Christ’s College English Department Literature Unit 2: Knowledge Organiser – Year 9

Key Learning – Studying the language, structure and conventions of a play text Play structure (without spoilers!) Context Act 1 is set in the home of Reverend Paris. His daughter, Betty, is in a coma-like state after dancing in was born in American in 1915. He initially subscribed the forest with other girls. John Proctor arrives, followed by Reverend Hale. Hale quizzes Abigail and to the concept of the American Dream but later saw it as a failure , who were present in the forest. Tituba confesses to communicating with the devil, whilst Abigail claims to have seen the devil conspiring with other townspeople. when his family lost their money in the Wall Street Crash. Act 2 takes place at the home of John Proctor and his wife Elizabeth; they discuss the ongoing trials A successful playwright, Miller published ‘The Crucible’ in 1953. and the escalating number of townsfolk who are accused of being witches. Elizabeth urges her husband to denounce Abigail as a fraud; he refuses, and she becomes jealous, accusing him of still The timing is significant as during the 1950s, America was at war harboring feelings for her following an affair. Officers of the court suddenly arrive and arrest Elizabeth. with USSR (The Cold War). Americans were fearful that Russia Act 3 sees the drama unfold in the courtroom as the trails take place. Attempts to prove the girls are lying fail. would take over and impose communism on them. Politician, Act 4 is set in jail. The play reaches its dramatic climax. Joseph McCarthy, claimed to have a list of communists within Main Characters the state department. Although the list was never seen, this John Proctor - The play’s tragic hero (character with a fatal flaw). Proctor is a good man, but his sparked media frenzy, public panic and the formation of the fatal flaw is his lust for which led to their affair. HUAC (The House Committee on Un-American Activities). The Abigail Williams - The villain and femme fatale of the play (a seductive woman who causes distress HUAC (led by McCarthy) interviewed citizens suspected of to a man who becomes involved with her). She lies and manipulates people and is motivated by her lust for John Proctor and her desire to take revenge on Elizabeth. communist or anti-American activities. Those who were accused Reverend - A young minister and an expert on witchcraft. often lost their jobs, homes and families. McCarthyism furthered Reverend Parris - The minister of Salem’s church. Reverend Parris is a paranoid, materialistic and the panic and hysteria within the country and eventually society disliked by the townspeople. became paranoid, making false accusations (based on rumour not Betty Parris – Reverend Paris’s ten-year-old daughter. evidence) to avoid being tainted themselves. Arthur Miller himself Tituba - Reverend Parris’s black slave from Barbados. Tituba agrees to perform voodoo at Abigail’s was accused, after writing the play ‘The Crucible’. request. - John Proctor’s loyal and virtuous wife. America’s McCarthyism parallels , Massachusetts in - Francis Nurse’s wife. Rebecca is a wise, sensible, and upright woman, held in Salem 1692 tremendous regard by most of the Salem community. when the village was tormented by the hysteria of witchcraft - A wealthy, influential citizen of Salem, he uses the witch trials to increase his own allegations and the subsequent witch trials. At this time, Salem was wealth by accusing people of witchcraft and then buying up their land. a strictly Puritan society where residents lived a religious life and - Thomas Putnam’s wife. Only seven of Ann’s eight babies survived. Ann is convinced were constantly afraid that they would not be saved by God. The that they were murdered by supernatural means. witch trials fizzled out after residents became disenchanted by the Mary Warren - The servant in the Proctor household and a member of Abigail’s group of girls. She is number of accusations and deaths (19 hanged, 1 pressed and many a timid girl, easily influenced by those around her. imprisoned). - A wealthy, influential man in Salem. Francis Nurse Judge Danforth - The presiding judge at the witch trials.

Giles Corey – A brave character who suffers for his acts. Literary devices and play conventions Digging Deep New Vocabulary arbitrate to act as an impartial judge in order to settle disputes. Allegory – a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal Light is used throughout the as clean as God's fingers pure or perfect, in the way that all parts of God are a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. The Crucible is an play. What do you think it flawless. allegory of the anti-communist investigations in 1950s America. autocracy a government in which one person has absolute power; dictatorship; symbolises?Christ’s College Find English evidence Department to despotism.

The play is also a Parable; it is a moral tale about what will support your ideas. base having or showing little or no honor, courage, or decency; mean; ignoble; contemptible. happen when gossip and hysteria are allowed to run riot and all Find examples of animal beguile to mislead by cheating or tricking; deceive. logic is lost. imagery and explore the belie bewildered confused or disoriented; here, meaning bewitched or acting Miller adapts the device of Chorus from the Greek tragedies. A ‘chorus’ effects created by Miller’s unnaturally. is a group of people who are commenting on the actions, decisions and choice of imagery. bound under compulsion; obliged; here it means in service to. beliefs within the play. Miller uses the collective girls (chanting, break charity to treat wrongfully or betray. accusations and supposed visions) as a chorus to deliver Miller’s view on The play had a message for Blasphemy 1950s America. 1950s American audiences. broken sick, weakened, or beaten; here, meaning weak and imperfect. calamity deep trouble or misery; any extreme misfortune bringing great loss What was the message Colloquial language – informal vocabulary. Miller uses colloquial and sorrow; disaster. language to make characters sound more realistic and remind the then? What message might calumny a false and malicious statement meant to hurt someone's reputation. audience that the play is based on real events. the play have for audiences clapped put, moved, set swiftly (clapped into jail). in today’s contexts? conjure up to raise spirits from the dead. Miller also creates realism with the use of direct speech/ contemptuous full of contempt; scornful; disdainful. Here, the word describes 's attempt to disrupt the court. (spoken directly) and (repeated dialogue reported speech contentious always ready to argue; quarrelsome. gossip), to reflect the 1950s era and make the audience more Contiguous – sharing a common border; adjacent; neighbouring. inclined to believe the story as it is presented. The gossip fuels cool emotionally uninvolved; uncommitted; dispassionate. Here, meaning calculated. hysteria, paranoia and control; it reveals much of what happens in Key themes the village and is a dramatic device which creates the effect of Fear covenant a binding and solemn agreement to do or keep from doing a specified thing; compact; the promise made by God to humanity, as described in progressing the plot and revealing character. the Bible. Here, "covenanted" specifically refers to a person bound by God's law Morality and scriptures. For example, John Proctor is a married man and is bound to Stage directions are instructions in the text of a play that describe Elizabeth through their marriage promise or contract. According to God's law, how the stage should be set and how the play should be enacted. They Intolerance Proctor and Elizabeth must remain faithful to one another. Of course, the entire may indicate the movement, position, expression or tone of an actor, or premise of The Crucible is the result of Proctor's and Abigail's infidelity. the sound effects and lighting. Relationships crucible a container made of a substance that can resist great heat, for melting, fusing, or calcining ores, metals, and the like; a severe test or trial; here, meaning a test designed to bring about change or reveal an individual's true Miller uses prose inserts to give a commentary on his characters’ Power character. history and this is further conveyed through the detailed stage Injustice daft insane; crazy is closer to mad or crazy. directions. This detail is important as he expects it to be read as well as damn to cause the ruin of; make fail. seen, and he must make sure that in a time of fear and paranoia, the Hysteria defamation damaging another individual's character or reputation, generally play is about Salem 1692 and not America 1953. through false accusations. Religion Denounce publicly declare to be wrong or evil. Symbolism is the use of an object, person, or event to represent deposition the testimony of a witness. something . Miller uses the characters to represent different things. diabolism dealings with the Devil or devils, as by sorcery or witchcraft. |For example, Proctor symbolises those who were wrongly discontent dissatisfaction or restlessness. Here, the verb form is used, meaning to fail to satisfy. accused during McCarthyism. disputation a discussion marked by formal debate, often as an exercise; here, meaning an argument. a discussion marked by formal debate, often as an exercise; here, meaning disputation to anger; irritate. an argument. rile scaffold a raised platform on which criminals are executed, as by hanging. dissemble to conceal under a false appearance; disguise. sharp clearly defined; distinct; clear. Here, the word means decisive. faction a group of people inside a political party, club, government, and so on, working in a common cause against other such groups or against the main body; here, it refers to silly season phrase used to describe unexplainable, but natural behavior for a child. those resisting Reverend Parris. Christ’s College Englishslovenly Department careless in appearance, habits, work, and so on; untidy; slipshod. floundering speaking or acting in an awkward, confused manner, with hesitation and soft gentle; low; not loud or harsh: said of sound. frequent mistakes; here, meaning wavering, especially from indecision or doubt. softness the quality of being easily impressed, influenced, or imposed upon; here, lax or negligent. jesting; joking. gibbet the gallows; from which bodies of criminals already executed were hung and sportin' exposed to public scorn. strongbox a heavily made box or safe for storing valuables. Goody title for an old woman or housewife of lowly social status. morally corrupt. tainted grand peeping courage behavior or attribute of someone who is too frightened to theocracy a government by a person or persons claiming to rule with divine authority. participate in a ritual, but will watch others participate. Theology the study of the nature of God and religious belief. guile slyness and cunning in dealing with others; craftiness; here, deception. tonnage weight in tons. gull to cheat or trick; dupe. trafficked had traffic, trade, or dealings with. hard proof undeniable, reliable, or actual proof; here, the phrase refers to solid truck the practice of bartering; dealings. Tituba denies trucking, or being in league with, the evidence. Devil. harlot a woman who engages in promiscuous sexual activity for pay; here, meaning a weighty of great significance or moment; serious. sexually immoral woman. wheels within wheels . . . fires within fires phrase used to imply conspiracies. Incubi were thought to be demons who had sexual relations with women. Succubi, wintry of or like winter; cold, bleak; Here, it means without feeling. were demons thought to have intercourse with men. Wily skilled at gaining an advantage, especially deceitfully. inculcate to impress upon the mind by frequent repetition or persistent urging. wrath anger or rage. lechery unrestrained, excessive indulgence of sexual desires; gross sensuality; lewdness; your justice would freeze beer said here to a person who forgives another for an injustice, but here, lechery refers to Proctor's affair with Abigail. still holds resentment for the deed and makes the other person feel guilty. licentious morally unrestrained, esp. in sexual activity; lascivious. inferential - characterized by or involving conclusions reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. Notorious - famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed. paradox a statement that seems contradictory, unbelievable, or absurd but that may be true in fact. For example, the Puritans created a theocracy in order to provide a unified and stable community in Salem. Instead, the witch trials severed social relations, separated families, and turned the people of Salem against one another. parochial of or in a parish or parishes; restricted to a small area or scope; narrow; limited; provincial; here, referring to the narrow-mindedness of the inhabitants of Salem. Partisan - a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person. perjury the willful telling of a lie while under lawful oath or affirmation to tell the truth in a matter material to the point of inquiry. pointy reckoning the act or process of getting even or getting revenge. poppet a doll. probity uprightness in one's dealings; integrity. prodigious remarkably or notable; here, meaning ominous. providence the care or benevolent guidance of God or nature; here, the meaning is more closely aligned with "godsend," an unexpected but fortunate event. For example, Putnam believes God has revealed the presence of witchcraft in Salem. Although the idea of witchcraft frightens Putnam, he is grateful that the witchcraft has been revealed while it is still possible to control it. purge to cleanse or rid of impurities, foreign matter, or undesirable elements. quail to draw back in fear; lose heart or courage; cower. rile to anger; irritate. scaffold a raised platform on which criminals are executed, as by hanging.