Rising Action (Act Two of The Crucible)
Literature Review
You learned quite a bit about the various characters and conflicts in Act One. Take a moment to review the characters you have met so far in The Crucible and the conflicts they must overcome. In this interactivity, use the NEXT button or the numbered tabs at the bottom to review the character dilemmas and the opposition that each character faces. Are there any other conflicts that you foresee playing out in the court later on in the play? Click the player button to begin.
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Rising Action
Act One of The Crucible served as the exposition of the play, introducing characters, supplying background information, and igniting the conflict. Act Two is going to provide the rising action of the play. Do you remember the structure of a drama?
The rising action, also called the complication or crisis, is the related series of events that drives the plot of the play from the exposition to the climax. These are some of the most important events and actions in a play as they create the suspense and interest and set the stage for the climax. As you read Act Two, pay attention to how each event slides into the next one, creating a sense of urgency not only with the characters but also with the reader or audience as well.
Begin reading Act Two of The Crucible. Read from the beginning of the act to the point where Mary Warren, pointing at Elizabeth Proctor, yells, "I saved her life today!" Pay attention to the strained relationship between not only John and Elizabeth Proctor but also the relationship between Elizabeth Proctor and Mary Warren.
Contributing Factors to the Salem Witch Trials
How could it be that so many innocent people were hastily accused of witchcraft in 1692? The Salem Witch Trials occurred due to a combination of many contributing factors. In this interactivity, click on each of the segments to learn more about four important influences on the trials of that time. Click the player button to begin.
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Finish reading Act Two of The Crucible. As you read, think about the continuing character development and how characters' personalities and beliefs are changing from when they were first introduced in Act One. How does the balance of power shift during this act? Who ultimately has the power: the judges, magistrates, or the girls? And why do the ministers and judges believe the girls?
Character and Conflict Development
Further character development in this act involves Reverend Hale of Beverly, who visits the Proctors to investigate allegations against Elizabeth Proctor. Because prominent individuals such as Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey have been accused, he comes to make his own judgments. In an attempt to clearly understand the accusations, Hale, the first minister to question these proceedings in the play, states, "I am a stranger here, as you know. And in my ignorance I find it hard to draw a clear opinion of them that come accused before the court. And so this afternoon, and now tonight, I go from house to house..." Remember, Hale is an outsider to Salem, unfamiliar to the politics and neighborly feuds plaguing the community. He is not as quick to judge and appears to be more pragmatic than characters like the Putnams and Parris.
The conflict heightens when Abigail Williams accuses Elizabeth Proctor of murder. Ezekiel Cheever comes to arrest Elizabeth, and John knows that his actions of infidelity have caused Abigail to cry out and accuse Elizabeth. Initially, you know that Mary made the poppet, but other characters like Cheever and Hale do not. This is an example of dramatic irony that Miller uses to further heighten the tension as the audience waits for the characters to discover what has already been revealed to the audience.
Rising Action Review
Now that you have explored the rising action in The Crucible, review your knowledge in this non-graded activity. Drag and drop each of the events of the plot into the order in which they occur. Click the player button to get started.