from The Crucible Drama by Arthur Miller

from The CrucibleDrama by Arthur Miller

Introducing the Dramawith

Literary Analysis: Conventions of Drama

Reading Skill: Draw Conclusions About Characters

Vocabulary in Context

VIDEO TRAILER

from The Crucible

INTRODUCING THE DRAMA

What fuels a MOB?

Visualize a mob of people rampaging through the streets, whipped into a frenzy by hysteria.

The fear, anger, and panic produced by hysteria can make otherwise reasonable people do irrational things.

from The Crucible

In The Crucible, for example, the hysteria created by the Salem witch trials makes neighbor turn against neighbor.

INTRODUCING THE DRAMA

What fuels a MOB?

from The Crucible

DISCUSS

What makes people act as a mob? What are some of the results of mob action?

Think about news reports or historical accounts of mobs that you’ve come across.

In a small group, discuss what caused these mobs to form and how they behaved.

INTRODUCING THE DRAMA

What fuels a MOB?

Mob marching, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1959

from The Crucible

Click on the title to play the trailer.

from The Crucible

from The Crucible

Conventions of Drama

Drama is literature in play form. It is meant to be performed and seen.However, an understanding of dramatic conventions can help you picture the performance when you read a script.

from The Crucible

As you read The Crucible, be aware of these drama conventions:

• Stage directions, which Miller uses not only to describe settings and characters but also to provide historical background in the form of expository mini-essays

Conventions of Drama

• Dialogue, the lifeblood of drama, which moves the plot forward and reveals character traits

from The Crucible

• Types of characters—heroes, villains, and foils—which Miller uses to heighten the tension of his drama

Conventions of Drama

• Plot, which is driven by conflict that builds throughout each act

from The Crucible

Draw Conclusions About Characters

The descriptions in the stage directions can also provide insight into these characters.

Characters in drama reveal their personality traits through their words and actions.

from The Crucible

As you read The Crucible, draw conclusions about the play’s main characters. Record important traits and the evidence that reveals these traits in a chart like the one shown. Be sure to add characters to the chart as you encounter them.

proud

Reverend John Hale

Abigail Williams

John Proctor

assertive

Draw Conclusions About Characters

Traits

Evidence

Motivation resentment pride

from The Crucible

Arthur Miller uses the vocabulary words in the box on the right to help convey the atmosphere of the Salem witch trials. Place them in the following categories: words that describe character traits, words that describe actions, and words that are concepts.

adamant

anarchy

contentious

corroborate

deference

immaculate

imperceptible

iniquity

subservient

Describe character traits

Describe actions

Are concepts

from The Crucible

adamant adj. immovable, especially in opposing something

anarchy n. condition of lawlessness and disorder, often due to lack of governmental authority

contentious adj. quarrelsome

corroborate v. to support with evidence

deference n. respect and honor due to a superior or elder

immaculate adj. without stain; pure

from The Cruciblefrom The Crucible

imperceptible adj. extremely slight; barely noticeable

iniquity n. wickedness

subservient adj. acting like a servant