The Crucible Characters Flashcards
Reverend Paris
Traits: Self-centered, paranoid, insecure, authoritative.
Role: The minister of Salem’s church. Parris is concerned with his reputation and power. His actions and fears of being overthrown contribute to the witch trials, as he supports the accusations to protect his position. He is Abigail’s uncle and plays a significant role in escalating the hysteria.
Tituba
Traits: Submissive, scared, superstitious.
Role: Tituba is Reverend Parris’s slave from Barbados. She is one of the first accused of witchcraft and is coerced into confessing by the authorities. Her confession fuels the witch hunt, and she becomes a scapegoat for the trials.
Abby Williams
Traits: Manipulative, vengeful, deceitful, charismatic.
Role: Abigail is Rev. Parris’s niece and a central antagonist. She instigates the witch trials by falsely accusing others of witchcraft. Abigail’s motives are driven by personal vendettas and her desire to be with John Proctor, whom she had an affair with.
Susanna Walcott
Traits: Naive, easily influenced.
Role: Susanna is one of the girls who joins Abigail in accusing others of witchcraft. She is often seen with Abigail and follows her lead throughout the trials. She is less prominent but plays a role in supporting the hysteria.
Thomas Putnam
Traits: Greedy, vengeful, manipulative.
Role: Thomas is a wealthy, influential man in Salem. He uses the witch trials as an opportunity to accuse others and acquire their land. He is believed to have influenced his daughter to accuse people in order to benefit from their deaths.
Mercy Lewis
Traits: Bold, rebellious, loyal to Abigail.
Role: Mercy is one of the girls involved in the accusations. She is Abigail’s ally and is often part of the group making false accusations. She plays a significant role in the collective hysteria of the trials.
Mary Warren
Traits: Timid, easily swayed, conflicted.
Role: Mary is a servant in the Proctor household and initially part of Abigail’s group. She attempts to tell the truth about the accusations but is eventually overwhelmed by peer pressure and turns against John Proctor. She represents the struggle between integrity and survival.
John Proctor
Traits: Honest, proud, flawed, principled.
Role: The play’s protagonist. John is a farmer who had an affair with Abigail Williams and later seeks to expose the corruption and lies driving the witch trials. His refusal to falsely confess to witchcraft makes him a tragic hero, and he ultimately dies for his principles.
Rebecca Nurse
Traits: Gentle, wise, morally upright, respected.
Role: Rebecca Nurse is an elderly, devout woman who is accused of witchcraft because of the envy of others, particularly the Putnams. Her execution is one of the most tragic moments in the play, as she is a symbol of goodness and righteousness.
Giles Corey
Traits: Stubborn, outspoken, courageous.
Role: Giles Corey is an elderly farmer who stands up against the injustices of the trials. He is accused of witchcraft and is pressed to death with large stones because he refuses to enter a plea. His death symbolizes defiance and the desire to protect his family and name.
Rev. John Hale
Traits: Intelligent, earnest, compassionate, conflicted.
Role: Reverend Hale is an expert in witchcraft who initially supports the trials. However, as he realizes the trials are based on lies and hysteria, he becomes an advocate for the accused and regrets his earlier involvement. Hale’s change in beliefs is one of the play’s key moments of moral growth.
Elizabeth Proctor
Traits: Honest, moral, emotionally reserved.
Role: Elizabeth is John Proctor’s wife. She is accused of witchcraft by Abigail as part of Abigail’s scheme to eliminate her so she can be with John. Elizabeth’s moral integrity and loyalty to her husband contribute to the central conflict of the play.
Francis Nurse
Traits: Respectable, principled, patient.
Role: Francis is Rebecca Nurse’s husband and is a respected member of the Salem community. He tries to defend his wife when she is accused but is ultimately powerless against the hysteria. His efforts highlight the theme of personal integrity.
Ezekiel Cheever
Traits: Obedient, diligent, zealous.
Role: Ezekiel Cheever is a court official who works with Judge Danforth during the trials. He is a dutiful and somewhat naïve character who helps to arrest those accused of witchcraft. He is a symbol of blind obedience to authority.
Marshal Herrick
Traits: Loyal, confused, reluctant.
Role: Marshal Herrick is responsible for arresting those accused of witchcraft. Though he performs his duties without question, he is often portrayed as conflicted, particularly as the trials spiral out of control and more innocent people are condemned.
Judge Hathorne
Traits: Stern, authoritarian, narrow-minded.
Role: Judge Hathorne is one of the judges overseeing the witch trials. He is more concerned with maintaining order and authority than seeking justice, and he plays a key role in the escalation of the trials.
Danforth
Traits: Authoritative, inflexible, self-righteous.
Role: Danforth is the deputy governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge over the Salem witch trials. He is determined to maintain the trials and uphold the authority of the court, even when evidence shows the accusations are false. Danforth represents the dangers of rigid, unquestioning authority.
Sarah Good
Traits: Mentally unstable, poor, powerless.
Role: Sarah Good is an impoverished and mentally unstable woman who is accused of witchcraft. Her accusations highlight the vulnerability of society’s marginalized people during the hysteria, as she is easily blamed and dismissed.
