Main Characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Janine Dellinger, Lauren Boivin
Study the main characters in 'The Crucible.' Examine John Proctor, Reverend Parris, Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, Ann Putnam, and others and read their quotes. Updated: 06/06/2022
Table of Contents
The Crucible: Main Characters
Lesson Summary
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The Crucible: Main Characters
Arthur Miller published his play The Crucible in 1953. The play takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 and is a fictional account of the Salem Witch Trials. While Miller used the Salem Witch Trials as his plot, he was actually writing to criticize the Red Scare during the Cold War. Senator Joseph McCarthy led his own witch hunts to destroy the reputations of people accused of being Communists or have Communist sympathies. Arthur Miller himself was accused of being a Communist. In the play, Miller shows what can happen when fear takes over reason and logic. The cast of characters in the play is based on real people who were involved in the Salem Witch Trials. What follows is a character chart of the main characters in the play.

Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams is the antagonist of the play. She is seventeen years old and came to live with her uncle, Reverend Parris after her parents were killed. She is the lead accuser and instigator in the Salem Witch trials. Before the play begins, Abigail had worked for John and Elizabeth Proctor and had a brief affair with John. Elizabeth fires her, so as an act of revenge, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of being a witch. A brief character analysis of Abigail Williams in The Crucible will find her to be deceitful, dishonest, obsessed, and insecure as shown by the following quotes.

Act 1: ''There be no blush about my name... [Elizabeth Proctor} hates uncle, she must for I would not be her slave. It's a bitter woman, a lying, cold sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!'' Abigail begins her deceit and lies about Elizabeth Proctor. She blames Elizabeth entirely for her being fired from the Proctor's house and shows how much she hates Elizabeth, even calling her ''it'' instead of using her name.
Act 1: ''I look for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart... You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet.'' Here, Abigail shows her obsession for John Proctor. Even after he ended the affair, she is still in love with him and is insecure about being without him. It is this obsession and insecurity that leads her to lie.
Act 1: ''I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus: I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!'' These are the accusations that start the Salem Witch Trials. Abigail, having led a group of girls into the forest with Tituba, is caught and lies about being involved in witchcraft. Her confession leads to more accusations and the deaths of many people.
John Proctor in The Crucible
John Proctor, the protagonist in the play, is Elizabeth's husband and an honest, proud, and moral man. Although, in a moment of weakness, he had an affair with Abigail. Throughout most of the play, the audience sees Proctor wrestle with his guilt over the affair trying to make amends with his wife. The only way to get the accusations of witchcraft to stop is for Proctor to confess to the affair. He is reluctant to do so because of the damage the confession will do to his reputation. He does end up confessing; however, that confession leads to his arrest and hanging for witchcraft.

Act 1: ''Abby, I may think of you softly. But I will cut off my hand before I ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.' accusations.
Main Characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Janine Dellinger, Lauren Boivin
Study the main characters in 'The Crucible.' Examine John Proctor, Reverend Parris, Elizabeth Proctor, Rebecca Nurse, Ann Putnam, and others and read their quotes. Updated: 06/06/2022
Table of Contents
The Crucible: Main Characters
Lesson Summary
Create an account
The Crucible: Main Characters
Arthur Miller published his play The Crucible in 1953. The play takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692 and is a fictional account of the Salem Witch Trials. While Miller used the Salem Witch Trials as his plot, he was actually writing to criticize the Red Scare during the Cold War. Senator Joseph McCarthy led his own witch hunts to destroy the reputations of people accused of being Communists or have Communist sympathies. Arthur Miller himself was accused of being a Communist. In the play, Miller shows what can happen when fear takes over reason and logic. The cast of characters in the play is based on real people who were involved in the Salem Witch Trials. What follows is a character chart of the main characters in the play.

Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams is the antagonist of the play. She is seventeen years old and came to live with her uncle, Reverend Parris after her parents were killed. She is the lead accuser and instigator in the Salem Witch trials. Before the play begins, Abigail had worked for John and Elizabeth Proctor and had a brief affair with John. Elizabeth fires her, so as an act of revenge, Abigail accuses Elizabeth of being a witch. A brief character analysis of Abigail Williams in The Crucible will find her to be deceitful, dishonest, obsessed, and insecure as shown by the following quotes.

Act 1: ''There be no blush about my name... [Elizabeth Proctor} hates uncle, she must for I would not be her slave. It's a bitter woman, a lying, cold sniveling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!'' Abigail begins her deceit and lies about Elizabeth Proctor. She blames Elizabeth entirely for her being fired from the Proctor's house and shows how much she hates Elizabeth, even calling her ''it'' instead of using her name.
Act 1: ''I look for John Proctor who took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart... You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet.'' Here, Abigail shows her obsession for John Proctor. Even after he ended the affair, she is still in love with him and is insecure about being without him. It is this obsession and insecurity that leads her to lie.
Act 1: ''I want the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the Devil; I saw him, I wrote in his book; I go back to Jesus: I kiss His hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!'' These are the accusations that start the Salem Witch Trials. Abigail, having led a group of girls into the forest with Tituba, is caught and lies about being involved in witchcraft. Her confession leads to more accusations and the deaths of many people.
John Proctor in The Crucible
John Proctor, the protagonist in the play, is Elizabeth's husband and an honest, proud, and moral man. Although, in a moment of weakness, he had an affair with Abigail. Throughout most of the play, the audience sees Proctor wrestle with his guilt over the affair trying to make amends with his wife. The only way to get the accusations of witchcraft to stop is for Proctor to confess to the affair. He is reluctant to do so because of the damage the confession will do to his reputation. He does end up confessing; however, that confession leads to his arrest and hanging for witchcraft.

Act 1: ''Abby, I may think of you softly. But I will cut off my hand before I ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby.'' Proctor rejects Abigail here and this rejection leads Abigail to her