YEAR 11 ENGLISH

The Crucible: Short Answer Questions

(You must answer all the questions, please include the
question in your answer)
Act I
1. Why has Reverend Parris sent for a doctor as the play
begins?
2. What did Parris see in the woods the previous night?
3. What excuse does Abigail give for being dismissed by
the Proctors?
4. Why did Mrs Putnam contact Tituba?
5. What threat does Abigail make to the other girls?
6. What happened in the past between John Proctor and
Abigail? How do each of them feel about it now?
7. What is the dispute between John Proctor and
Thomas Putnam?
8. Why is Reverend Hale in Salem?
9. Who does Tituba accuse of being a witch?
10.
Why do you think Abigail starts accusing people
at this point?
Define the following words:
o

Faction

Pulpit

Abominations

Naive

Subservient

Licentious

Act II
1. Why has Mary Warren disobeyed her employers
and gone to Salem?
2. What lie did John Proctor tell Elizabeth which

makes her more suspicious of him?

3. What news does Mary Warren reveal to John and
Elizabeth about the trials?
4. What does Elizabeth realise when she finds out
that she has been accused?
5. What does Elizabeth ask John to do?
6. What (specifically) has Rebecca Nurse been
accused of?
7. Why has Martha Corey been accused?
8. Explain why Cheever is both astonished and afraid
when he finds the poppet with the needle in it.
9. Why does Mary Warren warn John about testifying
against Abigail?
10.

What does John decide to do?

Define the following words:

o

Pious

Evasive

Tainted

Begrudge

Bewilder

Vindictive

Act III
1. As this act opens, what accusations does Giles Corey
make against Thomas Putnam?
2. What two pieces of evidence are brought out against
Proctor in regard to his Christian nature?
3. What news does Danforth tell John Proctor about
Elizabeth? What deal does he try to make with him?
4. What does Danforth think accounts for Mary Warrens
appearance in the court?
5. When Mary Warren says that she pretended to faint
in court, what is she asked to do? What is the result?
6. What does Abigail do when the suspicion that she
might be pretending falls on her?

7. What does John Proctor do to discredit her?

8. What happens when Reverend Hale states that
Abigail has always seemed false to him?
9. What does John Proctor mean when he says, God is
dead!?
10.

What does Hale do when Proctor is arrested?

Define the following words:

o

Prodigious

Reproach

Contempt

Lecher

Harlot

Denounce

Act IV
1. Why has Reverend Hake returned to Salem?
2. What is Reverend Hale advising the condemned to
do?
3. Why does Danforth refuse to postpone the hangings?
4. What does Reverend Hale mean when he says, There
is blood on my head!?
5. What do Hale and Danforth request of Elizabeth
proctor?
6. What happened to Giles Corey?
7. What is Elizabeths proof that John is a good man?
8. How has Elizabeth changed since we first met her?
9. After John confesses, what does Danforth want to do
with the signed confession?
10.
Discuss why John Proctor exclaims, I am John
Proctor! You will not use me!
Define the following words:
o

Incredulous

Adamant

Calamity

Prevail

Gibbet

THE CRUCIBLE: Extended Answer

Questions
(You must answer 4 out of the 6 questions in extended
detail - at least half page for each question)
1.a. A static character is one who remains essentially the
same throughout a play. A dynamic character is one who
changes and grows. Classify each of the following characters
as static or dynamic and explain your choice with specific
details.
(1) Abigail Williams
(2) Rebecca Nurse
(3) Reverend Hale
(4) Reverend Parris
b. Agree or disagree with the following sentence and explain.
"Elizabeth Proctor exhibits elements of both the static and
dynamic character."
2. A crucible may be defined as "a severe, searching test."
a. Define the test in this drama.
b. Is it different for different characters?
c. Some characters pass this test and others fail it. Choose
one example of each and explain your choice.
3. a. An act in a drama often ends on a note of both interest
and anticipation. Do each of the first three acts end in this
manner? Explain.
b. What are your thoughts and feelings at the end of the
play?
4. a. Arthur Miller seems to know human nature well. What
might have motivated the young girls in the play to be
attracted to witchcraft initially?
b. Why might they have "cried out" the women in the
community as witches? What did they have to gain?
c. How does Mary Warren feel about her role in the court
proceedings? Why might she consider this to be an attractive
position?
5. At the end of the play, John Proctor says of himself, "I do
think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor." What
actions have led him to make this observation about himself?

6. If you have studied the Senate hearings on possible

Communist sympathizers in the United States in the 1950's,
what parallels may be drawn between the events in the play
and these hearings?