Parris: a serious Puritan who is suspicious of being accused as a witch, has no care for children
"He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side." (3)
Betty Parris: daughter of Rev. Parris
"His daughter, Betty Parris, aged ten, is lying on the bed, inert" (3)
Tituba: a frightened slave who is new at Parris' house
"... she is also very frightened because her slave sense has warned her that, as always, trouble in this house eventually lands on her back" (8)
Martha Corey: suspected of being a witch
"Martha laid herself down on his chest and 'nearly suffocated him'" (7)
Importance of Background
This play is set during the time of the Salem witch trials, which will influence the actions of all the characters. This will affect the interactions between characters because they will always be fearful of being suspected as a witch. The characters' religions will also be a major influence. The major influence in the entire community is religion. The community is a theocracy.
In Salem everyone is expected to be to be pious. If someone was not pious then they would be ostracized, and there are constantly two men patrolling the village to look for suspicious activity. Every citizen of the village was to follow the standards of their religion, and attempts at disunity would result in witch accusations.
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