The Crucible Quotes, The Crucible Important Qutoes
Complete
"I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me..."
Parris to Abigail.
Reputation: After seeing the girls dancing in the forest, Parris recognizes the possibility
that the witchcraft being practiced has originated in his own household, and he worries
about the possible danger to his reputation if the townsfolk learn that his daughter and
niece could be consorting with the devil.
Spent 3 years to build his image; Abigail's and Betty's actions could ruin all that.
"Your name in the town - is entirely white, is it not?"
Parris to Abigail
The townspeople may already have heard rumors that Abigail is not a proper girl, if
Elizabeth Proctor has been talking about her in the town.
However, she assures her reputation is pure and good. She is seen as a sweet,
innocent, young girl. There is no tarnish/embarrassment to her.
"I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you - you least of all, Thomas
would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to
witchcraft They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house."
Parris to Thomas/Mr Putnam
Parris is telling the Putnams not to assume witchcraft. It could ruin his reputation. This is
ironic because he would easily convict any other person in the town.
"I have laid seven babies unbaptized in the earth. Believe me, sir, you never saw
more hearty babies born. And yet each would wither in my arms on the night of
their birth. I have spoke nothin' but my heart has clamored intimations. And now
this year my Ruth, my only - I see her turning strange. A secret child she has
become this year, and shrivels like a sucking mouth were pullin' on her life too.
And so I thought to send her to your Tituba...who else may surely tell us what
person murdered my babies?" (pg. 1242)
Mrs. Putnam to Parris
Mr. and Mrs. Putnam are convinced there is a supernatural explanation for all their dead
babies. Though there could be a hundred other explanations for their only surviving
daughter Ruth Putnam's behavior (including her relationship with Abigail), they find it
more comforting to explain it as proof of witchcraft. If evil took their babies, then there is
nothing they can do but seek God's help -- a more comforting thought than that it might
be their own fault or nobody's. At least this gives them somebody or something to fight
against.
"Now look you. All of you. We danced...I can make you wish you had never seen
the sun go down." (p. 1244)
Abigail to Mary Warren, Betty, and Mercy
, Lies and deceit: We learn the true motives behind Abigail's actions, even as she tries to
get the girls to agree on a story to protect herself. She uses the threat of violence, and
their belief that she might know some real witchcraft, to keep them in line.
"We were dancin' in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped in on us. She took
fright is all."
Abigail to Proctor
Lies and deceit: We learn that both Abigail and John have told lies: they have deceived
people about their (past) relationship, and they continue to lie about it. But to this person
who knows her deception, Abigail tells the truth that she was dancing in the woods and
Betty took fright. However, she doesn't tell him that she drank a potion so that his wife
Elizabeth might die.
"I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll
ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind...We never touched."
Proctor to Abigail
Proctor is trying to forget what happened and pretend it didn't. He wants Abigail to move
on also, and put it out of mind.
"You'll speak nothin' of Elizabeth... Do you look for a whippin?" (pg. 1247)
Proctor to Abigail
Abigail is talking trash about Elizabeth, calling her a cold, sniveling, lying, controlling
woman. Proctor's loyalty/guilt emerges as he defends his wife.
"I think she'll wake in time. Pray calm yourselves... A child's spirit is like a child,
you can never catch it by running after it; you must stand still, and for love it will
soon come back." (pg. 1249)
Rebecca to Putnams
Consulting about Betty and regarding Ruth, Rebecca doesn't believe witchery is afoot,
simply the ambitions of children.
"There is prodigious danger in the seeking of loose spirits. I fear it, I fear it. Let us
rather blame ourselves-" (pg. 1249)
Rebecca to Putnams, Proctor, and Parris
Is there really a devil/witch? Foreshadows the big conflict, what accusations and
suspicions will lead to. Rebecca Nurse suggests that they look inside themselves for
answers to their problems, rather than blaming supernatural forces, but the Putnams
are bent on finding justice and they see the supernatural as perhaps the only source of
those answers. Nonetheless, it is likely that Mrs. Putnam's motives are more pure than
those of her husbands, who seems mostly interested in acquiring land.
"Where is my wood?...I am not used to this poverty; I left a thrifty business in the
Barbados to serve the Lord. I do not fathom it, why I am persecuted here?...I have
often wondered if the devil be in it somewhere; I cannot understand you people
otherwise."
Parris to Giles and Proctor
Complete
"I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me..."
Parris to Abigail.
Reputation: After seeing the girls dancing in the forest, Parris recognizes the possibility
that the witchcraft being practiced has originated in his own household, and he worries
about the possible danger to his reputation if the townsfolk learn that his daughter and
niece could be consorting with the devil.
Spent 3 years to build his image; Abigail's and Betty's actions could ruin all that.
"Your name in the town - is entirely white, is it not?"
Parris to Abigail
The townspeople may already have heard rumors that Abigail is not a proper girl, if
Elizabeth Proctor has been talking about her in the town.
However, she assures her reputation is pure and good. She is seen as a sweet,
innocent, young girl. There is no tarnish/embarrassment to her.
"I pray you, leap not to witchcraft. I know that you - you least of all, Thomas
would ever wish so disastrous a charge laid upon me. We cannot leap to
witchcraft They will howl me out of Salem for such corruption in my house."
Parris to Thomas/Mr Putnam
Parris is telling the Putnams not to assume witchcraft. It could ruin his reputation. This is
ironic because he would easily convict any other person in the town.
"I have laid seven babies unbaptized in the earth. Believe me, sir, you never saw
more hearty babies born. And yet each would wither in my arms on the night of
their birth. I have spoke nothin' but my heart has clamored intimations. And now
this year my Ruth, my only - I see her turning strange. A secret child she has
become this year, and shrivels like a sucking mouth were pullin' on her life too.
And so I thought to send her to your Tituba...who else may surely tell us what
person murdered my babies?" (pg. 1242)
Mrs. Putnam to Parris
Mr. and Mrs. Putnam are convinced there is a supernatural explanation for all their dead
babies. Though there could be a hundred other explanations for their only surviving
daughter Ruth Putnam's behavior (including her relationship with Abigail), they find it
more comforting to explain it as proof of witchcraft. If evil took their babies, then there is
nothing they can do but seek God's help -- a more comforting thought than that it might
be their own fault or nobody's. At least this gives them somebody or something to fight
against.
"Now look you. All of you. We danced...I can make you wish you had never seen
the sun go down." (p. 1244)
Abigail to Mary Warren, Betty, and Mercy
, Lies and deceit: We learn the true motives behind Abigail's actions, even as she tries to
get the girls to agree on a story to protect herself. She uses the threat of violence, and
their belief that she might know some real witchcraft, to keep them in line.
"We were dancin' in the woods last night, and my uncle leaped in on us. She took
fright is all."
Abigail to Proctor
Lies and deceit: We learn that both Abigail and John have told lies: they have deceived
people about their (past) relationship, and they continue to lie about it. But to this person
who knows her deception, Abigail tells the truth that she was dancing in the woods and
Betty took fright. However, she doesn't tell him that she drank a potion so that his wife
Elizabeth might die.
"I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll
ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind...We never touched."
Proctor to Abigail
Proctor is trying to forget what happened and pretend it didn't. He wants Abigail to move
on also, and put it out of mind.
"You'll speak nothin' of Elizabeth... Do you look for a whippin?" (pg. 1247)
Proctor to Abigail
Abigail is talking trash about Elizabeth, calling her a cold, sniveling, lying, controlling
woman. Proctor's loyalty/guilt emerges as he defends his wife.
"I think she'll wake in time. Pray calm yourselves... A child's spirit is like a child,
you can never catch it by running after it; you must stand still, and for love it will
soon come back." (pg. 1249)
Rebecca to Putnams
Consulting about Betty and regarding Ruth, Rebecca doesn't believe witchery is afoot,
simply the ambitions of children.
"There is prodigious danger in the seeking of loose spirits. I fear it, I fear it. Let us
rather blame ourselves-" (pg. 1249)
Rebecca to Putnams, Proctor, and Parris
Is there really a devil/witch? Foreshadows the big conflict, what accusations and
suspicions will lead to. Rebecca Nurse suggests that they look inside themselves for
answers to their problems, rather than blaming supernatural forces, but the Putnams
are bent on finding justice and they see the supernatural as perhaps the only source of
those answers. Nonetheless, it is likely that Mrs. Putnam's motives are more pure than
those of her husbands, who seems mostly interested in acquiring land.
"Where is my wood?...I am not used to this poverty; I left a thrifty business in the
Barbados to serve the Lord. I do not fathom it, why I am persecuted here?...I have
often wondered if the devil be in it somewhere; I cannot understand you people
otherwise."
Parris to Giles and Proctor
