Ruth Putnam Quotes

PUTNAM: Why, her eyes is closed! Look you, Ann.
MRS. PUTNAM: Why, that’s strange. Ours is open.

– Arthur Miller

The Crucible, Act 1. Both Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam are in a comatose state in the opening scene. While Thomas Putnam observes that Betty has her eyes closed, his wife Ann comments that her Ruth has hers open. The Putnams leap to the conclusion that both girls are in some sort of strange stupor because of witchcraft they have been involved in in the forest. While Ruth Putnam does not speak any lines in the play, there are many quotes showing her involvement, including evidence of her accusing individuals of witchcraft.

Reverend Parris, I have laid seven babies unbaptized in the earth. Believe me, Sir, you never saw more hearty babies born. And yet, each would wither in my arms the very night of their birth. And now, this year, my Ruth, my only – I see her turning strange. A secret child she has become this year, and shrivels like a sucking mouth were pullin’ on her life too. And so I thought to send her to your Tituba…Tituba knows how to speak to the dead, Mister Parris…I take it on my soul, but who else may surely tell us who murdered my babies.

– Arthur Miller

The Crucible, Act 1. Ann Putnam admits to a horrified Parris to enlisting Tituba’s help to communicate with her seven dead babies to find out who murdered them. She did this out of desperation after watching her remaining daughter Ruth act strange during the year and become "a secret child." Using a rather dramatic simile, she says that Ruth "shrivels like a sucking mouth were pullin’ on her life." Mrs. Putnam greatly adds to the growing hysteria about witchcraft in Salem.

The proof is there! I have it from an honest man who heard Putnam say it! The day his daughter cried out on Jacobs, he said she’d given him a fair gift of land.

– Arthur Miller

The Crucible, Act 3. Giles Corey tells the court that Thomas Putnam is exploiting the witch trials in order to acquire vacant land of the accused at a good price. Putnam was overheard by an "honest man" saying that his daughter Ruth accused George Jacob of witchery in order to give her father a "fair gift" of land. In his hunger for more land and power, it seems there is little Thomas Putnam won’t stoop to, including having people falsely accused and hanged for witchcraft.
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