Arthur Miller, The Crucible, Summaries of acts I, II, III

Résumé du document

The first scene of the act I takes place in Parris' house, who is the reverend of the parish.

His daughter, Betty, is lying on the bed, unconscious. He's worry about his reputation because there is a rumor in the village about Betty, that her "disease" was caused by "unnatural causes", which reveals the witchcraft wich was heavily punishable at that time, and in a society like Salem's obey, which was a theocracy. Indeed, if someone was accused of being a witch, he or she would be sentenced to death!
Therefore, Parris tries to mute this rumor.

He talks to his niece, Abigail, who was with Betty when he discovered them, with other girls, "dancing like heathen in the forest", as he tells her. He tries to make her admit what they have done in the forest because he feels she is lying, she's hiding something... But Abigail doesn't admit anything, and claims that they just "did dance". She manipulates him to defend herself, because she knows that she could be hanged by the court if she was accused of being a witch. Thereby, she claims that she and the other girls with who she was were victims of witches.
Putnam's family, another family in Salem, is worry because their daughter looks to have the same "disease" as Betty, and they come to question the reverend Parris, who tells them that he has sent for Reverend Hale, from Beverly, a nearby village, who already has a certain experience in "unnatural causes". This arrival fed the idea that Betty's disease was caused by witchcraft, what Abigail enjoys to manipulate her uncle, and the other girls. In one scene, she is alone with John Proctor, the man she loves, but who is married, and she declares him her love.

The arrival of reverend Hale fed the idea that this situation was caused by witchcraft, by "unnatural causes", and people ate getting paranoid.
At the end of the act I, the girls are giving names to reverend Parris, names of some people who were, according to these girl, "with the devil", who are practicing witchcraft and who could bewitch Betty... Actually, the end of the act I end with some denunciations...

Extraits

[...] Thereby, Hathorne questions Elisabeth, asking her if John has really committed the adultery. To preserve her husband's honor, she lies, and waives to charge him. Finally, Abigail, feeling that the situation is unfavorable, diverts the attention of the court by feigning sudden appearances, which causes confusion. Mary Warren gets afraid, and accuses John of having forced her to testify against Abigail, that he wanted her to to pact with the devil. Proctor is immediately accused of having pact with the devil, and he is arrested. Reference "The Crucible", by Arthur Miller. [...]

[...] Arthur Miller, The Crucible Summaries of acts II, III Act I The first scene of the act I takes place in Parris' house, who is the reverend of the parish. His daughter, Betty, is lying on the bed, unconscious. He's worry about his reputation because there is a rumor in the village about Betty, that her "disease" was caused by "unnatural causes", which reveals the witchcraft wich was heavily punishable at that time, and in a society like Salem's obey, which was a theocracy. [...]

[...] John Proctor finally enters into the court with Marry Waren. She admits that she has lied, and that everything the girls said was just a lie. She admits that she has never seen spirits, and that she has played the comedy. As a consequence, Abigail is convened by Hathorne, the judge, and Danforth, the Deputy Governor, who ask her if Mary Warren said the truth. Obviously, she says that Mary is lying, that they are really victims of witchcraft. Marry tells Abigail to stop that, because it will cost some people lives for nothing! [...]

[...] After his leaving, Giles Corey and Francis Nurse come, to inform them that their wives were just arrested, accusing of being witches! John is afraid that her wife would be the next one. Indeed, just after, Ezekiel Cheever comes to arrest Elisabeth, business of the court”. John gets furious, and tries to defend his wife. Cheever finds a poppet in Proctors' house, with a needle in the back, wich reinforces the accusations to Elisabeth. John sends Elisabeth to "fetch" Mary Warren, who explains that this doll is hers, and was tempered by Abigail. Despite that, Elisabeth is arrested, and chained. [...]

[...] Actually, the end of the act I end with some denunciations . Act II Mary Warren, the Proctor's servant, was gone "to the court" when the act begins. She was there to talk about this witchcraft case, because she was one of the girls who was with Abigail and Betty in the forest. John Proctor and his wife, Elisabeth, are talking about that, and she teaches him that 39 women were arrested for witchcraft, women that Abigail and the other girls denounced. [...]