In the town of Salem, Massachusetts, Reverend Parris catches young girls dancing in the woods with a slave named Tituba. Upon their discovery, the Reverend’s daughter, Betty, falls into a seemingly comatose state, sparking rumors of witchcraft. While Revered Hale, a witchcraft expert travels to Salem, Parris questions the ringleader of the girls, Abigail Williams. Abigail admits to nothing and encourages the other girls to follow suit. Abigail speaks with her former employer, local farmer John Proctor. The two discuss their affair that occurred while Abigail was in Proctor’s employ. The affair led to her dismissal by john’s wife, Elizabeth. Abigail desires John still, but he squashes the idea.

Betty awakes and starts screaming, sending the men of town into a furious debate over whether there has been witchcraft. As they argue, Reverend Hale arrives, examines Betty, and questions Tituba on their activity. Tituba confesses to having conversations with the devil, and she begins naming others who have consorted with him. Abigail and Betty join Tituba in making these wild accusations. After several days, John and Sarah discuss the trials that have begun (pamphlet from 1693 shown right). Elizabeth feels that John’s refusal to label Abigail a fraud stems from his old feelings for her. Their servant girl, Mary Warren, who runs in Abigail’s circle, returns and informs the couple that Elizabeth faces accusations of witchcraft to no effect. Reverend Hale arrives, and the Giles Corey and Francis Nurse inform John their wives have been arrested. Officers take in Elizabeth, and Proctor demands Mary denounce Abigail and the other liars.

Proctor takes Mary before Judge Danforth and demands she testify. While Elizabeth is safe in pregnancy, Danforth agrees to the testimony. Mary tells the court the truth, but the girls respond by pretending that Mary bewitched them (shown left). Proctor confesses his affair, but Elizabeth does not confirm this as Abigail’s motive, and the court arrests Proctor. Abigail runs off with Parris’ money. Hale asks the accused to falsely confess and save themselves. Danforth asks Elizabeth to encourage Proctor to do this and save his life. He agrees, but ultimately refuses to confess in public and save his name by heading to the gallows.

Images: Above: <http://www.deviantart.com/tag/thecrucible>. Right: Wonders of the invisible world: being an account of the trials of several witches, lately executed in New England…by Cotton Mather. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/2002697698/>. Below: Courtesy of playbill.com