b) In what ways does Miller make Reverend Parris such a dislikeable character?
In the play “The Crucible,” Miller tells the story of the Salem witch trials of 1692, and how
it was all built upon lies, deceit, underlying motives, and the exploitation of mass hysteria.
Throughout the play, Miller makes Reverend Samuel Parris an extremely detestable
character by portraying him as an ungodly man: selfish, deceiving, and unmerciful.
From the opening scene until the very end of the play, Miller allows the audience to see
that Parris is obsessed with money, and the upkeep of his reputation. In the opening of the
play, his daughter, Betty, is sick and a distraught Parris is seen kneeling and “weep[ing].”
While this may evoke the sympathy of the audience, highlighting his affection for his
daughter, they soon find out that what is of real concern to him is his high position in the
town. When his niece, Abigail, confesses that she was “dancing in the woods,” Parris is
“pressed,” and explains how there is a “faction that is sworn to drive [him] from [his] pulpit.”
Rather than prioritising his daughter’s wellbeing, Parris is more worried that he may be voted
out from his position as Reverend. The term “pulpit,” in this case, refers to the platform he
stands on to deliver his sermon, but may also refer to a raised platform on a fishing boat. As
Parris is “overcome with sobs” in the beginning, the reader can picture an image of his
enemies pushing him from his spot on the fishing boat to drown in his sorrows and concerns.
Parris often complains that his salary is too little for a minister, saying he is not a mere
“preaching farmer,” but rather a “graduate of Harvard College.” By mentioning this
prestigious university, Parris is glorifying himself and arguing that he deserves more money;
to him it seems more important than carrying out the Lord’s work. Proctor mentions that
Parris is “the first minister ever did demand the deed,” showing that while other ministers
hierarchised serving the Lord regardless of money, Parris scrutinises the village for not
paying him enough. He says “Why am I persecuted here?” The word “persecuted” is a harsh
word, embodying torture and pain, giving the readers an image of a martyr being stoned for
preaching the Word, and yet Parris believes he undergoes that amount of suffering just
because he believes he receives too little money as a minister. To an audience, Parris
already becomes a very disliked character by the end of Act 1, being portrayed as egocentric
and self-absorbed.
Miller also makes Parris a hateable character by showing how ruthless he is. In the
beginning of the play, Tituba enters the scene “already taking a step backward,” truly
frightened of Parris because trouble “eventually lands on her back” and she is always
blamed. Parris shouts, “Out of here!” expressing his distraught emotions while also
disrespecting Tituba, speaking to her in an abrupt and imperative manner. The exclamation
mark shows his anger, which he takes out on Tituba, despite the fact that he does not know
In the play “The Crucible,” Miller tells the story of the Salem witch trials of 1692, and how
it was all built upon lies, deceit, underlying motives, and the exploitation of mass hysteria.
Throughout the play, Miller makes Reverend Samuel Parris an extremely detestable
character by portraying him as an ungodly man: selfish, deceiving, and unmerciful.
From the opening scene until the very end of the play, Miller allows the audience to see
that Parris is obsessed with money, and the upkeep of his reputation. In the opening of the
play, his daughter, Betty, is sick and a distraught Parris is seen kneeling and “weep[ing].”
While this may evoke the sympathy of the audience, highlighting his affection for his
daughter, they soon find out that what is of real concern to him is his high position in the
town. When his niece, Abigail, confesses that she was “dancing in the woods,” Parris is
“pressed,” and explains how there is a “faction that is sworn to drive [him] from [his] pulpit.”
Rather than prioritising his daughter’s wellbeing, Parris is more worried that he may be voted
out from his position as Reverend. The term “pulpit,” in this case, refers to the platform he
stands on to deliver his sermon, but may also refer to a raised platform on a fishing boat. As
Parris is “overcome with sobs” in the beginning, the reader can picture an image of his
enemies pushing him from his spot on the fishing boat to drown in his sorrows and concerns.
Parris often complains that his salary is too little for a minister, saying he is not a mere
“preaching farmer,” but rather a “graduate of Harvard College.” By mentioning this
prestigious university, Parris is glorifying himself and arguing that he deserves more money;
to him it seems more important than carrying out the Lord’s work. Proctor mentions that
Parris is “the first minister ever did demand the deed,” showing that while other ministers
hierarchised serving the Lord regardless of money, Parris scrutinises the village for not
paying him enough. He says “Why am I persecuted here?” The word “persecuted” is a harsh
word, embodying torture and pain, giving the readers an image of a martyr being stoned for
preaching the Word, and yet Parris believes he undergoes that amount of suffering just
because he believes he receives too little money as a minister. To an audience, Parris
already becomes a very disliked character by the end of Act 1, being portrayed as egocentric
and self-absorbed.
Miller also makes Parris a hateable character by showing how ruthless he is. In the
beginning of the play, Tituba enters the scene “already taking a step backward,” truly
frightened of Parris because trouble “eventually lands on her back” and she is always
blamed. Parris shouts, “Out of here!” expressing his distraught emotions while also
disrespecting Tituba, speaking to her in an abrupt and imperative manner. The exclamation
mark shows his anger, which he takes out on Tituba, despite the fact that he does not know
