Key segment 1 From: Tituba: ‘My Betty be hearty soon?’. . . (opening line) To: Abigail: ‘Goody Proctor is a gossiping liar!’ (closing line) Provides context of the play and gives background to the action /storyline. • Introduces us to the situation in Salem. The possibility of witchcraft is hinted at. • We learn that the Reverend Parris has discovered that his niece Abigail Williams, his daughter Betty, some other girls from the village of Salem and his black slave Tituba have been up to questionable activities in the woods. • Betty has been afflicted and is lying in an apparent trance on the bed. Introduces key characters • Tituba, the first character to speak. Black slave and domestic servant of Parris. Wellmeaning, devoted to the children, kind and gullible. Her Spell casting abilities have set the events of the story in motion. • Reverend Parris thinks he is misunderstood. Convinced that he has enemies who are out to get him. • Abigail Williams is a central character and appears as a rebellious and free spirit. In this scene she plays down the incident of dancing and, although giving some glimmers of truth, pretends innocent about the true nature of the events. She almost convinces Parris that he need not be concerned. When she is questioned about her name in the village, we see another side to her temper as she responds to Parris’s attack. • The audience is made aware that the atmosphere is uncertain and that there are conflicts in the community which Parris fears. • Blame is given to others as a fearful Parris accuses some in the community of wanting to get rid of him. Both Parris and Abigail are concerned that their good reputations are ruined. • Parris and Abigail wish to keep the events of the previous night private. • Abigail lies.
Key segment 2 Mrs Putnam: ‘It is a marvel.’. . . (opening line) Parris: ‘There is a terrible power in her arms today.’ (closing line) • Mrs Ann Putnam enters, already determined to see proof of witchcraft. Her own daughter, Ruth, is afflicted and she links Betty’s condition to that of her daughter. She is anxious to find something supernatural to blame for the deaths of her children in infancy and accuses Parris.