“I saw Sarah Good with the Devil!
I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil!
I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!”
The speaker is Abigail Williams, niece of Reverend Samuel Parris, in Act I of Arthur Miller’s classic play The Crucible. This character is based on the historical figure of the same name. Abigail, along with her cousin Betty, accused citizens of Salem of being witches. The young girls claimed that they were being attacked by these men and women who had made a pact with the devil.
The charges by these youngsters spread like wildfire, and in the spring of 1692, they launched a terrifying wave of hysteria. The Salem witch trials that followed are the subject of Miller’s play. A harrowing example of iniquity and unreason, the tragic proceedings have become synonymous with justice gone mad. In less than a year, over 200 individuals were accused of witchcraft, 20 of whom were executed.
How did the Salem witch trials begin?
A. A couple of young girls accused others of witchcraft.
B. The town of Salem fell ill under a mysterious illness.
C. The reverend of Salem saw witches dancing in the woods.
D. A fire broke out in Salem caused by disgruntled witches.
choose the correct answer
Bot GPT 4-o mini
answeredA. A couple of young girls accused others of witchcraft.
