THE CRUCIBLE Character Chart
REVEREND
JOHN PROCTOR
A stern, but honest farmer in his
30s, who consequently faces guilt
and consequences after having an
adulterous affair with Abigail
Williams. He is the PROTAGONIST
in the play.
TITUBA
Rev. Parris’s slave from
Barbados. She is the first to be
accused and confess to witchery.
ELIZABETH
PROCTOR
John Proctor’s wife. She is
extremely virtuous, but often
cold. She is said to have never
lied, and fired Abigail for having
an affair with her husband.
Mary Warren
The servant in the Proctor
household and a member of
Abigail’s group. She is a timid,
naïve girl who is easily influences
and manipulated by those around
her. She tries to expose the
hoax.
REVEREND
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS
Rev. Parris’s niece. She was once
the servant for the Proctor
household, but Elizabeth fired her
after she discovered that Abigail was
having an affair with her husband.
Abigail is smart, wily, a good liar,
and vindictive when crossed, making
her the ANTAGONIST.
THOMAS PUTNAM
A wealthy, influential man in
Salem. His manipulative and
conniving nature impulse him to use
the witch trials to increase his own
wealth by accusing people of
witchcraft and then buying up their
land.
REBECCA NURSE
Francis Nurse’s wife. She is wise,
sensible, and upright woman, held
in tremendous regard by most of
Salem. She is accused of witchcraft
by Ann Putnam.
Betty Parris
Rev. Parris’s 10-year-old daughter
who falls into a stupor after being
caught with the other girls dancing
in the forest with Tituba. Her
illness and that of Ruth Putnam fuel
the first rumors of witchcraft.
SAMUEL PARRIS
The minister of Salem’s church. He
is paranoid, power-hungry, greedy,
advantageous, yet an oddly self-
pitying character. Many townsfolk
dislike him, so he worries much
about his reputation and position in
town.
ANN PUTNAM
Thomas Putnam’s wife. She gave
birth to 8 children, but only Ruth
survived. The other babies died on
the day they were born, and she is
convinced they were murdered by
supernatural means.
DEPUTY GOVERNOR
DANFORTH
The deputy Governor of
Massachusetts and the presiding
judge at the trials. In his own mind
he is honest and scrupulous and
accepts spectral evidence in court.
He is convinced he is doing right in
rooting out witchcraft.
Mercy Lewis
One of the girl’s in Abigail’s group
who is caught dancing naked in the
forest.
JOHN HALE
A young minister reputed to be an
expert in witchcraft. He is called in
to Salem to examine Betty, therefore
setting the hysteria in motion. His
intent in finding the occult is later
regretted as he tries to save the
innocent.
GILES COREY
An elderly but feisty farmer who is
famous for filing lawsuits. He’s
innocently accused of witchcraft for
defending his wife, Martha, and
exposing Putnam. He is pressed to
death for refusing a plea in court.
MARTHA COREY
Giles Corey’s third wife. She falls
into the hysteria for reading strange
books and her opinionated
personality.
Ezekiel Cheever
A man from Salem who acts as clerk
of the court during the witch trials.
He is upright and determined to do
his duty for justice.