Background
Thomas Putnam was the eldest son of the richest man in the village
He is a religious man deeply interested in religious affairs
He had endured hardship as he fought the Indians at Narragansett
Married to Anne Putnam
Seven of his children have died before they were baptized
“I have lied seven babies unbaptized in the earth”
Mr. Putnam also has a daughter who has taken ill like Betty (Ruth)
Physical Appearance
Mr. Putnam is nearing fifty
Temperament
He is a self assured man who has an extremely high opinion of himself. He thinks of himself as intellectually superior, above all others
According to Miller stage notes, Mr Putnam is described as
“a well to do, hard handed landowner, near fifty”
He is quick to condemn other for their wrong doings
“I never heard you worried in this society, Mr Proctor, I do not think I saw you at Sabbath meeting since snow fall”
He is continuously threatening people
“I’ll have my men on you, Corey! I’ll clap a writ on you”
He has had a past filled with many grudges and acts according to vindictiveness
His brother did not receive his desired post; instead it was filled by George Burroughs. They had him imprisoned for debts he did not owe
In his fathers will he lost most of the fortune to his step-brother. He tried to have the will revoked, but to no avail
“What anarchy this is? That tract is in my bounds, it’s in my bounds, Mr Proctor”
The Essay on Communication Between Men And Women
As everyone knows by now, there is a difference between a man and a womans outer appearance. What some people do not realize is that a man and a woman are also different in communication techniques. Generally speaking, men and women fall into two categories when dealing with communication techniques. When men talk, it is for giving information. Deborah Tannen says this informative speaking is ...
Ideas
Mr Putnam in honor and pride. He strikes out again anybody who tries to harm his name
Role in the Play
Mr Putnam enters the play in the first act as people are gathering around Betty’s bedside
He declares that there is an element of witchcraft is behind the children’s sudden illness. He is intent of convincing the other people in the village of the same;
“…intent upon getting Parris, for whom he has only contempt, to move towards the abyss”
“This is a notorious sign of witchcraft afoot, Goody Nurse, a prodigious sign”
