Explain how the witch-hunt years were a time of "general revenge".
The witch hunt years were a time of general revenge as any occurrence which someone found unfavorable or suspicious and was blamed on the work of the devil (which was many things due to the religious nature and high level of superstition among the people of this time) could now be blamed on a visible existence; i.e. the person accused of being a witch. This allowed the people of the time to get closure on their misfortunes by the sacrifice of a person or usually people who took the blame and died for it.
For example, Mrs. Putnam needed someone to blame for the deaths of her children, and jumped to the conclusion that it was Goody Osburn and Goody Good as they served as midwife to her during the births.
Similarly the man who could not keep a pig blamed this occurrence on witchcraft, rather than it being just that he did not know how to properly care for his animals.
2.Identify Abigail, Betty, Tituba, and Mary Warren (relationships and roles in act 1).
Abigail Williams is an orphan and the niece of Reverend Parris. Upon Abigail being put out from the Proctors' house after and incident involving Abigail, Mr. Proctor and a barn, she went to live with her uncle, his daughter Betty and servant Tituba.
Betty is young, at only ten years old, yet is embroiled in the scam organized by Abigail. Betty, in act 1 lies in her bed for the majority, only to wake up at the end and accuse people in the community of witchcraft.
Tituba is from Barbados, and is the housekeeper for Reverend Parris. She is suspected of leading the children into practicing witchcraft.
As Abigail was forced to leave the Proctor's household, the Proctors needed to get a new helper. Seventeen year old Mary Warren helps in the Proctors' household, and is one of the girls involved in the conspiracy of witchcraft.
Why does Mrs. Putnam, believe there are witches in Salem?.
