The minister of Salem, Betty's father, and Abigail's uncle. Tituba is his slave. As a minister, Parris delivers harsh fire and brimstone sermons that sometimes turn off his parishioners. As a father and master, he's inattentive and quick to anger. Parris's insecurity and obsessive concern with his reputation result from his near paranoid belief that someone is plotting to persecute him, steal his position, ruin his good name, or harm him in some other way.
Reverend Parris Quotes in The Crucible
The The Crucible quotes below are all either spoken by Reverend Parris or refer to Reverend Parris. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Penguin Classics edition of The Crucible published in 2003.
Act 1
Quotes
I have trouble enough without I come five mile to hear him preach only hellfire and bloody damnation. Take it to heart, Mr. Parris. There are many others who stay away from church these days because you hardly ever mention God any more.
Related Characters:
John Proctor (speaker), Reverend Parris
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Act 2
Quotes
I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand upon my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I'll not conceal it.
Related Characters:
John Proctor (speaker), Reverend Parris
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Reverend Parris Character Timeline in The Crucible
The timeline below shows where the character Reverend Parris appears in The Crucible. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1
Betty Parris has fallen into a strange coma. Around her hover Reverend Parris, her father and the...
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...arrives with news that the town doctor can't figure out what's the matter and suggests Parris look for spiritual causes. Parris says it can't possibly be spiritual causes, though just to...
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Abigail tells Parris about rumors that witchcraft caused Betty's faint: a crowd has already gathered downstairs in Parris's...
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Parris angrily asks if he should say he discovered his daughter and niece dancing "like heathen[s]"...
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Abigail insists there was no witchcraft, but Parris says he saw Tituba chanting over a cauldron. Abigail says that Tituba was just singing...
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Parris asks Abigail why Elizabeth Proctor dismissed her from her job as an assistant in the...
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Mrs. Ann Putnam barges into the room. Parris yells that no one should enter, but when he sees who it is, he invites...
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Mrs. Putnam tells Parris this event is a mark of hell on his house. She then asks how high...
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...now." Putnam remarks that Betty's eyes are closed, while his daughter Ruth's eyes are open. Parris is shocked that other girls are also sick. Mrs. Putnam says they're not sick: they're...
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Parris turns to Abigail, who admits Ruth and Tituba conjured spirits, but insists she wasn't involved.
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Parris moans that he'll be run out of town. But Putnam says Parris won't be if...
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...the Putnam's servant, enters with word that Ruth has improved slightly. Putnam and Abigail convince Parris he should speak to the crowd gathered downstairs. Parris agrees to lead them in singing...
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...stories straight: they all danced and Ruth and Tituba conjured spirits. Abigail tells Mercy that Parris saw her naked. Another girl, Mary Warren, runs in. She's terrified that the town will...
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...wall, calling for her dead mother. Abigail tells Betty not to worry because she told Parris everything. But Betty says Abigail didn't tell that she drank blood as a charm to...
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Downstairs, Parris and the crowd sing a psalm. Betty begins to wail. Parris and the Putnams run...
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Rebecca Nurse and Giles Corey enter. Parris implores Rebecca to go to Betty. She does, and Betty quiets down. Parris and the...
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A disagreement arises about whether Parris should have called Reverend Hale to come search Salem for spirits without first holding a...
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Putnam, Mrs. Putnam, and Parris tell Hale of the recent events. Hale and Rebecca are shocked Mrs. Putnam would send...
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...Hale's question, so he turns to Abigail. She repeats that they were only dancing. When Parris mentions he saw them dancing around a kettle, Abigail says the kettle just held soup....
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...asks Tituba when she made a "compact with the devil." Tituba says she never has. Parris threatens to whip her to death unless she confesses. Putnam yells that she should be...
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...of women she's seen with the devil. Betty wakes and begins to chant names too. Parris, Putnam, and Hale call for the town marshal as the girls scream out the names...
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Act 2
...to go to the judges, it comes out that he was alone with Abigail at Parris's house. Proctor had left that part out when he told Elizabeth the story earlier. Elizabeth...
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...their three sons are baptized. Proctor explains he doesn't see the "light of God" in Parris. Hale says that such a thing is not for Proctor to decide: Parris is an...
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Act 3
...Corey is dragged from the courtroom (and onto the stage), followed by Francis Nurse, Hale, Parris, Hathorne, and Danforth. Hathorne and Danforth are furious that Corey would disrupt and try to...
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Nurse says they have proof the girls are frauds. Proctor and Mary Warren come forward. Parris tells Danforth that Proctor causes "mischief," while Hale begs Danforth to hear the evidence.
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Proctor tells Danforth that Mary is prepared to testify she never saw any spirits. Parris shouts that Proctor has come to overthrow the court, but Danforth silences him. Terrified and...
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...is valid, but Ezekiel Cheever mentions that Proctor earlier ripped up the court's warrant, and Parris adds that Proctor seldom comes to church. Hale argues that such evidence hardly justifies considering...
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Parris declares this an attack on the court. Hale questions why all attempts at defense are...
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...laughed at prayer, and that Abigail and the other girls frequently danced in the woods. Parris is forced to admit he saw them dancing. Danforth had not heard this before, and...
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Act 4
Hathorne and Danforth enter. They wonder where Parris is and are troubled to learn from Herrick that he's with Hale, visiting those condemned...
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Parris enters. To Danforth and Hathorne's questions about Hale, he answers that Hale has returned to...
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After a moment's indecision, Parris reveals that Abigail robbed him of thirty-one pounds and then ran off with Mercy Lewis....
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Danforth's position doesn't satisfy Parris. He's received threats regarding his part in the trials and fears for his safety.
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...to confess, though he knows he shouldn't. When they learn the news, Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris are overjoyed. They ask Ezekiel Cheever to write down Proctor's confession. Proctor asks why it...
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...then asks if he's seen anyone with the devil. Proctor again says no. Hale and Parris convince Danforth to accept Proctor's confession anyway. Under pressure from Danforth, Proctor signs the confession....
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...Proctor rips the confession to pieces. Danforth orders Herrick to take Proctor to the gallows. Parris and Hale beg Elizabeth to speak to Proctor. But she says Proctor has his goodness...
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