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1、1TheCrucible2TheCrucibleANOTEONTHEHISTORICALACCURACYOFTHISPLAYThisplayisnothistoryinthesenseinwhichthewordisusedbytheacademichistorian.Dramaticpurposeshavesometimesrequiredmanycharacterstobefusedintoone;thenumberofgirlsinvolvedinthe“crying-out”hasbeenreduced;Abigail’s
2、agehasbeenraised;whiletherewereseveraljudgesofalmostequalauthority,IhavesymbolizedthemallinHathorneandDanforth.However,Ibelievethatthereaderwilldiscoverheretheessentialnatureofoneofthestrangestandmostawfulchaptersinhumanhistory.Thefateofeachcharacterisexactlythatofhis
3、historicalmodel,andthereisnooneinthedramawhodidnotplayasimilar-andinsomecasesexactlythesame-roleinhistory.Asforthecharactersofthepersons,littleisknownaboutmostofthemexceptingwhatmaybesurmisedfromafewletters,thetrialrecord,certainbroadsideswrittenatthetime,andreference
4、stotheirconductinsourcesofvaryingreliability.Theymaythereforebetakenascreationsofmyown,drawntothebestofmyabilityinconformitywiththeirknownbehavior,exceptasindicatedinthecommentaryIhavewrittenforthistext.3TheCrucibleACTONE(ANOVERTURE)AsmallupperbedroominthehomeofRevere
5、ndSamuelParris,Salem,Massachusetts,inthespringoftheyear1692.Thereisanarrowwindowattheleft.Throughitsleadedpanesthemorningsunlightstreams.Acandlestillburnsnearthebed,whichisattheright.Achest,achair,andasmalltablearetheotherfurnishings.Atthebackadooropensonthelandingoft
6、hestairwaytothegroundfloor.Theroomgivesopanairofcleanspareness.Theroofraftersareexposed,andthewoodcolorsarerawandunmellowed.Asthecurtainrises,ReverendParrisisdiscoveredkneelingbe-sidethebed,evidentlyinprayer.Hisdaughter,BettyParris,agedten,islyingonthebed,inert.Atthet
7、imeoftheseeventsParriswasinhismiddleforties.Inhistoryhecutavillainouspath,andthereisverylittlegoodtobesaidforhim.Hebelievedhewasbeingpersecutedwhereverhewent,despitehisbesteffortstowinpeopleandGodtohisside.Inmeeting,hefeltinsultedifsomeonerosetoshutthedoorwithoutfirst
8、askinghispermission.Hewasawidowerwithnointerestinchildren,ortalentwiththem.Heregardedthemasyoungadults,anduntilthisstrangecr
