1. The nature of authority -- how do people gain authority and MAINTAIN authority. What is the true nature of authority? How do people in Salem react when their authority is threatened? Be prepared to discuss specific characters and their actions, specifically Rev. Samuel Parris, Rev. John Hale, Deputy Gov. Danforth, John Proctor & Rebecca Nurse.
2. The underlying emotions of the residents of Salem and their motives were repressed before the play opens, yet the "crying out" of the girls sparked a metaphoric fire in Salem. Discuss the underlying issues that surface and serve as a motive for several Salem residents:
jealousy (Abigail's jealousy is OBVIOUS, but what of other jealousies--Ann Putnam's jealousy of Rebecca Nurse, for example); greed (what evidence does the audience see early in the play of the greed in Rev. Samuel Parris and Thomas Putnam); repressed judgment or resentment (why, for instance, does Proctor decline to come to church once Parris becomes Salem's minister?)
3. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience KNOWS the truth, but the characters in the drama presumably do not. For instance, one example of dramatic irony occurs when Rev. Hale questions the Proctors and asks John Proctor to recite his commandments (as proof of being an upright Puritan). John Proctor recites all his commandments except the one that says, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." It becomes ironic because the audience knows that Proctor has _______. Discuss SEVERAL other examples of dramamtic irony in Acts II and III that contribute to the suspense created in the play.
4. Situational irony is created when the visible appearance is different from the actual reality OR when the outcome is the opposite of what is expected or anticipated. Why do god-fearing Puritans, dedicated to a theocracy, ironically fall victim to the "witch fever" that occurred in Salem in 1692? In the case of the Salem witch trials, those who are accused can choose to plead their innocence or confess their guilt--ironically, what happens to those to maintain their innocence? In what way is this situational irony? In what way is the justice of the court ironic as well? How are the roles of the girls (who, until 1692, were expected to be seen but not heard?) ironic?
4. Compare and contrast Rev. Samuel Parris and Rev. John Hale--their backgrounds, interests, reputations, and their involvement in the witchcraft that surrounds Salem in 1692. Which reverend is more greatly changed by the events? How is he changed? What of the other man?
5. Discuss the greater setting of the play, the location of Salem village (on the edge of the wilderness) and the date, (1692) and the closely confined openings of each act. How does both the setting (literally the placement of Salem village on the edge of the wilderness and time period (1692 rather than 1620, when the first band of Pilgrims arrived in Boston Harbor on the Mayflower) influence their actions? Discuss the initial opening of the drama in Reverend Parris's upper bedroom (Betty's bedroom), the small living room of John and Elizabeth Proctor, the courtroom, and finally the jail in which Proctor (and others) are kept How is the mind-set of the citizens of Salem evident in the opening of each act?
How does the close of each act reflect the hysteria and upheaval in Salem?
6. In what way is the direct characterization given by Arthur Miller for several of the major players reflected in their words and actions? Specifically, consider the his characterization of Abigail Williams, John Proctor, Mary Warren, Deputy Govenor Danforth, and Rev. Samuel Parris.
7. Although Arthur Miller's play appeared during the mid-twentieth century, it deals with human nature and various situations that existed in
the seventeenth century and that are still acknowledged in the twenty-first century: peer presssure, bullying, power struggles, scape-goating, and greed as a motivating force. Compare at least three of the issues that are most relevant still today with their counterparts in The Crucible and identify the characteristics of human nature (and give examples) that have remained constant, even after 200-plus years.
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