1. The Crucible
Language

2. If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers? I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem—-vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!

3. If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers? I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem—-vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!

4. If she is innocent! Why do you never wonder if Parris be innocent, or Abigail? Is the accuser always holy now? Were they born this morning as clean as God’s fingers? I’ll tell you what’s walking Salem—-vengeance is walking Salem. We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!

5. Biblical Langauge
Speech of characters in ‘the Crucible is inflected with biblical imagery/ references.
“The Keys of the Kingdom” were given to Peter. They represent all authority in Heaven.
Finger’s of God- in the Old Testament, the Ten Commandments (laws handed down to Moses) were inscribed by the fingers of God.

6. Who- John
At what point- When Elizabeth has been accused of witchcraft
Purpose- to highlight that it is vengeance and not really the devil that is the driving force behind the allegations of witchcraft.
Character- Forthright, brave, does not hold back
Is he correct- Yes, vengeance is indeed writing the law,

7. Imagery- ‘As clean as God’s fingers’ is used to mock the girls’ (Abigail and friends) claims to innocence
‘Are jangling the keys to the kingdom’ creates image that the girls are now the power /authority in Salem. The ‘keys’ can be seen to be their accusations of witchcraft.
‘Vengeance is walking Salem’ – personification of vengeance is used here to underline its importance to what is happening.
This is reinforced by the repetition of this personification in ‘common vengeance writes the law!’