The Crucible-act1

The Crucible Act 1 The play opens with Parris praying for Betty. Tituba, his black slave enters. Parris brought her with him from Barbados where he used to be a merchant. Tituba is frightened by Betty’s sudden illness. Abigail Williams, Parris’s niece enters and tells Parris that Susanna Walcott has arrived from Doctor Briggs. Susanna says that the doctor can find no explanation for Betty’s illness in his books, but that Prris ‘might …

…are quick to exploit their fear. Abigail as though she is in a trance adds the names of sarah good and Bridge Bishop to the list. This is where the whole idea of naming the townsfolk comes in. Betty becomes carried away starts naming all sorts of innocent people. Abigail uses this to divert the attention from her. Miller is clearly sing the situation as an allegory of hysteria created during the Mc Carthy era.