the crucible?

Question

im going to read this book in school (in my english class) and i want to know what the book talking about ..if u know this book can u send me a small summary about the book?

Answer 1

The Crucible is a play that was written by Arthur Miller in 1952. It is based on the events surrounding the 1692 witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts.

Plot Summary:The Crucible is set in the small Puritan town of Salem, Massachusetts. The play begins with the discovery by the despised local preacher Reverend Parris that some local girls were performing a sinful dance in the woods with the slave Tituba. One of the girls, Parris's daughter, Betty, upon being discovered, falls into an unconscious state. Panic spreads through the village as people believe that witchcraft is afoot. The town sends for the Reverend John Hale, an authority on witchcraft, to investigate. Reverend Parris questions Abigail Williams, the unofficial leader of the group of girls, regarding what took place in the forest. Abigail denies any witchcraft and claims she and the girls were just dancing.

Abigail manipulates the other girls into not revealing what really happened in the forest that same day. She is seen with John Proctor, with whom she had an affair while working at his home. Proctor has since rejected Abigail, but she is still obsessed with having him. As the witch trials begin, Abigail and the girls lie and find a new power: accusing others of witchcraft. The madness and the hysteria build, and the girls continue to lie to seek revenge against those whom they do not like. Many residents, mainly the old and the sick, are found guilty of denial of witchcraft and are sentenced to execution.

All are fooled by the girls, including Thomas Danforth, the Judge, and many women are brought to trial. These people include John Proctor's wife Elizabeth Proctor and other respectable citizens. Proctor tries to counter the girls by producing Mary, his servant, who is willing to admit the girls lied. However, all the girls accuse her of witchcraft, and Mary eventually accuses Proctor to save herself. By this point, Reverend John Hale realizes the corruption and injustice of the court and attempts to defend Proctor. Proctor is sentenced to death. Hale denounces the proceedings and quits his position within the court. The night before the execution, Proctor gives in to the advice of Reverend Hale. Hale is now a broken man who spends all his time with the prisoners, praying with them and hoping to save their lives from their unjust fates, as the punishment for denying witchcraft is hanging whilst there is no such penalty for pleading guilty and repenting. Hale's advice is to admit to witchcraft, but when John realizes that he will be set free only if he does so, he tears up his confession on the grounds that because he is not guilty, he should not be forced to say so. The play ends with Proctor being led off to his execution.

Answer 2

The Crucible is a play by Arthur Miller takes place in a Puritan village during the 1600s. After a girl is found in comma (she is faking it because she was dacing in the forest with a group of other girls which is against the law) there is an outbreak of fear that witches have taken over the village. The people go off on a spree of witch trials which all end in hangings. Though most of the hangings are fueled by greed for the dead people's land. A character named Proctor is acused the play continues to follow him and his fight against the power that wished to see him hanged.
The play is a reflection of Miller's real life. During the time this play was written Miller was accused of being a Communist. The nation (US) was enflamed in the "Red Scare" there was little safety if you were accused of being a red.

Answer 3

I read The Crucible my freshman year in high school... it's a play by Arthur Miller, which takes place in Salem, Mass. during the era of the Salem Witchcraft Trials. Basically, this play is about how out of control things can get when a group of people starts accusing others of using witchcraft to make some girls fall ill.

If you want to know more, I suggest going to cliffsnotes.com. and reading the summaries there. However, you SHOULD NOT read them in place of reading this play, which I believe is quite good.