Crucible Quotes

Question 1

Mass hysteria — Abigail 1

Answer 1

“She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. It’s a bitter woman, and I will not work for such a woman!” – Abigail (Act 1)
- Pronouns (“it’s” and “a woman”)
- Repetition

Question 2

Mass hysteria — Abigail 2/Betty

Answer 2

“I saw Goody Hawkins with the Devil! / I saw Goody Bibber with the Devil! / I saw Goody Booth with the Devil!” – Abigail/Betty/Abigail (Act 1)
- Accusatory tone
- Punctuation (!)
- Tricolon
- First person

Question 3

Mass hysteria — Abigail 3

Answer 3

“Mary, please don’t hurt me!” – Abigail (Act 3)
- Illusion
- Punctuation (!)
- Distressed tone
- Hyperbole?

Question 4

Mass hysteria — Abigail 4

Answer 4

“[…staring full front as if hypnotised]” (Act 3)
- Stage directions
- Simile

Question 5

Institutional injustice — Proctor 1

Answer 5

“Pontius Pilate! God will not let you wash your hands of this!” – Proctor (Act 1)
- Biblical allusion
- Symbolism

Question 6

Institutional injustice — Proctor 2

Answer 6

“Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now?” – Proctor (Act 2)
- Rhetorical questioning
- Religious diction (“holy”)
- Hyperbole (“always”)

Question 7

Institutional injustice — Danforth

Answer 7

“You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be against it, there be no road between.” – Danforth (Act 3)
- High modality
- Metaphor
- Repetition (“must”)

Question 8

Institutional injustice — Hale

Answer 8

“In God’s name, sir, stop here; send him home and let him come again with a lawyer” – Hale (Act 3)
- Alliteration
- Reference to religion