The Crucible Play Guide for AQA GCSE Drama

COMPONENT 1 UNDERSTANDING DRAMA 24 Act 2 Act 1 Plot: the sequence of The Crucible ’s main events Small upper bedroom in Reverend Parris’s home, spring 1692 4 Reverend Parris prays over his ill daughter, Betty. 4 Parris confronts his niece, Abigail, about the girls dancing in the forest with Tituba. 4 The Putnams say that it is ‘the Devil’s touch’ that has caused Betty’s illness. 4 Ann Putnam says her daughter, Ruth, was ‘struck dumb’ after going to the forest with Tituba. 4 Abigail, Mercy and Mary discuss the accusations of witchcraft. 4 Betty attempts to ‘fly’ out of the window. 4 Abigail says they must only admit to dancing and trying to conjure Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. 4 John Proctor arrives to see ‘what mischief’ is brewing. 4 Abigail reminds Proctor of their past relationship and asks for a ‘soft word’. 4 Betty begins to scream, bringing Parris and more neighbours into the room. 4 Rebecca Nurse says she believes the girls are simply having a ‘silly season’. 4 Proctor and Parris argue about Parriss’s sermons and his interest in money. 4 Giles Corey, Thomas Putnam and John Proctor argue about land ownership. 4 Reverend Hale, a learned specialist in identifying witchcraft, arrives. 4 Hale tries to rouse Betty and questions Abigail. She tells him that Tituba calls the Devil. 4 Tituba claims the Devil told her to kill Parris and names two women as ‘working in league with the Devil’. 4 Abigail and Betty begin naming others they claim they saw with the Devil. The common room of the Proctor house, eight days later 4 Elizabeth and Proctor argue about their servant, Mary Warren, going to the court in Salem. 4 Elizabeth asks Proctor to tell the court of Abigail’s admission that she was dancing in the forest. 4 They argue about his relationship with Abigail. 4 Mary Warren arrives to describe the events in court and gives Elizabeth a doll she made. 4 Mary claims she defended Elizabeth when someone accused her in court. 4 Hale arrives and tells the Proctors that Elizabeth and Rebecca Nurse have been mentioned in court. 4 Hale asks questions about the ‘Christian character’ of the Proctors’ home. 4 When Hale asks Proctor to recite the ten commandments, Proctor forgets the commandment against adultery. 4 Giles and Francis announce that their wives have been put in jail. 4 Ezekiel Cheever arrives to arrest Elizabeth, saying that Abigail has accused her and that her possession of the ‘poppet’ from Mary Warren is to be taken as evidence. 4 Elizabeth is chained and taken away. 4 Proctor tells Mary Warren that she must go to court and testify against Abigail, but Mary cries and says that she can’t. Task B1 Explain three different ways in which you could show the passing of time in The Crucible . Consider changes in: • Performance • Costume • Set • Lighting • Sound. Provide specific examples of each.