Post by mrsanderson on Dec 1, 2013 13:50:02 GMT
Some extra notes on what we did on Thursday and Friday this week!
Act One - An Overture
Overture is normally a musical term - it is the opening or beginning of something important. Act one of The Crucible is an overture as it sets out 'the calm before the storm' - we are introduced to the prejudices and suspicions underpinning Salem society, and we learn about the relationship Abigail and the married John Proctor once had. We also learn that she still loves him.
Context Salem is a theocracy - an incredibly strict, religious society. Impure thoughts, even, made people feel guilty. People in this claustrophobic society were beginning to fight amongst themselves over land and so on. Relationships were traditional, and women generally stayed at home to cook and look after the children, while men worked the land. Younger women were employed as maids, or helped their mothers. Abigail and the other girls, when they dance in the woods, are likely rebelling against their oppression. They are not educated, and so it is easy to see why Abi becomes obsessed with John Proctor. He opens her eyes to the hypocrisy in Salem, and "put knowledge in my [her] heart". In such a small, close-knit community, everyone knew everything about their neighbours, and an extra-marital affair would have meant time in prison, and being ostracised from the community. John is trying to so the right thing at the beginning of the play by pushing Abigail away, but his indifference combined with her obsession is the catalyst for the events that followed.
Important Quotations
unnatural causes
This is a repeated phrase at the beginning of act one - and Parris' greatest fear. It is a euphemism for witchcraft.
But we never conjured spirits
Abigail attempts to convince Parris that there is nothing 'unnatural' about the dancing he saw in the forest. This is important as it is evidence of her deceptive personality - later in the same sequence we find out that this is a lie - in fact, Abigail was at the centre of proceedings, and 'drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor'. The other girls seem to look to her for leadership. They take their cues from her, and that means that Abigail is at the centre of the witchcraft trials. This causes a shift in power. The authorities (Parris, Danforth, Hale) believe that they are in charge of the trials and in complete control of Salem, but it becomes apparent that this is not true.
There is a faction that's sworn to drive me from my pulpit. Do you understand that?
Parris is a paranoid man, and feels that the 'stiff-necked' villagers of Salem are determined to remove him from his post. He is very self-serving, and his actions in the trial are about saving himself, rather than the people involved. He seems to care little for the children or the people on trial, and instead sides with obvious public opinion - determined to be a 'crowd pleaser' and keep his position in the church.
It's a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!
Abigail explains why Elizabeth put her out of her house - though we learn that this, too, is a lie. She does, however, call Elizabeth 'cold' and 'snivelling' twice, demonstrating her contempt for Proctor's wife.
I have laid seven babies unbaptized in the earth.
Ann Putnam reveals her tragic past. She is determined to blame this tragedy on something, as most would. Her daughter, Ruth, is ill too, since dancing with Tituba and the others in the forest. Ann Putnam has been affected by this and seems slightly mad. Her husband, Thomas, uses the witchcraft trials to his advantage, accusing people whose land he covets.
You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!
Betty reveals the truth about Abi - she is set on being with Proctor. To her, this means that Elizabeth must die. This reveals a bloodthirsty, unsettling side to her personality.
Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.
This is a long quotation, so you'd break it up and integrate the parts into sentences if using in an essay. Abi bullies the other girls - they are afraid of her and will follow her lead. She threatens them with violence - specifically, she threatens to stab them if they tell anyone about her affair, or that she 'drank a charm'.
I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!
Abigail is certain that she will have John - sure that he loves her.
I know you, John. I know you.
This reveals the sexual - and therefore immoral - nature of Abigail and John's relationship.
Abby, 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.
John's rejection of Abigail angers her - he is attempting to do the right thing, but is unwittingly putting his wife in danger here.
I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!
Again, a very long quotation. Abigail has lived an oppressed life - her relationship with John made her aware of the hypocrisy in Salem society and this is hugely important. He has given her something beyond material goods - he gave her truth and knowledge - things which she would otherwise have been denied.
Act One - An Overture
Overture is normally a musical term - it is the opening or beginning of something important. Act one of The Crucible is an overture as it sets out 'the calm before the storm' - we are introduced to the prejudices and suspicions underpinning Salem society, and we learn about the relationship Abigail and the married John Proctor once had. We also learn that she still loves him.
Context Salem is a theocracy - an incredibly strict, religious society. Impure thoughts, even, made people feel guilty. People in this claustrophobic society were beginning to fight amongst themselves over land and so on. Relationships were traditional, and women generally stayed at home to cook and look after the children, while men worked the land. Younger women were employed as maids, or helped their mothers. Abigail and the other girls, when they dance in the woods, are likely rebelling against their oppression. They are not educated, and so it is easy to see why Abi becomes obsessed with John Proctor. He opens her eyes to the hypocrisy in Salem, and "put knowledge in my [her] heart". In such a small, close-knit community, everyone knew everything about their neighbours, and an extra-marital affair would have meant time in prison, and being ostracised from the community. John is trying to so the right thing at the beginning of the play by pushing Abigail away, but his indifference combined with her obsession is the catalyst for the events that followed.
Important Quotations
unnatural causes
This is a repeated phrase at the beginning of act one - and Parris' greatest fear. It is a euphemism for witchcraft.
But we never conjured spirits
Abigail attempts to convince Parris that there is nothing 'unnatural' about the dancing he saw in the forest. This is important as it is evidence of her deceptive personality - later in the same sequence we find out that this is a lie - in fact, Abigail was at the centre of proceedings, and 'drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor'. The other girls seem to look to her for leadership. They take their cues from her, and that means that Abigail is at the centre of the witchcraft trials. This causes a shift in power. The authorities (Parris, Danforth, Hale) believe that they are in charge of the trials and in complete control of Salem, but it becomes apparent that this is not true.
There is a faction that's sworn to drive me from my pulpit. Do you understand that?
Parris is a paranoid man, and feels that the 'stiff-necked' villagers of Salem are determined to remove him from his post. He is very self-serving, and his actions in the trial are about saving himself, rather than the people involved. He seems to care little for the children or the people on trial, and instead sides with obvious public opinion - determined to be a 'crowd pleaser' and keep his position in the church.
It's a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling woman, and I will not work for such a woman!
Abigail explains why Elizabeth put her out of her house - though we learn that this, too, is a lie. She does, however, call Elizabeth 'cold' and 'snivelling' twice, demonstrating her contempt for Proctor's wife.
I have laid seven babies unbaptized in the earth.
Ann Putnam reveals her tragic past. She is determined to blame this tragedy on something, as most would. Her daughter, Ruth, is ill too, since dancing with Tituba and the others in the forest. Ann Putnam has been affected by this and seems slightly mad. Her husband, Thomas, uses the witchcraft trials to his advantage, accusing people whose land he covets.
You drank a charm to kill John Proctor's wife! You drank a charm to kill Goody Proctor!
Betty reveals the truth about Abi - she is set on being with Proctor. To her, this means that Elizabeth must die. This reveals a bloodthirsty, unsettling side to her personality.
Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you.
This is a long quotation, so you'd break it up and integrate the parts into sentences if using in an essay. Abi bullies the other girls - they are afraid of her and will follow her lead. She threatens them with violence - specifically, she threatens to stab them if they tell anyone about her affair, or that she 'drank a charm'.
I saw your face when she put me out, and you loved me then and you do now!
Abigail is certain that she will have John - sure that he loves her.
I know you, John. I know you.
This reveals the sexual - and therefore immoral - nature of Abigail and John's relationship.
Abby, 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.
John's rejection of Abigail angers her - he is attempting to do the right thing, but is unwittingly putting his wife in danger here.
I look for John Proctor that took me from my sleep and put knowledge in my heart! I never knew what pretense Salem was, I never knew the lying lessons I was taught by all these Christian women and their covenanted men! And now you bid me tear the light out of my eyes? I will not, I cannot! You loved me, John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!
Again, a very long quotation. Abigail has lived an oppressed life - her relationship with John made her aware of the hypocrisy in Salem society and this is hugely important. He has given her something beyond material goods - he gave her truth and knowledge - things which she would otherwise have been denied.