The Crucible

Elements of Plot in Drama

Exposition: Part of a play or work of fiction when the background is introduced.
Rising Action: Starting of conflicts in the story-leading up to the climax.
Climax: The most important part of the story. When the conflict in the story is at it's highest point.
Falling Action: Leading down to the resolution. The conflict is starting to be resolved.
Resolution: Resolving the conflict.

Foil: a minor character whose traits contrast sharply with those of a main character.
Monologue: a long speech spoken by a single character to himself or herself, or to the audience.
Soliloquy: a monologue in which a character speaks his or her private thoughts aloud and appears to be unaware of the audience.
Aside: a short speech or comment that is delivered by a character to the audience, but that is beyond the hearing of the other characters who are present.

* Spectral Evidence: the testimony of a church member who claimed to have seen a person's spirit performing witchcraft- was enough to sentence the accused to death.

Crucible: a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures.
-a place or occasion of severe test of trail.
-a place or situation in which different elements interact to produce something.

Act 1:
-Salem had been established 40 years ago. The Europeans believed Salem was inhabited by very or over excessive religious people. Nobody was allowed to read a novel. They didn't celebrate Christmas and a holiday meant more concentration on prayer.
-Nobody had much time to "fool" around but they did have "raise the roof" when someone put up a new building. They got together and ate and enjoyed life. They played shovel board a game where you shove a disc across a board by hand.
-People were not allowed to have their own privacy. It brought around suspicions that helped create what is coming up.
-People were to stuck up and snobbish, that failed to convert the Indians. The Puritans believed that since they can't convert the Indians the woods where the Indians lived were considered evil or Devilish. In act 1 Reverend Parris is praying over his daughters bed. The girls of the town were caught dancing in the woods with Tituba. Parris saw them dancing and saw some one naked. Now Parris daughter is in shock and the village thinks it is witchcraft. Abigail drank blood and wished for Proctor's wife to die so she could be with Procter. Reverend Hale comes to tell the town if there are witches in the town.
Act 2
In act 2 John and his wife are talking and their servant comes in and says she has been at the trials of witchcraft. John forbids her to go back but she tells him that his wife has been accused. She gives Elizabeth the doll that she made that day and says that Abigail is the one who has accused Elizabeth. Hale visits and is questioning everyone in the town he asks John to state his commandants but Elizabeth has to give him the last one. The marshal comes and they take Elizabeth away to jail for stabbing Abigail in the stomach with her spirit. Their servant is extremely angry and tells them that this is all a mistake and the girls are faking it. Even the servant Mary says it is fake.
Act 3
Giles shouts out in court. He says that people are trying to steal land and that is why they are blaming others. The court stops its session and they as they are talking to Giles Proctor and Mary come in and Mary tells the court that the girls are all lying and it is all a fake. Parris believes they are trying to overthrow the court. Proctor says he just wants his wife and friends free. They tell him that his wife claims to be pregnant and is going to be pardoned for at least a year. The judge bring in the girls and Abigail denies all claims made by Mary and Proctor. Mary says she only thought she felt spirits but that they were all fake. Abigail says that Mary blew a cold wind and when they feel Abigail she is freezing and they accuse Mary of witchcraft. Proctor calls Abigail a whore and says she only wants Elizabeth dead so she can be with Proctor. The judge tells them to turn their backs and they bring Elizabeth from the jail to be questioned. She lies thinking she is doing the right thing when she is really hurting him. After Elizabeth leaves Abigail sees a bird and thinks it is going to fly down and hurt them. Mary says they are faking but then when everything falls apart Mary accuses Proctor of being the Devil's man. Proctor is arrested and Hale is disguised and says he is quitting the court.
Act 4
Hale returns to Salem to try to persuade the jailers to confess just to save their own life. Parris' has become a wreck because Abigail ran away after he took all of his money. Hale tells the court that all the farm animals are running wild because all of the owners are in jail or dead. Elizabeth agrees to talk to Proctor but she promises nothing about trying to persuade him to confess. They are allowed to talk alone and Elizabeth tells him about Giles and how he was pressed to death for not telling the name of the man he accused. Proctor asks Elizabeth what he should do but she tells him that no matter what he does she will stand next to him but she will not tell him what he is to do. He agrees to confess and has to sign a paper. He asks why and they say it has to be hung on the church door for all to see. He is angered by this but signs anyway. He is then asked who else he saw with the devil but he refuses to give any answers. As they try to take the paper to hang it on the door he takes it up and asks why he has to give up his name when that is the only thing he has left to hang onto. He then tares up the confession and they arrest him on the spot. Elizabeth refuses to persuade him and he ends up being hung.