The Crucible
1953, play by Arthur Miller
CONTENT ADVISORY
Any and all discussion of The Crucible can and will contain discussions or mentions of: execution, hanging, sexual assault, underage relationships, heavy religious themes, possession, and murder.
Reverend Parris and his daughter Betty, whose mysterious illness begins the plot.
In the 1690s, the village of Salem, Massachusetts is overtaken by a witch hunt. Led by the conniving teenager Abigail Williams, a group of girls randomly accuses townspeople of witchcraft after they are seen dancing wildly in the woods at night. The town’s Puritan leadership starts to arrest innocent people, and old grudges are uncovered. Caught in the middle is John Proctor, Abigail’s former employer and affair partner, a virtuous man who wants to protect his reputation.
Resources for our production!
These are here to help you understand and explore the nuanced connections between our world, John Proctor is the Villain, and The Crucible. Peruse at your leisure, use them to guide your curiosity, and reach out with any questions or discoveries!
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Daniel Day Lewis as John Proctor in the 1996 movie The Crucible.
Richard Armitage as John Proctor in The Old Vic's The Crucible.
Who is "John Proctor"?
A real person!
...and a character.
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John Proctor was a real person who lived in Salem Village, Massachusetts and was hanged for witchcraft in 1692 at 59 years old. He was born in England to a wealthy English family and owned a tavern in Salem Village. He was not known to be particularly nice or moral.
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John Proctor the character is arguably the protagonist of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. He is a morally upstanding 30(ish)-year-old man who has an affair with 17-year-old Abigail Williams but does all he can to denounce the accusations of the witch trials, eventually being executed himself at the end.