Recap / The Crucible

Salem, Massachusetts, was a Puritan colony that lived isolated from other colonial settlements, was in constant conflict with Native Americans, and was run by theocrats who imposed strict rules and harsh punishments. This combination of circumstances would lead to a witch hunt of horrific proportions...

One fateful night, the daughter of Reverend Samuel Parris, ten-year-old Betty, was found dancing naked in the woods along with his slave, Tituba, and other local girls. She now laid motionless in his attic. All indications point to Betty being a victim of witchcraft, with the entire town paranoid with superstition, and Reverend Parris concerned that this incident would lead to him being removed from his position. To try to figure out what was wrong with his daughter, he questions his niece, Abigail Williams, who was the apparent ringleader of the strange ritual from the previous night. Abigail professes her innocence of witchcraft, leaving Reverend Parris without any answers. Two of Salem's affluential citizens, Thomas and Ann Putnam, arrive not long after and convince a reluctant Reverend Parris to enlist the aid of John Hale, a pastor who specialized in demonology and investigating witchcraft.

What Abigail won't tell, and what she coerces the other girls into keeping a secret, was that they were, indeed, trying to use witchcraft with the purpose of placing a curse upon Elizabeth Proctor, the wife of local farmer John Proctor. Abigail had been in the Proctors' employ, and for a time, was having an affair with John until she was fired. John goes to confront Abigail about the incident, and Abigail accuses John of reciprocating her feelings for him. As John denies it, a psalm from downstairs suddenly causes Betty to awaken and scream bloody murder, attracting the attention of Reverend Parris, the Putnams, Rebecca Nurse, and farmer Giles Corey. Tensions rise as Betty's strange behavior feeds into paranoia over witchcraft, with Corey arguing about the Putnams trying to take his land, Ann Putnam believing the same witchcraft was responsible for her previous miscarriages, Parris's dissatisfaction over his salary and living conditions coming to light, and Nurse trying to be the voice of reason, all while Abigail silently watches.

As Reverend Hale arrives and begins his investigation, Corey confides that he witnessed his wife reading strange books, which Hale agrees to investigate. For now, he summons Tituba and interrogates her, Parris, and Abigail about what happened in the woods the previous night. As facts come to light, Abigail tries to claim that Tituba forced her to drink blood. Tituba tries to explain that Abigail forced her to help try and conjure a curse, but on pain of whipping from Parris for lying, falsely confesses to witchcraft and names two other women, Sarah Osborn and Sarah Good, as witches. Mrs. Putnam corroborates the claim of Osborn being a witch, since she used to work as a midwife and as such was the target of her blame over her miscarriages. Abigail, concerned that her affair with John Proctor and her attempt to curse Elizabeth would come to light, begins to act possessed and name names, as does Betty, with Hale calling for the arrests of the accused. In total, forty people are arrested on suspicion of witchcraft...

John Proctor knows that the apparent possession was an act, Abigail having told him about it when they were alone. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to report his suspicions of Abigail without their previous affair coming to light — an affair that his wife, Elizabeth, suspects may be ongoing. As they share a tense dinner with one another, their servant, Mary Warren, tells them about what happened in court that day: Goody Osburn is likely going to be hanged, but Sarah Good confessed to witchcraft and would be spared. While John is cross with her for seemingly neglecting her duties, Warren explains that she is an official court witness, and that she used her position to defend Elizabeth when she, too, was accused of witchcraft. While she cannot name the accuser, Elizabeth is certain that it's Abigail. Elizabeth implores John to testify that Abigail and her confederates were faking their dealings in witchcraft, but John remains reluctant to do so...

Hale arrives at the Proctors' home and questions them, since they did not act like proper Christians: they did not attend church regularly, and John's sons were never baptized. John explains that this is because he does not respect Reverend Parris. Unconvinced, Hale demands John recite the Ten Commandments. Tellingly, John fails to recite "thou shalt not commit adultery". Elizabeth demands to know why Abigail is not being investigated, and John finally tells Hale that he is certain Abigail and her co-conspirators were faking possession. When Hale points out that many have confessed, John fires back that anyone would confess when the alternative was being taken to the gallows.

The situation grows more dire as Corey and Francis Nurse arrive at John's house and claim their wives had been arrested: Martha Corey on suspicion of the strange literature she had been reading, and Rebecca Nurse on charges of sacrificing children. Not long after, a posse led by local clerk Ezekiel Cheever and marshal George Herrick arrive with a warrant for Elizabeth's arrest: a poppet that Mary Warren made while in court that day had a needle inside of it, and Abigail had complained of chest pain, claiming Elizabeth stabbed her with a voodoo doll. Mary tries to explain that she made the poppet and Abigail witnessed it, but in the heights of paranoid hysteria, Cheever is unconvinced.

Furious, John tears the arrest warrant and threatens Cheevers and Herrick until Elizabeth agrees to surrender herself into their custody. John questions Hale on why he was taken Abigail's claims at face value and didn't bother to look into them. Hale, conflicted, suggests that the misfortune befalling Salem was the result of some secret crime that has yet to be brought to light. With his wife's life at stake, John finally makes the decision to testify in court.

Thirty-seven days later, as court goes into recess during Martha Giles's trial, John tries to convince deputy governor Danforth and Judge Hathorne about Abigail's lies. He is surprised to learn that Elizabeth is pregnant, with Danforth promising to spare her until the child is born in the hopes of convincing John to withdraw his case, but John refuses and submits a deposition signed by several townsfolk attesting to Elizabeth's character. Unfortunately, the deposition is denied. Hale demands to know why the accused cannot defend themselves, with Danforth answering that because of witchcraft's "invisible nature", the word of the accused cannot be trusted. As Danforth calls for the arrests of everyone who signed the deposition, Giles Corey submits one of his own to accuse Thomas Putnam of arranging for his daughter to accuse Martha of witchcraft in a bid to take his lands, as the property and land of those convicted of witchcraft are legally forfeit. When asked for witnesses, Corey refuses to name any, knowing all too well that they would be arrested as well. As such, Corey is arrested for contempt.

Court is reconvened, with John submitting a deposition from Mary Warren claiming Abigail coerced her into accuse others of witchcraft. Abigail denies the accusations and begins to claim that Warren is trying to bewitch her. John finally calls out Abigail on her lies, calling her a whore and confessing to adultery, stating that Abigail is trying to have Elizabeth murdered via the court out of jealousy. Elizabeth is brought in to corroborate John's statement, but, unaware of John's confession and fearful of reprisal, denies any affair took place and she had Abigail fired on an unfounded suspicion, destroying John's credibility due to his earlier claims of Elizabeth's good character.

Hysteria takes hold in the courtroom as Abigail and her cohorts begin to act like they are being attacked by Mary with witchcraft. Mary Warren, fearful of being hanged, recants her statements and accuses John of coercing her into bearing false witness while also claiming that he worships the devil. John, defeated and bereft of hope, declares "God is dead" as he is arrested while Reverend Hale condemns the hearings...

Three months pass. Tituba had been driven to insanity during her incarceration and believes she now speaks with the devil. Marshal Herrick has turned to alcoholism. Countless Salem townspeople have been arrested on accusations of witchcraft, of which twelve have been hanged and seven more are sentenced to die. Giles Corey had been subjected to torture in order to extract a plea, but he refused and allowed himself to die without pleading to witchcraft to ensure his sons would keep his property. With so many dead or imprisoned,word of rebellion from nearby Andover, and Abigail stealing Parris's life savings and fleeing for England to avoid the consequences of her crimes, Salem has ground to a halt.

Danforth and Hathorne meet with Parris, and learn that Reverend Hale, remorseful over the role he played in Salem's crisis, had been consoling the accused. Hale hoped to convince some of them to confess to witchcraft to avoid being executed, and begs Hathorne to pardon the seven remaining prisoners, including John Proctor, and put the affair behind them. Hathorne, however, refuses, as pardoning them would cast doubt to the veracity of the executions that had already been carried out and confessions that had already been made.

Danforth and Hale summon Elizabeth, who is still bitter to John, in the hopes that she can convince him to confess and save his life. The two have a lengthy discussion, during which John explains that he is not refusing to confess out of religious conviction, but out of contempt for the court and his accusers. As Elizabeth finally finds it in her heart to forgive John, John finally agrees to confess to witchcraft.

Hale, Hathorne, and Danforth ask John to also confess to the others' involvement in witchcraft, but John refuses, stating that he can only speak for his own sins, not the sins of others. While Hathorne and Danforth are displeased with John's refusal to discuss the others' wrongdoings, they decide to make do with letting John sign a confession to hang on the front door of the church, so he may serve as an example. While John signs the confession, he refuses to give it back to be hanged, refusing to let his family bear the burden of his sins. In the end, John tears the confession up and renounces his confession, condemning himself to the gallows. With rebellion threatening to break out in the town, Danforth and Hathorne follow John as he is taken to be hanged, begging him to confess. Hale tries to convince Elizabeth to talk sense into John, but Elizabeth refuses, stating that John had, at long last, "found his goodness"...