed the audience the setting for the story. It obviously shows a small village in the Middle of Nowhere, Massachusetts, but it also shows the setting of the characters. It introduces all the main characters who each have a secret, an emotion that will become significant in the following acts. For example, it tells of John Proctor’s unwilling passion for Abigail. He knows it is bad to act the way he did toward her, but he cannot help himself, for tis the curse of Darwinism on man. It also tells of betrayals and hatred that runs in the history of certain people and their neighbors, such as the Putnam’s and the Nurse’s.

One of the first lines on the subject of witchcraft in the play is, “…for everyone so inclined to express publicly his guilt and sins, under the cover of accusations against the victim.” (Act One, page 7). In other words, people that have a grudge with a women, can just call her a witch, and in most cases she would be put to death, leaving the accuser with his or her spoils.

“The Crucible” while is not a true story, depicts realistically, the lives of people during the witch hunts in the 1600’s. There was so much fear during those times, that anyone being accused had a speedy, but unfair trial, if they’re lucky. Many were hanged, or burned without trial.

In Act One, the fear of witches builds among the people. Many unyielding rumors were going around, until everyone had a distilled fear that the devil were among them. All it takes is one push, and the village will run mad.