Criticism Course
The Crucible
Study Guide with Answers
Act I
1. What purpose does the Overture serve?
Miller uses the first act to introduce not only the characters but also his comparison between the Puritans and 1950s America. He accomplishes both of these in his lengthy sidebars as characters come into Ruth’s bedroom.
2. What does the “sparseness” of the Puritan setting reveal about the lives of the townspeople of Salem?
The setting mirrors the Puritans’ beliefs. The lack of ornamentation demonstrates the Puritan aversion to vanity and frivolous pursuits.
3. What Puritan primary fear is apparent in the philosophy, “In unity still lay the best promise of safety”?
The environment with Native Americans, various wild animals, and the climate forced the Puritans to stick together in order to survive. Individuality or independence could cost lives. Therefore, fear kept the settlers in a state of conformist cooperation.
4. Explain the significance of the forest to the Puritans.
It was the epitome of evil. As far as the Puritans were concerned, the Native Americans were murderous heathens. The animals periodically attacked. There was no wilderness in England, so the unknown quality of the forest made it even more frightening.
5. Explain the irony in the Puritans’ pilgrimage to Salem to escape persecution.
Though the Puritans left England to gain religious freedom, among other things, they granted no one in this new world any such freedom. They persecuted, often violently, those who were different.
6. To what twentieth century situation is Miller referring when he declares: “They believed, in short, that they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world. We have inherited this belief, and it has helped and hurt us.”
Miller is asserting that Americans often believe they possess the true “light” or value system that the rest of the world should follow. This ideology has helped us escape many pitfalls of other countries, but it has also caused
Study Guide with Answers
Act I
1. What purpose does the Overture serve?
Miller uses the first act to introduce not only the characters but also his comparison between the Puritans and 1950s America. He accomplishes both of these in his lengthy sidebars as characters come into Ruth’s bedroom.
2. What does the “sparseness” of the Puritan setting reveal about the lives of the townspeople of Salem?
The setting mirrors the Puritans’ beliefs. The lack of ornamentation demonstrates the Puritan aversion to vanity and frivolous pursuits.
3. What Puritan primary fear is apparent in the philosophy, “In unity still lay the best promise of safety”?
The environment with Native Americans, various wild animals, and the climate forced the Puritans to stick together in order to survive. Individuality or independence could cost lives. Therefore, fear kept the settlers in a state of conformist cooperation.
4. Explain the significance of the forest to the Puritans.
It was the epitome of evil. As far as the Puritans were concerned, the Native Americans were murderous heathens. The animals periodically attacked. There was no wilderness in England, so the unknown quality of the forest made it even more frightening.
5. Explain the irony in the Puritans’ pilgrimage to Salem to escape persecution.
Though the Puritans left England to gain religious freedom, among other things, they granted no one in this new world any such freedom. They persecuted, often violently, those who were different.
6. To what twentieth century situation is Miller referring when he declares: “They believed, in short, that they held in their steady hands the candle that would light the world. We have inherited this belief, and it has helped and hurt us.”
Miller is asserting that Americans often believe they possess the true “light” or value system that the rest of the world should follow. This ideology has helped us escape many pitfalls of other countries, but it has also caused