Mary Warren The Crucible by Arthur Miller was in the context of the historical Salem Witch Trials where many innocent people were being accused of crimes or sins they did not even commit. There was one character named Mary Warren who is actually a minor character turns out to be one of the most important, dynamic characters. She goes from being a lonely, shy, frightened teenager to being a very brave witness in court.
Mary Warren, the scared, weak little girl she is is lonely at the beginning of the play and has been spending time with Abigail Williams. When there is talk in the town about witchcraft after the girls are found dancing in the forest, she starts worrying about what will happen to them if they are called witches. Mary says, "Abby, we've got to tell. Witchery's a hangin' error, a hangin' like they done in Boston two year ago! We must tell the truth, Abby! You'll only be whipped for dancin', and the other things!" (Act I, p.1079) She is showing her worrisome self and doesn't want to get herself and the other girls into trouble.
Though Mary becomes a brave witness in Act II her change is short-lived, however, and she retreats back to being a scared, weak girl. Mary gets Elizabeth Proctor into trouble when she becomes an official of the court. She makes Elizabeth a poppet and this gets her into trouble when Cheever comes to arrest her for witchcraft; there is a needle found in the poppet and is supposed to be the cause of Abigail's pain. When Mary is questioned about it, she replies, frightened and unsure how to act, "Why, I--I think it is mine. It--is, sir." (Act II, p.1126) She tries to be cool about it but sounds like she is trying to hide something. John Proctor tells Mary she is going to go to court with him and tell them the truth so that his wife and the other innocent people will be freed. Mary resists and tries to avoid it by telling Proctor that, "She'll kill me for sayin' that! Abby'll charge lechery on you, Mr.
